Show fhe MARDI GW off arner y by i by Doubleday and comp TONIGHT 1 during the th height ot of jabr orleans carnival season well fell wealthy though some py mysterious citizen and dr pt A are discussing a series ot of ea by an individual known who ini i y attired as an aviator has aaa dined the police joseph mall mail wealthy tanker banker Is giving a t night at aich the masks threatened to appear and e guests ru ests fell and ansley ir way to the affair meet a 1 I inked as columbine seeming efio awn to fell but masked who aits nn le them to the ball recently the ward 1 uncle joseph Wa malllard illard la is 44 I 1 e at the ball bob td son on of the banker again apa i ej to her and Is refused he to toy buy y some borne 0 of f her property monk interests Inte her 1 L capter 11 continued the girl smiled a little you yon tray your business friends in mate make a bit of money for rd stared at her well it jt that way yes id do more sefor for 1 k you the she interrupted her 1 I dont think id trust acety very tar far robert arned from him and was gone the great rooms like bluni bine ht neared and brought a con anny ripy the midnight ills name by invariably ig g a moment or two before tie the it twelve jachin jacyln fell who ale hla time between enjoying the ak room and wandering about aibe perceived that I 1 was watching the iiii th anxiety le man stern and abit a bit scorn ook malllard aillard wis was imposing an handsome he appeared deal cal banker efficient devoid ot of ment amused by the mans uneasiness 1 jacyln fell kept 41 ift view while the moments st X one might have thought little gray eray man was studying deter as an entomologist r butterfly on a pin wy e before twelve columbine fed up to pell fell and accepted the I 1 offered her they were for beat dent ident i alone in in a corner of the i attee aee yon tomorrow please tried if be assented may I 1 call ay Y you know belll at three something bened edbur but I 1 cannot speak of it fa girl smiled a little you ft d betray your business friends friend ler arto to make a bit of money ft R oa a any one else know that hat it you are interested in ID my ailt eray by eyes of the little gray M very innocent and aly enot not my iny dearl dear why 11 ayou you tomorrow then she xa R laugh well it Is mid 9 the has not ap m almost norry morry keitt 9 flickered off for a m ran pi on again the signal for ifal ans ng ceased from the whole a babiel of voices cries le be exclamations merry columbine removed her later joseph mall mail lard approached them chuckling to himself and looking hugely relieved ila iia lucae lucle I 1 guessed you beneath the columbine daintiness have you examined your favor yet remembering the girl caught at her corsage cries of delight were arising on all sides as the favors were revealed most handsome favors even for mardi grasl gras I 1 from the henrt heart of the rosebuds in her hand lucle lucie removed a brooch of old filigree work set with ft a group of plarl pearls R she glanced about for jachin fell but he had vanished with milliard maillard A voice rose at her elbow mademoiselle you are not less lucky than beautiful pearls to the pearl she turned to see isee the franciscan to no longer masked but now gazing at tier her from rl a frank laughing countenance still partially veiled by the brown cowl that was drawn up close about his head henry gramonte Gram she exclaimed oh I 1 halt half suspected that it was you i but you were not sure he chuckled youre not offended with me lucle lucie 1 I should be she tossed her head you were impertinent 31 le ie prince ile he made a distasteful gesture none of that lucle you know I 1 dont like it oh la Is la a she mocked him SI 21 ie prince Is seeing america nest ce pas he has come to america to find a rich wife Is it not gramonte Gra monts face lost its ita smile and suddenly became almost harsh 1 I shall call upon you at four tomorrow lucie he said abruptly and turned nor did he be pause to get her reply an instant afterward lucle lucie was surrounded by a merry group of friends and she saw raw no more of henry Grani gramont ont about five minutes later those in the ballroom distinctly heard beard through the open windows the heavy pulsations of an aa airplane motor CHAPTER lit ill the bandit joseph hilliards Halli Mail ards lards library was on the ground floor of the house it was a sedate and stately room and was invariably shut off to itself not even toni tonight glit of all nights was it thrown open with the remainder of the house here malllard maillard summoned halt half a dozen of his particular cronies and friends after the stroke 0 of midnight had assured him that there was no danger to be expected from the bandit ills his son was not among the number cumber the halt half dozen were nearly all elderly men and with thi the exception of jacyln fell all were men of prominent affairs about the table grouped malllard maillard ond and his guests If malllard aillard standing before a small wall sate safe tha that t flanked the open hearth lifted his saher goblet astrain with heads beads the moment for which he had bad been waiting was here he launched his little thunderbolt with an air of satisfied importance my y I 1 have a confession to makel make he announced today I 1 received a note from the midnight stating