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is not professional] on- ged at this moment. * Indeed; ghe ot appeared in public for some 1 ask how mopsienr. 4 apie ¥ It, is the easiest matter in the d;¥ said Brett with his ready ile, producing his note-book and, turning over the leaves. "I "here 'the names' and address: 'a large 'number of ' artists m 1 was recommended to visit. demoiselle's name was given to among others at the Cirque Hiver, where I heard most en- uraging accounts of her skill, ate OA elie on, 'that in Engla publié axe po quainted with any ra age. than their oyn and when Con- Rinental artistes 'are engaged we preter. those - whose : performance: fponaints chiefly of acrobatic or other in which dialogue' is unneces- sar da The barrister's 'ready. explang+ i$ioh 'was sufficient., - Nevertheless /Befucaire was puzzled. But even "$e most vulgar or brutal French: {man is. endowed . with. a. certain amount of politeness, and in this {instance Gros Jean felt that "his guisitor should be treated deferenti- ly £ "I am 'most sorry," he cried, "to be unable to assist monsieur. any urther. If, however, you 'leave me your 'address 1 will communi: Jeate with ! hn after I have heard X aughter, 1 have no ubt that she will 'readily come terms." ; "1 think you said that mademoi- selle was in the South of France itd observed Brett casually. "Instantly Béaucaire became puspicious' again, "'No;'! he replied shortly; 'I do not think I said so." Ge "'0f course not,"' laughed Brett, {How foolish of me! It wae I who|® mentioned 'the Bouth 'of France, ¥ was it not? You .see that French Ls a foreign language to me, and 1 "do not express myself verv easily." Beaucaire grinned politely again: "Permit me to congratulate mon- |' sieur upon both his pronunciation and facility." Not many English- men speak French as he does.' The barrister was determined tot to allow the conversation to end too 'rapidly. He wished to note mote carefully the details of this interesting household.' Pulling ; out' his cigar-case, he offered it t3 Gros Jean with the remark. 'Your small. French tables seem curions to my eyes after long acquaintance with English billiards. 'Are any of * these gentlemen here skilled play- ers in your fashion?' " "Oh, yes," maid the innkeeper. i 4tAndre there, for instance, can make big breaks. I have seen him . 'make forty consecutive coups.: Will you not take a seat for a little while and observe the play?' '%With pleasure."' . And Brett 'confirmed the favorable opinion formed of him by ordering refresh- ments for Beaucaire and "himself. 3 He apparently took a keen interest: " the = game, and applanded the ner in which: the Frenchman oe laugh, he : the front cafe, where he purch: another drink at the counter. He assured himself that he had not. been mistaken. The only. private door out of the bar-led 'into: the passage, so' that the room. beyond Gould only: be reached by a stair-| case or through a trap-door.. "I have learned something, at any rate," he 'murmured as he passed out into the Boulevard, "and T imagine that my knowledge is 'not shared by the Paris police, Mademoiselle : waul ave acto more wisely had she not yielded to impulse, 'and reserved her shoot fig display for a more dramatic ¥ occasion.' ~ ~ Brett kept his appoikment with the commissary néxt morning. That |® "It is useless | 'attempt any. further pr. Wa know exact, Jederates. + ¥ are 'with 'a large number . of 'that frequents the Cafe Noir. 0 forget that 1 was present when ei your' donfederates hoped: he would |: accept. For you to attempt now to escape. from' the law is hopeless. The sole chance you have of remit acted | ting a punishment: which may lead 'you beneath the gu to confess fully and freely all that bpee you know concerning the outrage] je which has been committed. = "No, don't: interrupt me,' he continued 'with even greater em- worthy official set himself to the phasis, when 'Le Ver! 'tried congenial task of examinmg a pri- soner with the air of one who said: [you terely acted as the agent of: "Now you will see 'what manner of man I am. Here I am on my na- tive heath." Ted He consulted bul volumes, made notes, fussily called up vari- ous subordinates, both in#®person and by speaking-tube, and general ly conducted himself 'with a busi- ness-like mir that mueh amused the barrister, who, however, for his own purposes took care to appeat gredtly impressed. ad +At last all was ready, and the captive of the Rue Barbette was introduced. 