THE HONG KONG TELEGRAΡΗ.
SHORT STORY.
THE ORCHID OF SUDDEN
DEATH
BY-EDITH MACVAÑE.
[Here is the conclusion of story
Chief's sharp oye caught her.
of a Fanny Gordon an American
EXTRA
HONGKONG, SATURDAY, APRIL 4, 1914.
Be atooped. "Nothing, mademoiselle: Not so much as a betraying atom of dust! ??
girl in the secret service of me. They bear the mark of the if she herself dared not look. fatal box-an arrangement easily are a woman, you shall judge of
from
Maclure's France, Magazine.]
After a brief pause the Chief continued:
"
Madame la Dachosso, with auch evidence as we possess, the natural course would be to place you in immediate confinement. Owing, however, to the influencs which monsieur your brother has exerted in high places, a delay of ten days has been obtained. During these days you will remain under the surveillance of officers of the law, who will enter your householt disguised as servants." The Dohees jumped to her feet. Hir delicate self-possession was shattered,··
Polica in my house? Then my husband will know ?"
Madame la Duchesse, let us hope that before the end of the stipulated time you may be able
to prove to us that the whole affair is a terrible mistake.
In
that case, your husband need know nothing about it, and the whole affair will be sa though it had never beon."
Ten minutes later, at the special request of Raoul, Fanny accom- panied the half fainting Duchess
downstairs of her limousine,
Mademoiselle, my brother says you have the keenest head in Paris. Tell me what to do!"
Like a broken flame, the Do limoteine. Fanny bent to- Duchess collapsed in a corner of
ward her.
Duchess, that was you, last ight?"
Two large tears rolled down he lovely little white face of
lanche-Marie
1.
"
only in the conservatories of the strong, very romantic, but cold as orchid she learned, to her sur-me, Bey, what happened to your Duchess d'Ubzac———"
ice to all who presented then prise and diemfy, that the Dak fez? The tassel is all jagged "Precisely! So well known selves as claimants for her hand. had just given the same command. at the end, and the silk frazzled that, in order to fabricate circum-She was already twenty-five years. In those terrible days she abun-out.. Tell me, did you lose the "Resily?" oried Fanny, instantial evidence against the old when Armand d'Ubzac name, ned her husband's company, fear-old one, and buy a new one that glee. No doubt? Then I. Duchess, one would only have to Ab, poor Blanche-Marie! If she ing self-betrayal. However, in was too long, aut you bad to not deceive myself! Now, mon procure a borful of those same had been ioe till then, it was like this case it could not be avoided, cut it of to the proper length
orchids and a sample of her ice she melted. Another man? and all three set out together in with scissors ?" sieur, come here to the spot handwriting-both difficult feste, To one who knows Blanche-Marie the limousine. beside the table where the corpse
The Vicomte, taking pity on lay last night. Take your glass, but, for such a criminal as we the mero idea is a burlesque. "Poor little.angel! said the the young Turk's obvious annoy- examine the rug carefully. Any impossible. This mach
are supposing, by no mean Never was there such a love as Duke tenderly. She looks pale. anne exolsimed [dust? Do
achers for Armand-which perhaps It will do her good to come find anyany you
"Pardon, mademoiselle, but dust there?
complished, there only remained is the very reason why she treat- ont and see this orchid-hunter, my sister is waiting!" With heaving breast and clos-
that in the house of the doomed ed him so atrociously.."
who to judge by a picture in But the young girl, turning Yes, I confess they puzzle ed eyes, Fanny atood waiting, as coincide with the arrival of the
man the Duchess' presence should "Atrociously-how ?" Illustration this week, must be her back on the speaker, leaned
Ab, mademoiselle. you who a droll type of old lady.
toward the Bay. In a harsh and The droll type was, un-vibrating whisper, ehe do- Trott Company, one of the most The Chief, stooping, scraped the chic American shoe shops on the rich red surface of the rug with made, in this case, by a paragraph the truth of my theory. Know, fortu ately, confined to her bed manded
in the Grand Journal summoning then, the wedding-day was fixed when they arrived at the hotel on "The original tassel of your Boulevard den Italiens, while the au inquiring anger.
"Dast? No. But here yes, lois.
the Duchess to the Rue Long-Then camo the catastropheths Champs Elysecs. However, fez-where did you leave it? shoes on the avone's feet, and
Armand, who was then a cavalry, they were invited to go upstairs, By any chance, did you leave it the four pairs in his armoire, are a black, no, a tiny trail-Dust?
