Show the mardi gras mystery by H BEDFORD JONES IS va rac AS AM FELL ANO AND LUCIE SYNOPSIS thiral the height alight of f the new cirl cirlin sn carriello fealon jacyln in fell wealthy athy though agomo he citizen 0 nil dr A acaley ait r adriea or of robber lM le by so n dust looey known 11 to the idlet midnight Idl Lt lia 1 1 who h I 1 in mohmd a an aviator vist has haa ions hou yd cl the police jolce mall mail lard hild wealthy athy banker 1 la giulii bell ball that I 1 c al which oh il L the be maw quer has threatened di 1 to appear and YOU rob ill the breata fell I 1 and AV A V athell on their w way to the on altair meet t girl dreaded AS cna ly ay k known 1 to fell fall hot but wa wad masked d wh thorn thim to the ball lucle IS lii 1 recently ill the 7 ward or of he her uncle 1 J joseph ph no malllard ud U d 1 in the columbine at ull the ball BU bob mused malllard BOH of the banker agian to her and la refuted he to buy bonie 11 01 ol her property A mcane I 1 ropers via U her he tor turns out at to be gramont I 1 in hl his libl library joseph joeeph lafit maillaird Maill ird rd and ad BL S brokup in of at his 1 I a are held us up and it robbed by the midnight ht Ms quer use lucie lucia lw ill the last 1 of 1 an om cion family I 1 n 1 straitened 1 ro cr c at oil malllard alic tiran fl handling of 1 I her h r land funds lie bai been be unfortunate use F fell ll 11 an old aid por friend ter her patto ta IS and dorcly in a the narl henry gramont really ill the pt prince it de G Grano joau tit I 1 la enamored d of lucia CHAPTER I 1 IV cant Continued d you raw him repeated V P abed the girl eirl quickly it ahat but a ana lie lilie like do aou ou linow know who lie is I 1 kow replied rell reel aref ellal ill embling luu at ter her oh 01 1 I iberi ill who 1 ie 0 hea soft softly P Y g ladi I 1 I 1 know ill bilm but or even to 3 1 I into dale not at breathe his name not until it I 1 obtain some direct evidence let us call I 1 hit him al mr X after the mn aidi of ro ounce mance and ad I 1 shall hall pound 11 1 1 I know ahe bandit ban it did not enter the house during the evening nor at did lie ae leave nor or 1 waa ibl he found in tile the house after we waid it he a wen went I 1 on tonelessly tonel esaly b ho incredible aa it may appear lie he was one me of the guests guest till this mr X came me to the dance wearing hie he a co cos turns tume or most of it under underneath act III liis masquerade costume nahe hen he wis ready to act he coffed doffed his outer ter r costume appeared appealed as 1 the I blIght th Alax itter effected till his burp purpose the then calmly donned his outer later customs costume again and resumed lil his place among the go yen ton ft ell then 1 halliard yesterday re a note late from the mosinee bra 1 tenar I ii c g that be ile be bolend intended it to cell 11 in not during the e evening I 1 bae h ft that note it we wa written with tilt an ext ronal lor hard d apriell uch such a as few me men carev Y because bee it do does not lot easily make oy legible writing last night I 1 asked aed mr me X fora for pencil and he produced one me w with t it an n extra hard lead fout mot men tinning that he had borrowed it from bob mainard Mai MaIll Hard rd aa indeed he be had what smell I 1 von drent dont moss mean of murse course I 1 don dont t vr my 3 X 1 ts clever that s all here flare Is 1 what took oak place 1 last ast night mr X brought us another ill note at from am the albiter Al nIter bay y aft ing that he be 1 had ran found it it pinned to if tie 0 library door dear A As a matter of fact it tied written it on an leaf ter torn from free nil h notebook 1 I took the note tron him all observing via at t the time that the pope paper hud it no pin hod bolea P probable bold mr X saw that limit thes there we waa something miss amiss he presently went at back bach down talas took talk the remainder of at the th lorn leaf from his big notebook elook and ad planned pinned it to tile the door A little late later I 1 met him