The American Marquis by Nick Carter — page 39: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

owe : SHLD cis fe mee se Sie ee hee Say i taxed ee Ny oa eC UE SALE MT Mat oR at AM ue . te or rf erat t WS ry At, . ye ee A £ dy Es A 2 vA we z alge : ad i THE AMERICAN MARQUIS. Vy Sh eae lady named in the banns had been living ee that he was going to marry an American gentleman who was sO_ fond of mystery that he wished to be married in masks, as if just from a ball. I said it was foolish, but as l could see no harm in it I consented.” ‘The whole truth, please. Howmuch did it douk the man to make you think it was not wrong?” ‘‘ How quick you are! He gave me five hundred francs. _ Then he said they wished to be married at the Chateau — d’Iberri. I said I could not do that, but i ‘But he argued well; I know. How Gack for that! ge ‘One thousand francs. You know about the marriage, perhaps?” | ‘‘ Yes, you may skip that. ‘Then what?” “That is all I know. About the dead men I know nothing. Iwas afraid it might get me in trouble if I said anything, or if anything were learned about them, and that is why I made old Pierre—you know old Pierre?” “Yes, | know him.” | “That is why I told him to keep the stick he found, I willsee him and have it destroyed. Had I not better?” Lhe mayor whined pitifully. ‘* He has it no longer.” eae has it, then?” “Your: “Yes. Why not? Whocan make a betier,use of it?” ‘«‘ About a week after the wedding, some visitors, in look- ing g at the register, made that blot by upsetting the ink- stand.” ii Monsieur Roche looked keenly at the mayor. ‘*‘Was the man—perhaps it was a woman, though—who upset the inkstand the same you had negotiated with?” “No, he was a stranger to me, and—and, to speak the truth, I was not sorry he had done it.” «What did he look like?” ‘‘ Indeed, I do not know; for in the hurry and confusion he slipped out of the office, and I did not see him again.” ‘<'That is the truth?” ‘It is, indeed.” if «The only person you reallysaw was the man who ne- -gotiated with you?” | | bees): $*Yes.” : poet Eomicbooks.com |