3 This precocious personage had: re- covered his self-possession and. na- tural impudence during the night. By the commissary's instructions, he had been well' supplied with eatables," and the restrictions as to persons under detention were! relaxed, to permit him' to enjoy a' supply of his much-loved: ¢igar-§ ettes. © Consequently; the little thief was restored to hit usual state of jaunty 'cheekiness. The first part of the interroga- tion, which promptly ensued; was not 'strange to him, % 'Your name?' said the commis- ary. "Charles Petit." "Abeda 1' "Changeable. Of late I have dwelt in the Cabaret Noir Boule- vard de Montmartre.' "You are. generally known as 'The Worm?" "' "That is 80."' reak in. "You will tell me that others; and that you' yourself are not conscious of the nature of ab, crime: that has been committed. know that to be so. Youn have been made a mere tool. You are the cat, | simply employed by the monkey to |; pull the 'chestnuts out. of the fire, and you have only succeeded in getting your 'own paws burnt. Your sole chance of safety now is to in: form the commissary and me ex- ectly how you eame to be mixed up with: this affair." Eh "I. assure you, gentlemen,' he cried; "that with respect to Turks I have no knowledge what- ever of their pursnits or motives. | 1 was present when this' English} gentleman here was debating with them, and I understood that they even went so far as to use threats against: him. My mission was to ive to 'the leaders of the Tuvks o package which 1 did not even know kontaihed diamonds, either genuine br false, No one could be mare nrprised than myself when 'the rkish gentleman = . produced em, i ""Who_sént you there with the diamonds?' said Brett: vik "Even that I cannot tell you,' said Petit. 'It was a mere chance affair; 1 was seated in a cale sip ping some absinthe when is man asked me if I would execute a small commission for him, He explained that it was to deliver a parcel at a house not five minutes distant, afd--"7 » the| will. swing the drag back to the "and: full of : 'use the drag once when the gro nd' 8 blade end of the drag. 1| Business Was Carried of pid 1 lem 2 th JOUE or Sabian stanr shou a rather closer to lonian civil the ditch end of the drag. The) forved by the fruits of drag will 'now move nearly ditch P ations, show that ('Busi end foremost, and the driver cas as a rule of life should sha pice Took om the) 28 oare SI wing slab. "tho Christ the 'Babylonians had 1 laws had to pro r angle and" will 'cause' the such Sroguens in commercial apti- lade to plow, Spgs CN framed to oo) with 'th : 4 best. work inen" who tried shofte i) ] . ROIsy, sticky, The earth then mo 8 free: ly along the faces of the slabs.' ted the iohdway js very 'badly ir oles, it may. be well. is slushy. + is. theatment. r ticularly "applicable before spell in winter when it is possible to: have 'a roadway freeze smooth. | Te a aaa Ad. y this method. ; when mixed with water and shorough 3 4 k becomés remarkably tough and im- porions to water. If compacted peopl this condition it becomes ex: tremely hard ; ; " Ane et valushle result of drag: ging 'is the reduction o , for | concentrated in the templ ation, 'reen- { earlier ex- | sh 088.168 "You. .have served periods of im-| "I see," interrupted Brett, with prisonment, and have paid over | the cynical smile which so often dis- 400 francs in fines?' : concerted glib, liars like Petit. 'It is "1 have not kept count, but '1 hopeless to expect you to tell the 8 suppose it is all written down| truth. However, I think 1 know a there." And he jerked his thumb | way te clear your wits. You must'be towards the conviction book on the | brought face to face with La Belle éommissary's desk. Chagseuse. Perhaps when you are "You are a noted thief, and you | confronted with that lady in' the 'obtained your nickname by reason | room between the cafe and billiard on of your dexterity 'in picking locks | saloon of the Carbaret Noir----'" and climbing through scullery win-| = "The Worm' gasped out broken: dows?' ; Iyer = lin "If you say so, monsier, your "Pasdon, monsiens 1 will tell] these 'condition: words cannot be disputed.' youi everything I!' Col "Very woll.'" The commissary! 'The man's face had absolutely 'scratched a few. lines on a mbmorslhedpme livid as he listened to the andum tablet. Then he suddenly| barrister's words... = = raised hig quick eyes and fastened| The commissary was vastly sur- Certain' sections of the roadway! will uire 'more attention 'than 'others. use. of steep. grades. seepages, exposure to hillside wash, Tho best guide in meting nditions. is y the knowledge them 'on the prisoner with the di-| prised at. the turn taken by. the|de rect question-- conversation. He' could not guess "How came you to be detained ha deep: significance lay behi in such an extraordinary manner in the house, No. 11, Rue Barbette, | éll the truth, Brett himself was yesterday 1' "considerably astonished at the ef- "Englishman's threat, and, to} A vacant and stolid expression {fect of his vague insinuations, but{ intended to convey an idea of ut- lost not & moment in following |: ter innogence .came over. ' Worm's"' face. ar le 'Believe me, monsienr,"'" he sai ©] "cannot give you the slightest explanation' of | incident." | Sa RTL Re