The Chief, dropping his officer, was promoted to be first where her secretary would receive-in a dead man's hand?" old-fashioned black boots with No it is sand-white sea sand!"
superior manner jumped to his lieutenant in the 75.h Chasseurs them.
A bissed exclamation-the elastic sides, made by a little
Fanny's asual calmness desert- feet,
d'Afrique. As his father wan The lift whirled to the top orash of an overturned tea-table shoemaker in the Rue Longlois.ed her." Sand?
Sea sand? Paragraph in the Granit then Minister of War, he might floor. It was a strange room that the tramp of heavy feet, the However, mademoiselle, may in Ah, mon Dieu! I dared not hope ournal? Mademoiselle, it be easily have obtained a transfer they entered-a medley of gor- impact of strained breathing and not be that the avoue wore plain it, though I knew it must be so!" comes plain to me that you know But, as the 75th was just setting geus blossoms, a glistening room of labouring muscles. Then out shoes on week-days and hud a
Then, while the Chief stared, more about this case than you out for Morocco, Armand con of bell-glasses, a vapour of strange of the confusion emerged the fancy pair for Sundays?”
she took a few steps forward and admit. In the name of the law,sidered that his honour forbade scents, a moving babel of visitors tableau of the young Bay stand- "But yesterday,
epoke with a vehement solemnity: I command you to tell me what him to seek a change of regiment, of various nationalities. And, at ing ereot by the door, his face Fanny," was not Sunday!
"The third presence that pass you know of the assasin of the and, without consulting Blanche- one end of the long room, a young purple, his convulsed limba held we know from the concierge thated through this room Fast avone Chéruel!"?
Marie, accepted the post in the girl with flushed cheeks and by two liveried servants. The in the afternoon the avoue did night-Chief, do you not perceive Fanny picked up her gloves Chasseurs.
dancing dark eyes, pouring tea young secretary's voice rang not leave the house at all. it in the traces he left behind ad hand-bug. Monsieur,
Ab, mademoiselle! It was a for a tall, handsome, langaid out: singular circumstance, that he the shoes at the door, the tassel dvise you to search for a young bad business. Though I do not young man in slogant English "Monsieur the Chief of the should have left out his best boots in the dead man's hand, the nan, tall, muscular, elegantly attempt to defend my sister for clothes and a Turkish fez. The Secret Service!" The in the middle of his library floor! dustloss footprints on the red silk dressed, a smoker of strong what she did, still I think Arm-Vicomte, leaving his sister at the And look! the avoue's black cushion, the rare orchids, the sea cigare, a foreigner yes, plainly and ebould have gone through door, approached the young shoes are size 38. These varnish sand on the floor? Monsieur, it he was was not a Frenchman! and the form of asking her if she secretary. He started in amaze ed shoes by the door are marked is plain that the dark crime com adevout man-unless all signs would live in Africa. Never ment size 20, in the American fashion, mitted in this house last night fail, an exceptionally religions have I seen a woman so wounded, "Mademoiselle! What-- which probably explains why you was not a single but a double man!
so enraged. And when Armand "I am Miss O'Hara, have overlooked the fact that they one! One victim lies in yonder A religious men?" returned stubbornly refused to withdraw Shaife's scoretary. You bring are two centimeters and a half bedroom, dead; and the other the Chief, in sudden horror, his acceptance, she abruptly broke larger than the plain ones.
victim unless we save her, is" You means ritualistic murder, off the engagement. She declar The Chief, in obvious morti- already destined to tragedy and here in Paris? No, mademoiselle ed that she would fication, bent over the shoes she shame that are
marry the worse than In spite of your great services in first man that asked her, no mat him. "Yea-those death." banded
the case of the Vaucaire murder, ter what he was; and, bending my father by the force of her de- strips your reason. Tell me termination. compelled him to can you produce the person that carry her off for a voyage around you describe?
the world."
-
returned
And
14
1
American cumbers! And yet "Revenge? All very fine, it is plain that your fantasy out
let us ba reasonable, made- moiselle. A man who comes and goes, even with the purpose of murder, does not leave his boots behind him!”.
returned the official, with in- dalgont superiority.
"But the department does not want rom- ance, mademoiselle-it wants proofs !
Bome
your
been for.
