CHAPTER XI. THE CAPTAIN'S ADVICE.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 145, 13 March 1886, Page 6

CHAPTER XI. THE CAPTAIN'S ADVICE.

A week had passed since the terrible night when Jottrat, carried away by the overflow of the Seine, and struggling against death, had been miraculously saved by an unknown person. On a dark and rainy night, in the same street where a week before M. de Noreff had gone to see Jottrat, a man was walking along wrapped in a largo cloak, with a high collar that hid half his face. He was not merely a paeser-by, as the narrow and miserable street that he was going rapidly overdid not lead directly to any frequented one ; neither was he an inhabitant of one of the dark houses that overhung this muddy alley, for he was looking at the broken-down door fronts with marked astonishment, evidently not expecting to sco such a cut throat looking place. Some serious motive must have brought him here, the weather not being pleasant onough for noctural excursions, as the west wind was blowing violently through the narrow passage, and big drops of rain, mingled with flakes of snow, were falling. Nine o'clock had just struck, and on a night like this the worthy people who lived in this peaceable part of the town rarely left their firesides. However, the pedestrian did not seem to regard tho inclemency of the weather, as he went slowly along examining the doors of the houses. The gas not having yet penetrated into this street, the two or three lamps hanging suspendod by long ropes across it, giving but an uncertain light, obliged him to stand a long time at each door, trying to make out the number | of the house through the darkness ; very often retracing his steps, and beginning his examination again, fearing he had made a mistake. After going and coming several times, he stopped at last before one of tho oldest buildings in the street, and as soon as he was convinced lhat it was the house he was looking for, he was preparing to knock at the low door of the entrance, when, at the moment he was about touching the heavy knocker, he seemed to change his mind, and, crossing the street, stood where he could see all the houses at a glance, directing his eyes to the higher stories ; but all was dark there, not a light shining in any of the windows. After a few moments' inspection, the man began grumbling in a Low voice, evidently disappointed, as he ex-

pocted doubtless to see a signal that did not appear. " Ten minutes pasb nino,"he said, taking out a very handsome watch ; " therefore I have not come too soon, and as I wrote to him yesterday, he must expect me this evening." This monologue was followed by some gestures of impationce. However, he soon seemed to resign himself to his disappointment, beginning his walk again, saying : "After all, he may be kept at the policeoffice, and if in twenty minutes the lamp is not at the window, I will go in and inquire for him." From where he stood, rue de la Seine was about a hundred paces distant ; he began going slowly over this space to occupy the timo not in tho most agreeable manner in this snowy weather, and over the slippery pavements, and he seemed to be the only person iv tho street. But it was not so, however, for he passed with an interval of a few seconds two men who followed him, and whom he had already met at the other end of the street. Without doubt he had some motive for avoiding suspicious persons, for he turned his head soveral times to look at these passers-by, and he saw, by the wavering of tho light of the nearest lamp, two men in blouso and eap — probably workmen returning home. There was nothing, unusual in this, and besides, if the allies was dark, rue de la Seine, at the corner of which he had just stopped, was full oE, light and life ; joyous bands of students were going along shouting and shouting while 1 the cafe's and shops brilliant with gaes-lights, weio lilled with people ; and tho animated picture being enough to roassure the most timid, the man, shrugging his shoulders as if reproaching himself for his momeatry onxioty, returned unhesitatingly into tho rue Dcs Marais. After looking again at his watch, he startod with a determined step to the houso before which he had already stationed himself, glaacing at the upper front windows, to assure himself thero was no light. " I must know positively what I have to depend upon," murmured ho, while crossing the fctreot; "having gone out against the advico of my physician, I do not wish at least to lose my tirao." While saying this, he was walking to the door on which was a Avhite plate with "No. 19" painted in black figures He gave a loud knock, thai; resounded through tho whole house. After a rather long interval, the portor answered the summons, and tho visitor, pushing back tho heavy door, went into a largo vestibule that seouied to be the workshop of a cabinet-maker, filled , with boards and carpenters' tools ; amidst the mass of wood, imperfectly lighted, ho had somo trouble in making his way ; but after a moment he saw shining at the top of a few worn stone steps a 'amp that, appeared to him as a light-house, and this light coming through tho window, was fiom tho porter's lodge. Tho man opened tho small casement, and putting his head through it, asked: U M. Jottrat, if you please ?" He had spoken without seeing whom he was addressing, for a thick cloud of villainously emelling smoke filled the lodge, ac the mixture of culinary perfume and tobaccosmoko that issued from this hole was strong enough to make a grenadier of the Old Guard start back. Tho visitor's first movement was to beat a retreat, when a shrill voico stopped him at the pestilential place. "M. Jottrat is not in," cried and old woman ; " what do you want with him?" Tho man, surprised and shocked at this reception, waa thinking of a proper reproof to make this too familiar woman know her right place, when a masculine face emerged from the dense cloud of smoke, and at the same time a deep and steady voice said : " M. Jottrat is out, sir ; but it will not be long before ho comes in, and if you will take the trouble to wait hero — " However graceous the invitation might be, the visitor, disgusted without doubt at . tha air he musfc broathe within, seemed disposed to remain on the landing place ; when the voice began again in a still more curious tone : "Do com in, sir, I beg off you. am one of M. Jottrat's boat friends, and if it is anything I can tell him, I will do it willingly." _ Tho visitor decided, not without hesitation, to cross the threshold, for he thought he saw shadows moving on the upper part of the staircase, and probably did not wish to speak bofore a too numerous audience. After becoming a little accustomed to the nauseous fog that filled tho lodge, he perceived a dirty woman seated by the side of a stove, cooking some infernal dish ; and a little further off, near the angle of the wall, stood the person who had spoken to him, and who had tho placid exterior of a respectable citizen. While the visitor was occupied in examining this face, surrounded by a collar of white whiskers, another question camo to him through the smoke; "What do you want with Mr Jottrat ?" "And what is that to you?" was the answer. "It is this much— that if you do not tell me I shall bo obliged to take you where you will be forced to explain yourself !" "Ah! that is really carrying the thing too far." At this momont two men came in and placed themselves in a manner to bar the way entirely, and at, tho same time tho citizen began speaking again : " You see that it is useless to try to escape, and if you wish to avoid a disagreeable business, have the goodness to tell me immediately your name, position, and the motive of your visit." The viailor, thinking without doubt it was time to put an end to this unpleasant conversation, after a fowmomonts' reflection, walked directly to his questioner, and, taking him by tho button of his long overcoat, while looking him steadily in the face, said : My name is Viscount Edmund de Sartilly. I have come here on' ontirely private business, and now you must prove to me on tho spot that you have the right to question me, or I swear that I'll give you a lesson that you well merit," The name, title, and tone of voice seemed to make an impression on the sham citizen, who hastened to answer : "Sir, I am grieved to be obliged to apply to you a goneral mle ; but lam employed by the detective police, and am on service in this lodge with a mission to arrest all who come to inquire for M. Jottrat." "So that I have fallen into a trap?" interrupted the Viscount. "It is what we call a mouse-trap," answered the police officer, graciously, and who now seemod disposed to furnish all possible explanations. " And the motive of this measure !" "I will tell you, sir, that a very singular event took place here last week, as our comrade Jottrat, whom we love and esteem, left here, one evening, with a gentleman that the porter did not know, and although it has been a week since he has not returned." " What ! he also disappeared !" cried the Viscount, stupefied. " Disappeared ; that's the very word, for it has been impossible as yet to obtain the least information of him, although a very active search has been made, and our chief, thinking that Jottrat's disappearance

