Adventure, August 3, 1919 — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

_ 4 | ig fortsioht niaipati from him. As he stood there, looking broad and physically power- ful, there was something wavering and unde- ¥ cided in his attitude, as if the edge had been taken off his former recklessness and en- thusiasm. He had brought the compromis- ing papers here and had no doubt helped the Montorgueils to escape. But, while Lucile Clamette and her family were under the eye of Lebel, no amount of impudence could force a successful bargaining. Feq IT WAS Chauvelin now who ap- #3 peared the more keen and the more alert. The Englishman seemed un- decided what to do next and remained silent, toying with the pistol. He even smothered a yawn. Chauvelin saw his op- portunity. With the quick movement of a cat pouncing upon a mouse, he stooped and seized that packet of papers and would then and there have made a dash for the door with them; only that, as he seized the packet, the string which held it together gave way, and the papers were scattered all over the floor. Receipts for money? Compromising let- ters? No! Blank sheets of paper, all of them—all except the one which had lain tan ly on the top—the one receipt signed by Citizen Henriot. Sir Percy ~ laughed lightly. “Did you really think, my good friend,” he said, “that I would be such a demmed fool as to place my best weapon so readily to your hand?” “Your best weapon, Sir Percy?”’ retorted Chauvelin with a sneer, “What use is it to you while we hold Lucile Clamette?” “While I hold Lucile Clamette, you mean, my dear M. Chambertin,”’ riposted Blakeney with elaborate blandness. _ “You hold Lucile Clamette? Bah! I defy you to drag a whole family like that out of our clutches. The mana cripple, the children helpless! And you think they can escape our vigilance when all our men are warned! How do you think they are going to get across the river, Sir Percy, when every bridge is closely watched? How will they ~ get across Paris when at every gate our men are on the lookout for them?” “The ey can ’t do it, my dear M. Cham- bertin,’ rejoined Sir Percy blandly, “else I were not here.” Pies as Chauvelin—fuming, irritated te as as he ee we _~ a = oe Needs Must when he :. —. — J 53 encountered that impudent Englishman— shrugged his shoulders in token of contempt, Blakeney’s powerful grasp suddenly clutched his arm. “Let us understand one another, my good M. Chambertin,’ he said coolly. “Those unfortunate Clamettes, as you say, are too helpless and too numerous to smuggle across Paris with any chance of success. Therefore I look to you to take them under your protection. They are all stowed away comfortably at this moment in a conveyance which I have provided for them. That conveyance is waiting at the bridge-head now. We could not cross with- out your help; we could not get across Paris without your august presence and your tri- color scarf of office. So you are coming with us, my dear M. Chambertin,” he con- tinued, and, with force which was quite ir- resistible, he began to drag his enemy after him toward the door. “You are going to sit in that conveyance with the Clamettes, and I myself will have the honor to drive you. And at every bridge-head you will show your pleasing countenance and your scarf of office to the guard and demand free passage for yourself and your family, as a representative member of the Committee of Public Safety. ‘“‘And then we’ll enter Paris by the Porte d’Ivry and leave it by the Batignolles, and everywhere your charming presence will lull the guards’ suspicions to rest. I pray you, come! There is no timeto consider! At noon tomorrow, without a moment's grace, my friend, Sir Andrew Ffoulkes, who has the papers in his possession, will dispose of them as he thinks best unless I myself claim them from him.” While he spoke, he continued to drag his ehemy along with him with an assurance and an impudence which*was past belief. Chauvelin was trying to collect his thoughts, a whirl of conflicting plans were running riot in his mind. The Scarlet Pimpernel in his power! At any point on the road he could deliver him up to the nearest guard | and then still hold the Clamettes and de-— mand the papers... “Too late, my dear M. Chambertin!” Sir Percy’s mocking voice broke in as if divining his thoughts. “You do not know where to find my friend, Ffoulkes, and at noon tomorrow, if I do not arrive to” claim those papers, there will not o asingle ragamuffin i in Paris who will 1 not be e CTS oo bs 2 ie ad ; ak - So Fe my Ad : Xo) Ss ae - faicbooks. com