Adventure, August 3, 1919 — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

52 In all his adventurous career Chauvelin had never felt so calm. His heart beat quite evenly, and his senses were undis- turbed by the sli best tena ee OF, ls nerves. The stealthy sounds in the next room brought the movements of the aristo perfectly clearly before his mental vision, The latter was carrying a small dark lantern. As soon as he entered, he flashed its light about the room. Then he deposited the lantern on the floor, close beside the hearth, and started to feel up the chimney for the hidden receptac le, Chauvelin watched him now as a cat watches a mouse, obit these few mo- ments of anticipated trium Noiselessly he pushed open the door wie ich gave on the boudoir. By the feeble light of the lantern on the ground he could only see the vague outline of the aristo’s back, bending for- ward to his task, but a thrill went through him as he saw a bundle of papers lying on the ground close by. Everything was ready; the trap was set. Here was a complete victory at last. It was obviously the young Vicomte de Mont- orgueil who had come to do the deed. His head was up the chimney even now. The old marquis’s back would have looked nar- rower and more fragile. Chauvelin held his breath; then he gave a sharp little cough and took the pistol from his belt. The sound caused the aristo to turn. The next moment a loud and merry laugh roused the dormant echoes of the old cha- teau, and a pleasant drawling voice said in English: “T am demmed if this is not my dear old friend M. Chambertin! Zounds, sir! Who'd have thought of meeting you here!”’ Had a cannon suddenly exploded at Chauvelin’s feet, he would have felt less unnerved. For the space of two heart- beats he stood there, his eyes glued on his arch-enemy, that execrated Scarlet Pimpernel, whose mocking glance, even through the intervening gloom, seemed to have deprived him of consciousness. But that phase of helplessness only lasted for a moment; the next, all the marvelous possi- bilities of this encounter flashed through the Terrorist'’s keen mind. Everything was ready. The trap was set. The unfortunate Clamettes were still the bait which now would bring a far more noble quarry into the mesh than ever he— Chauvelin—had dared to hope. Adventure toy wt wae 3 — . ey a hy “7 4 was pag a resist, he wrenched the . weapon from his enemy’s grasp. “Why, how hasty you are, my dear M. Chambertin,” he said lightly. ‘Surely you are not in such a hurry to put a bullet into me!” The position now was one which would have made even a braver man than Chau- velin quake. He stood alone and unarmed in face of an enemy from whom he could expect no mercy. But, even so, his first thought was not of . He had not only appraised his own danger but also the immense power which he held while the Clamettes remained as hostages in the hands of his colleague, Lebel. “You have me at a disadvantage, Sir Percy,” he said, speaking every whit as coolly as his foe, ‘But only momentarily. You can kill me, of course, but, if I do not return from this expedition, not only safe and sound but with a certain packet of papers in my hands, my colleague, Lebel, has instructions to proceed at once against the girl, Clamette, and the whole family.” “I know that well enough,” rejoined Sir Percy with a quaint laugh. “I know what venemous reptiles you and those of your kidney are. You certainly do owe your life at the present moment to the unfortunate girl whom you are persecuting with such in- famous callousness.” Chauvelin drew a sigh of relief. The situation was shaping itself more to his sat- isfaction already. Through the gloom he could vaguely discern the Englishman’s massive form standing a few paces away, one hand buried in his breeches pocket, the other still holding the pistol, On the ground close by the hearth was the small lantern, and in its dim light the packet of papers gleamed white and tempting in the dark- ness. Chauvelin’s keen eyes had fastened on it and saw the form of receipt for money with Henriot’s signature, which he recog- nized, on the top. He himself had never felt so calm. The only thing he could regret was that he was alone. Half a dozen men now, and this impudent foe could indeed be brought to his knees. And this time there would be no risks taken, no chances for escape, Some- how it seemed to Chauvelin as if of the Scarlet Pimpernel’s audacity and i aa a a aco MUED SOK: cole