Show r 1 w fir 0 in mir j kl the mardi gras CL my I 1 vf by Is H BEDFORD JONES Z 11 ii by br AGE PAGE P AND COMPANY k the tale of a carnival k like ke that led to grim reali ses kes CHAPTER i III carnival hta fell pushed aside the glass ians between the voluminous over i fries arles in the windows of the chess 10 checkers beckers club and gazed out upon tr lotous streets of new orleans is c an hour he had been waiting here ibe e lounge room for dr cyril ans K 1 middle aged bachelor who had bad sliced in opelousas for twenty fiand and who had come to the city cit y ile e mardi gras festivities an inan might have seemed irritated 1 ewalt e 1 but jachin fell was quite bed eshad ba d much the air of a clerk ills his MS es were thin and unremarkable ile eyes constantly wore an exon laon of wondering aloofness as h he saw around him much that tried to understand in his a I 1 manner was a shy reticence ile he IT clerk however this was evl evi i kroin rom his attire he was garbed lead end to foot in soberly blending of gray whose richness was conly tit at close view one fan dm a very precise sort of nan man an mald of the wrong sex nor tor le ansley an inverness flung bis devening clothes clot lies entered the room and fell turned to him ihrl ji it dry toneless chuckle I ure tare the unit did you forget it ere going to the willards Mail ail lards tofe ial however moever we need not leave tor for 1 l minutes nut yet at least lor i ansley laid aside his bis cape ind d hat and dropped into one of inter 0 table able big chairs M if intend to mask for the mall ansley cast his eye over the business attire of the little man ver mask jachin fell shook itta ld ril ill set get a domino and go as ia excuse me ill order a domino ck in a moment aig or ansley followed the slight deot the other man luan with specula ayes well as lie he knew jachin itee invariably found the man a to jiff puzzled speculation trag many years jachin fell had 14 member of the alie most exclusive ricans irleand clubs ile he was even re ln the inner circles of 0 creole creel e which in itself was evidence su as to his position at this par abib it fe lub he was f famed amed as a wizard effot of chess ile he never entered a il jaent kment yet lie he consistently defeat in private matches A td then them with a bewildering ease W tand and apologetic ease an ease 6 lett eft the beholders nast fia st 4 a 11 this jachin rell was very 1 fasi a mystery even among his blends very little was klonin tir he be was a lawyer and certainly NO ed offices in the liaison fai taj building but he never ap wt 10 i n i the courts and no case of hla his 00 J was known aili 11 il disnew anew him as well as did most ulli f 3 ansley knew of 0 a few who i ast of having been a guest in beug fell Ee Ug Is home 0 e there their was a moth i it I 1 of whom fell sometimes aa lo 10 ivhon hom lie he appeared to de al self the lie family on an old one 1 promised ro ased to lie ilie out alth ili ith 10 bufred at his cigar and con 09 ise things abin s outside in the 0 ji geans ans streets was rocketing irth of carnival the week cias mardi uras gras was at its close Ks 3 ever was mardi gras cras symer glab masques Ba in new orleans derade was not thi thit t pale and atte lc of colder clinio clim there vi 60 ton n Is but one for misplay of y d costumes cost times and whre actual at of identity is a farce aap e x ew orleans were jewels and in fit a profusion of splendor r as ag preserved the underlying 1 g y y masque itself that tit la conf F at f identity dent Ity lay the life of the J i chin achta fell returned and liblit v 00 ar he sank into one of the ti chabra airs beside ansley and E spatter aper lying across the ft aee n ee its naring flaring headlines v it t blackly 00 that about the midnight j I 1 hes hels not appeared again F sam I 1 ley glanced at him in s youve auve not beard good sir panl na ile he showed up last ij he e Lappy lapayrouse Ln peyrouse rouse dince dance tv ano 0 y I 1 re midnight as 19 usual A y lad d been engaged but was i found and locked in a closet i ilias 11 own handcuffs the ire behls his abild egl 11 the party famously in then lie gh the doors and van avs ay ws cigar at the ceiling ali most interesting J ty 10 value valued at abut about it hun bun it you said aid not cot heard gerej 00 tided ansley ansay lit bya bY 00 edi 1 softly and shyly 1 I 1 ty hazarded hai bcd lcd a guess bless wizard the doctor laughed in unison yes about that amount the Is a piker observed fell la in ills his toneless voice eh A piker when lie he can make a hundred thousand dollar haul dont dream that those figures represent value doctor they dont all the loot the has taken since he begin began work Is worth little to him jewels are hard to sell of course the crook has obtained a bit of money but not enough to be worth the risk yet he has got quite a bit returned ansley thoughtfully all the men have money naturally we dont want to find ourselves bare at some guy carnival moment I 1 id warrant youve youre a hundred or so in your pocket right now not il I 1 1 rejoined fell calmly one ten dollar bill also I 1 loft left my irabell at home and im not dressed I 1 dont care to lose my pearl studs eli eh ansley frowned what do yo you u mean jachin took a folded paper from his pocket and handed it to the physician ill 1 I met malllard maillard at the bank this morning lie he called me into his office and handed me this lie he had just received it in the mall I 1 doctor ansley opened the folded paper an exclamation broke from him aleh eha A piker when becan make a hundred thousand dollar 1 haul as he read the note which was addressed to their host of the evening joseph malllard maillard president exeter national dank bank city 1 I thank ian you for r the e masque that a you are giving tonight I 1 shall be present please see that sirs airs 31 wears her diamonds I 1 need them THE MIDNIGHT ansley glanced up this some hoax some