hides some crime, it was his idea to organise a watch at hia house." "Your chief is very probably right, and I will be able perhaps to • give him some J useful information. When and where can I see him ?" " The meeting will be so much easier," answered the agent, smiling, " as I have a formal order to take all who come here to the police-office, and you are the first who has come after Jottrat." "Well," eaid the Viscount, without frowning, " take me there." " You will excuse me, sir ; I cannot leave my place, but there are two men here who will be pleased to go with you." Sartilly, turning round and seeing his escort ready, went out of the lodge without saluting his questioner, and even without looking at the woman, whom he certainly took for a great criminal. The agent having opened the door, Sartilly went out first, the two subalterns walking respectfully a few paces behind him ; but he had scarcely put his foot in the street, and before his escort had appeared, when he was suddenly seized by the throat, and two strong hands were trying to choke him with his cravat. The pressure was so strong and so skilfully done that the Viscount, losing his breath, had not time to cry out, when almost immediately another assailant took him by his legs, and drew him into the middle of the street, trying to throw him down. All this violence had been executed co rapidly that Sartilly was already on the ground when his two attendants crossed the threshold, and on seeing the person whom they wore employed to escort attacked by Lvfo unknown men, threw themselves unhesitatingly into the conflict, and their intervention did wonders, The bandits who held Sartilly, attacked from behind at the moment they were about finishing their work, raising themselves quickly, began to resist ; but changing their minds after a fow violent blows, ran away, tho officers pursuing them, without troubling themselves about the prisoner, whom they thought unable to move. The Viscount, half suffocated, tried to get up, hearing but vaguely the cries, " Stop ! stop !" becoming every moment more distant. When he had recovered his breath, and was able to stand up, all wa3 quiet in tho little streot ; and now, being entirely alone and free to go where he pleased, he thought that hia visit to the police-office could be postponed without inconvenience ; and after the assault ho had just had, the wisest thing for him to do was to go home, as he folt extremely weak, and it seemed to him that his wound, scarcely closed, was going to open. "I have not been fortunate in my first sortie," he murmured, directing his steps as quickly as possible to the rue Seine. But as he walked along his strength failed him, and ho was obliged to support himself by leaning against the wall, and evon had some idea of returning to Jottrat's house to ask for aid from tho agent whose auxiliaries had beon so useful to him ; but he shrank back from the prospect of a sojourn in that poisoned hole. Then ho remembered that his friend, Chateaubrun, lived rather near, and that ab the brave Captain's home he would find all that was necessary to rest and cheer him before returning to the rue d'Astorg. {To be Continued.)