that he would be with us this evening presumably at the hour of midnight his usual ume time these words brought an instant silence the half dozen men were tense lense watchful astonished but malllard swung up his sliver silver cup and laughed gaily eally 1 I tool took full precautions gentlemen the hour of danger la 13 pastrami past pas tami aral the notorious bandit hits has not arrived or if he has arrived he Is now in the M handa bands of the law so up with your cups my friends friende a lifelong health to mardi grna gras and damnation to prohibition and the midnight Mas from everyone broke a swift assent to the toast a murmur of relieved tendon the silver goblets were lifted touched la in a 0 musical clinking of edges and the aromatic breath of julep filled the library as the drinkers in true southern fashion burled noses doses to in the fragrant mint then as the cups were mere lowered from the recess of the curtained windows In dows at one end cod of the room came a quiet voice 1 I thank yot yo gentlemen but I 1 must remind yv ye halliard that there was not a time alint set in the note with a everyone turned malllard maillard staggered him hl face went livid every eye was fastened 1 upon that amazing figure now advancing from the shadows of the recess re cesi it was the figure of an a lator clad in n leather from top to toe the goggles and nd helmet shield completely masking his head bead and features from recognition in his hand he held an automatic pistol which covered the croup of en before him with its threatening mouth month not a sound if you yon please ha be warned his voice thin and nasal obviously disguised 1 I trust that none of you gentlemen la is armed because I 1 am very quick on the trigger A very pleasant surprise malliard halliard given me up eh for an instant no one spoke then malliard halliard moved slightly moved hla 1119 hand toward a button set in the wall near the sate safe tb the voice of the bandit leaped out at him like thin steel Y you ou tool I 1 if you touch that b button maillard stiffened and gripped the table edge with his shaking hand the bandit bowed slightly and addressed the gathering in a tone of dry raillery the rights of property are to me far more sacred than human life there I 1 agree with the law so gentlemen kindly empty your pockets on the table ills voice became crisp the jeweled which you received as favors this evening may be added tu to the collection otherwise I 1 shall not touch your private possessions no watches thank you malllard maillard kindly begin I 1 believe that you carry a wallet it if you please the banker could not but obey his hands bands trembling with fear and rage he be took from his pocket a wallet and emptied a sheaf of bills upon the table one after another the other men followed hla his example when it came his turn jachin fell drew a single bill from his bis pocket and laid tt it down you put some faith in that warning mr fell the bandit laughed b w if you dont was waa th the cool threat ill shoot you through the ab domen do you think that you yon will know me ine again 1 1 I hardly believe so ao air answered fell in his apologetic fashion your disguise Is really excellent thank you the bandits voice held it thin mockery coming from you sir that compliment Is most welcome what the devil does the fellow mean exploded judge forestor forester then lou are not aware that sir fr fell Is a man of large affairs the tha bandits white teeth flashed la in u smile he Is a modest man this attorney and a dangerous man also I 1 assure you but come mr air fell IT ill not betray you I 1 jachin fell obviously did not appreciate the pleasantry his shy andion and botu dering features assumed a set and hardened baid ened look whoever you are he responded a subtle click of anger in his tone you shall be punished tor for this for what nihat mr fell for knowing too much of your private affairs the bandit laughed fear not I 1 am only an amateur at this game fortunately tuna tely so do your worst and my blessing upon you youl now gentlemen kindly withdraw ith draw a few paces all but you maillard im not through with you yet the automatic pistol gestured under its menace everyone obeyed the command for the calm assurance of the bandit andl it seem extremely likely that lie he would use the weapon without compunction the men bilth drew toward the tar far end of the room where where a word from the aviator halted them maillard remained standing where he was the advanced adv incel to the table and gathered the heap of money and into the leathern left thern pocket of his post coat during the process 9 his gaze lid did not waver from the group of men nor did the threat of his weapon from the banker before him now maillard halliard he be quietly ordered you will have the kindness to turn around and open the wall safe rate behind you and dont touch the button maillard started that safe why why hy d n yon ril do nothing of the sort it if you dont was the cool threat rii ill shoot you through the abdomen A man fears a bullet there worse thai death it may inay kill you and it may not really I 1 care very little you you I 1 scorn leaped into the quiet voice scorn that lashed and tit sit deep i it was wa natural thin then that lucle should take jachin fell into her confidence TO BE |