ind and mere mentioned tied the lack of pin holes be calmly berred referred me to the piece p res on an the door say baying 9 that he be had auml merely lorn r ivia ithe off note at without removing the pires pins you follow fellow me of course murmured the girl h arr I 1 ees wide in fascinated fascinate antem interest and d bit be ne knew that you yen guese gue se it him to he be the M m squear V ho he epe e pe led no me 1 I think ban a 14 felt fell mildly ell it 1 is no clu call tant ill at you will not go about I 1 tracing being these lie little class clural dont at be bill uncle mahln she h b broke roke in you know 11 it do let nothing a fe S of tile the ort I 1 go on an please pie I 1 did yon yet find the airplane Y ye IS jachin fell smiled 1 won was thinking of 0 that as an I 1 left the houat boost and came me to the line lie of at waiting automobiles A word with one of tile the tie I 1 alc stowed bow it me that I 1 one ot if the cars in the street I 1 had hem been test lest ing il engine about I 1 found tile taftt t ill the cr 1 belo belonE ld fo to mr me X I 1 H how lucle lucie and I 1 bmw w wy ery eleven the chauffeur worked a I 1 now send erful motor with a muffler ond cutout at bout about it the alnie it mr I 1 I 1 sells the th hoube an waa a 11 apple appearance re it sear scarcely rely sounded like ao airplane p I 1 motor moter yet fribo old bud od ol 01 at sit people would imagine that it did to thus arose arna the legend that tile the it midnight ddn te ht 3 f be earn came anil ad departed h in iieana S or of air plane B theory aided ingestion so by hr his latam komume well hall la Is 11 II 11 1 I know or suspect my dear arnt lucitt and all a aw now 1 I 1 a ald the girl th eck t ut 1 13 you R put hint awful r drolc a of youre on the like track of at mr bir X T no ben chatterer la is a good 11 chauffeur end and he ties causing ind but iles n bloodhound 1 I 1 dent dob t wonder that lie to be criminal even I 1 if im you have him from life u of crime you behan baa t improved but his looks look E exactly achilly ben ban is IH at work asserted led jacyln fell the under tilde suspicion de Is IB very prominent to ac use cuse him without proof would be hit utter fully folly to catch tell he him 1 in flagrance fla grante dolo dellato will be difficult so go I 1 am in no 0 haste besides I 1 can a aa vet et dis die cover coter no I 1 motile met P is for far his crimes since he la is quite quit veil ocil oft off fi randall well no matter I 1 now new that I 1 have base fully un bosomed ni eit mv dear it Is IB your turn all right tancle ahin lucle look lk a large morocco r rw case w from atie 1 chair but b beside ter her and extended it you mi lent me these things to w wear ear last night and 1 no no intervened fell 1 I gave gae them to you nn dear dearin in feet fact I 1 gae then them to you two too von arn md it apt them until now new I 1 you be have a v woin at n them ill chev a are your bud and YOU be mine come them better flon ien even did poor queen quee hortense I 1 I 1 so say no more nis L lucle leaned comard and imprints ImprInt I a kiss upon pon the cheek check of ill the little gray gracy man an litiere Iti ere I 1 that hiat Is sit bit the thanks thank iran I 1 can give ghe you dear uncle the gift makes me verv hippy and in n not at pretend othe otherwise 01 only I 1 feel B though I 1 had no right to wear ever them re BO 0 wonderful ful I 1 1 7 woodful wood 1 nonsense als 1 but t ill 11 this po vb why iti vou wil moulard oneil me here hem you bundle of mystery I 1 hot bothered 10 1 0 you lust last rugh night 0 or rather who lutie 11 laughed sighed 0 there was a fran ei cen who he tried to be very verv te toi ou ous and ad to read my mv mind he talked about 1 oil 11 a beat about a area plug hard man in and n mentioned td owed v ou U as my friend friell the ihen he warned it 1 nie alt a pro pina that bob might make rod sure enough bob did propose to be what land 1 is left to we me on bou terrebonne bonne ila lied id