carnival jest maillard pretended to think so fell shrugged his shoulders as a r lie re pocketed puck eted the note but he was nervous hell haie a brace of detectives inside the house tonight and others outside ever avei since the first ball of the year by the twelfth night club this mid night its as lie he was termed had bad hold held new orleans gripped in terror fascination and vivid interest during the past month lie appeared at least once a week now at some private ball koiv now at some restaurant banquet but always in the same garb the helmet huge goggles and mask and leathern clothes of a service aviator on these occasions the throbbing roar of an airplane motor had been reported so that eliat it was popular gossip that lie he lauded landed on the root roof of his designated victims and made his getaway in the same manner by airplane no machine machne had ever been seen and the theory was believed by some hooted booted et at by others doctor ansley glanced at his watch and die deposited posited his cigar in an ash tra tray Y wed best bo be moving fell want a domino 1 I ordered one be here hare in a minute do you seriously think that note Is genuine fell shrugged lightly who knows im not worried malllard Mall fard can afford to be robbed youre a calm onel one ansley 01 I 1 believe the prince la Is to be there tonight youve met him I 1 suppose no heard something about him blin though an american he they say lies become quite popular in town ansey nodded quite a fine chop chap ills his mother wae waa tin nn american she married the prince de Grani gramont ont ao an international ter lonal affair of the past genera lion de Grit gramont mont led her a duga dogs life I 1 hour hear until lie he vias nas killed in a duel she lived in paris with the boy sent blin hi in to school here at home and he was at yale mien the war broke out lie was technically a french subject so lie went back to serve his time OS still astill till hes an Amer american amerlean lenn now calls 1 himself henry gramont and would I 1 drop the prince stuff altogether if these french people around here would let him A page brought the domino fell discarding the mask threw the domino about his shoulders and the two men left the club in company they sought their destination afoot the home of the banker joseph malllard the streets ware we re riotous filled with an eddying laughing crowd of and merrymakers merry makers of all ages and sexes confetti twirled through the air horns were deafening and laughing voices rose into sharp screams of unrestrained delight at last gaining st charles avenue with the maillard residence a halt half dozen blocks distant the two companions found themselves well away from the main carnival throngs As they walked along they were suddenly aware of a lithe figure approaching front from the rear with a running leap and an exclamation of delight the figure forced itself in between them grasping an arm of either man and a bantering voice broke in upon their train of talk forfeit it cried forfeit where are your masks masics sober gentlemen this grae physician may be pardoned but not a domino who refuses to maski mask and for forfeit aou ou shall be my escort and take me whither you are going laughing the two fell into step glancing at the gay figure between them A columbine site she was was both cloaked and tu masked asked encircling her hair was a magnificent scarf shot with metal designs of solid gold a roost most unusual thing also from her words it was evident that she had recognized them willingly fair columbine responded fell in hindry his i dry and unimpassioned tone of voice we shall be most happy indeed to protect and take you with us so far as the door at least interrupted ansley with evident caution but fell laughed aside this wary limitation nay good physician farther went on fell our columbine hns has an excellent passport I 1 assure you this gauzy scarf about her raven tresses was waa woven for the good queen hortense and I 1 would venture a random guess that clasped about her slender throat ties lies the queens collar of star sap 1 oh ob from the columbine broke a cry of warning and swift dismay dorit dont yu dare speak my name sir dont you darel dare fell asse assented anted with a chuckle and subsided ansley regarded his two companion with sidelong curiosity ile he could not recognize columbine and he could not tell whether fell was speaking of the scarf and jewels in jest or earnest such historic hig things were not uncommon in new orleans yet ansley never heard of these particular treasures however it seemed that fell knew their companion and accepted her as a fellow guest at the milliard maillard house what are you doing out on the streets alone demanded fell suddenly lavent I you any friends or relatives to take care of you columbines laughter pealed out and site she pressed fells arm confidingly have I 1 not some little rights in the world orld monsieur she said in french 1 I have leave been mingling with the dear crowds and enjoying them before I 1 go to be buried in the dull splendors of the rich mans house tell me do you think that the midnight will make cut an appearance tonight 1 I have every reason to believe that he alii w ill said jacyln fell gravely columbine put one liand hand to her throat and sli shivered hered a trifle tri lie you you really think so you are not trying to frighten me iter her voice was no longer gay but the jewels it they the are taken by the in that case said fell let the blame be mine entirely if they are lost little columbine others will be lost with them tear fear not I 1 think that this party would be a rich haul tor for the eli take the rich man and Ms his friends they could bear plucking that crowd I 1 rogues all confound you fell exclaimed ansley uneasily it if the bandit does show up there would be the very devil to pay I 1 some thrills await you in the next installment tto TO BE CONTINUED |