Pl lunde ill his oil company pen ithac tant the there was oil 1 I to on it mul and that the it bui bin or lease it I 1 told ill bilm on no the francis franciscan afterward p proved ord to be gramont Grain ont I 1 wondered if you I 1 had it mentioned tie rd heaven forbid mr ile felt fell I 1 never ev even n met gra L hool until at b imbt at night do pul ou ilk aie him I 1 net erv much the girl a eves ees met ill his fron frankly IY do vout or very lery much mid bald J achin fell r ell lucle lucie 8 grav el ave as no narrowed is oil scorched Benr ched his f face r I 1 in almost able to tell when hen youre you re icing it ing she observed v 0 I 1 I 1 poor taste Md to grew weary 1 such estyl calmly holy you aid that a trifle too hastily unit unde julio why hy dont doit you yen lite like hira lump fell tough laughed c it afeard perhaps I 1 h have ft prejudice against foreign L s le 0 our u 0 own aristocracy cabled enough 18 hm enough but b t iles lie B discarded all that 11 lie was never awyer french ampt except in name lou ina speak as thoma known know hint him for or some time have you had bylel fr Ioney mel 1 I have buli If luchter duo dillI dimpled pled 1 in the girl fare face for r or years clars and dearal years I 1 tt IN ilen hen 1 I waa in new york yolk is with fill fail father before tin the ar we met him he was ean visit his in a with college friend then vou on know knew that father and ull I 1 wom were 1 in france fran ahen has alie lie war see i b roke broke out ear foller father was ill and almost b elphese liel pleM at tile time you remember gramont ones came to purl parta to see with lite his regiment and met us ua there tie he helped Us u get away provincial procured real at um money ly for us got us ui passage to new lork ine lie he known bu lota of our all friende and 1 ive V alway allay been deeply grateful t to it him 1 in for his lil OI stOner then U a TO a quite frequently luring during it ali war she he pursued led 1 I 1 mentioned him se several seral ral times after we go got home from prunce but bui yo you inch ably failed to notice atit the name it s it since I tie came t to r mew w or orlenna 1 heg unit that I 1 nod really kept I 1 ony or ecres at from yoa ty time 1 1 I wanted ad to ond ad out if rest you liked mm mild a slowly TH ills face ws wa quite quit innocent of eap mailan 1 I ei ea yet tie he aid all 1 if as of nf ormin he H 1 1 Coll collagist agist or engines I 1 think r B burh nil ad a rood it al one well about IA light h he probably involved a scon ume ut of my ra private affair lv IV sin is ten or spoken rather frankly persapa al also bob may it have blabbed to him bob till 1111 drinks has ho not hit him very bardl hard 0 no o agreed fell grat gravely itly trefor unfortunately tuna tely no I 1 no acle ucle I 1 ve a dhove discovered sita most moat imports important t fact act JOB joseph aph malllard int lera did not own an stock block in the eavou rev a oil company at the time year bour land we waa sold bold the them by him and he had no inter interest t at at all in tile real estate yen con cem that bought you your st lead landav lands land and made a fortune off the them we hine really blamed him most unjustly ido I 1 do not lot believe that he be has profited 1 in the least fie aiom you his in IB tile the companies pani panic con an earned corned were made aft emaid led and I 1 am certain he sold the lands inno imia catir lucie drew a deep breath 1 I on am slid ou haie be said bald she he returned simply it a been hard foi far mo me to lo think that uncle joseph hall taken tul advantage of me I 1 think that he colosti hol osti likes rie me as in fur 4 as 9 he permits to co like anione he it not loan you money on as it be said it rell friendship Is lant I 1 a tangible as security ft iv with ith him I 1 who ealia did profit by my lo at anyone one rii a pale rely eves twinkled then cleared to in then their usually wide v ide innocence cre mv dear lucie ancle to la there one per person in tins this world to whose faults joseph malllard 1 Is deliberately blind one person to whom lie ile would refuse cloth law ing in whom vilon I 1 he t e would pardon old an aery y gri civilin ci thin tiling of f u whom limi b hi would oever never bellm belicia any adiv en it report you menn lucle lucie drew a quick breath bob I 1 it acs I 1 menn bob bb that he be IS lina 1 prated ted b bi bour all loss jose I 1 am U not jet ln in ft p position to say but I 1 ept e pt it when he I 1 hu have finished alth the ii quer I 1 shall hall take up b his I 1 t trail rall J jacyln ch leu I 1 ell rose 0 now I 1 in must ac be 0 off 11 an mv it dear Y 1 ft 1 in 11 you L ill dine with us to tomorrow evening toomy ducle tucle other mother 11 commanded allied nin me 1 to bring you an as a boon as possible id oh bour Y mother 0 exclaimed the girl con contritely 1 I was so absorbed bear in the that I 1 forgot argot to ask after her how hart Is she quite na as usual giua thank y you a I 1 II 11 mine come tomorrow eight gladly pride lude jachin and well we 11 take a took at the pro tens ball 11 afterward if you like ill t send B ben act Cha chacherie cherre tor for you with the car I 1 if I 1 ion ou re is not afraid of him 1 I m not at exactly fluid of him lu lucle Is responded soberly elderly but there to something about I 1 him m that t I 1 can t like ini I 1 ni onry borry that you a re te I 1 t to regenerate him in a we way 1 fell all life to la an effort little one tt NN ell goodby by J jacyln a chin rell left the hoube houw at three fo forty ty minutes later tile the bell 1 mag rane benin again I 1 nor bent beat a one of bel the e servants to admit henry Gran gramont all she kept him waiting a full fifteen minutes before she appeared and then she made no apologies whatever for the tie delay oy not U that Gra crout minded alluded lung he detailed deemed it a privilege leg to linger in athla 2 house 1 tie he loved to mud tile place a BO reflective of US its owner conne ile he loed the white colonial mantel tint thit surround mil rounded ol the fireplace perpetually undy alight with its gleaming shern sheen ofa of old bread and the glittering ill c act to in one an side aide the ven see all air of the place a the atmosphere that it breathed one act sweet to him tile the napoleon ha bed that filled the bow window with it its pillow and soft coverings 10 1 0 the inlaid walnut I 1 cabinet sah made b by sheraton t with its e quaintly tant reflected aerol glasses that reflected d ill the old tune time carlon within the tilt the r rosea chairs the rugs rag bought before p re t the in tillon oriental 1 rag nig market hot wua was hooded flooded with machine blue made senna seen knot labont bout eve elar othin linal hse here had bad an air of comfort of long use of restful mail I 1 nos it was not tile the sort of aloo pance built up nw mw item by raw item by tile the color ml frenzied fre tr nIed blind of decorators it vas a it the a sort of place that tunit decora tors lots arhe desperately to imitate and c cannot L phot tt hen she made lie her appearance gramont bent beat uye over her head hand and ad dressed her in preach french 1 I ion on are charming na as ever shining onn one knit nd to in years to come came y you u will lill be tilt still more are charming brig that 1 la the biou of having a muno mime taken take direct from tile class classica cla esica and ad bestowed as a good fairy gift thank 11 on monsieur lot but you 1181 hae it I 1 tied my name lit ill least twenty times time md and I 1 am an dearv of at hoc hear ing it if reap it lucle lucie poor PLO taste nn demoiselle to grow biary of fintch mih b beauty ty P I 1 not net of alie I 1 name mine but of your year exe 1 gesis I upon upa it villy ft hy should I 1 not lot be displeased I 1 ast as night yon yen were p pos i ethely title and ad now ion no ewery my y 1 taste did you yon leave all 11 yur man as aera 1 in felam to Is ie prince you a u fh it anybody abdy on the 1 in b 1 id tie if th thy 0 ever r |