With parted lips and glisten- ing eyes, Fanny listened,
"But she married him, after all!" she remarked tentatively.
than-
"
ין
orokids?:""
Mrs.
appeared.,
Chief
"Ohief! arrest Monsieur Har boosch Bey for the murder of the avoue Cheruel in the "Rue Long loie!"
"Madensiselle-where
found?
WBS.
"In the kitchen of the Boy's spartment in the Rue Mogador, this very morning!'
It was like the explosion of a bomb. There was an instant of qaivering silence; then the Chief "No, but I-accompany a lady demanded: who does. She is waiting——” "But firat, Mademoiselle Gor-
"Ah! Will you have the don, your proofs !' goodness to take her into the "If this attempt at violent es- little salon adjoining, and I will cape does not conviot the Bay of send her some tea, while I clear conscious guilt, Chief, then look. this room of people. So many at the hacked-off tassel of his fez, orchids, and as yet not one real which proves it a substitute. for Alas, no, monsieur !."
specimen of the kind we are look the original. Return to the Rus "A thousand pardona, Chief!"
ing for. Poor Mrs. Shoife' will Longlois and examine the tassel “Mademoiselle, produce him "Which I will give. A wo within ten days, and
be quite heart-broken!"
found in the hand of the avoue: of a new idea, dropped the boots stature as the Duchess-could she, wise, the case is too black against months were up, she received a send to the Duchess. A hasty scent of the strongest black Fanny Gordon, in the excitement man so tiny and so slight of theories will have won. Other
Summoning a servant, she be. If you will hold it to your nose Of course! Before two gan to pour the promised tea to you will find it bitter, with the with a thump to the floor.
even by standing on the stool she Duchess., Aud, in spite of "Chief that fassel in the dead beneath, bave spanned the dist her beauty, her money, and her telegram from Armand offering movement, the crash of a china oigars-the same odour, Chief, as man's hand-in searching the ance to the high stained-glass rank, in spite of ber brother's to resign his commission, to do cup, and a large silver urn of hot at this very instant you may per- wardrobe of the Duchess have you window, and taken down the influence, the department will do anything, she liked, it only sha water tipped sideways to the coive in the clothes of the Bey !" found its mate?
He hesitated. "Hm-in the freshly in the dust of the still?
weapon whose traces still show its duty."
would come back! So, as luckily floor, falling over the foot of the "Very good, as far as it goes, Of course! Mademoiselle, to a armoire of her elderly maid, Could she have atruggled with ing the Vicomte de Chatellerault,
farther young Ottoman by the girl's side. returned the Chief, hesitating, Fanny Gordon stood confront she had travelled no
From his attitude of courteous "but hardly sufficient for arreal" lever person like you, what a from whom she evidently had the avone-who, as the tassel who for ten minutes had been "Vicomte, wait! With your waiting, he hopped into the air this man.
oor, stupid little wretch I must borrowed her disguise, we found in his hand shows, did not die pacing up and down the drawing-permission, I am going to write with a subdued shout:
"Obief, I have only begun!". ppear! Bat listen. When they a black silk collarette trimmed without fighting desperately for room in perplexity and a sort of for you the name of the city
"Bismillah Non d'un-"
From the long centre table, fame this morning, and Raoul so with tassels, of which one
te his life? Or, even admitting raging despair. Three days had where your sister was when she
In obedience to the young amid the gorgeous confusion of teru, they caught me unawares! missing tassels almost exactly these facts, could her fragile arm passed, and as yet no defence of
received the mesange.
secretary's swift commands, the flowers, Fanny picked up a parcel So of course I denied everything, identical with the one we found have dealt that death-blow?" Blanche-Marie had
Sho wrote, folded the paper, room was cleared of the swarm-which, swiftly unwrapped, dis- And, having denied it, how can I last night!"
"The bruise on his temple," mulated.
and passed it to de Chatellerault. ing orchid venders, and the closed a sausage-like roll covered "Almost! retarned Fanny oried the Chief, with take back my word without
Vicomts, it is useless to sak He opened it, and exploded in Duchess and her husband were with red wool damask, whose "That almost. peevishness," was caused by fill-questions of the Duchess, so I
astonishment: appearing guilty of everything dreamily.
conducted to the little salon that dead weight sagged from her they charge me with? And I'm Bat-the orchids?"
"Mademoiselle ! ing against table-" "There mademoiselle, there is
You have opened off one end of the recep- hand. This time, the Chief Save come to you to ask where hot-oh, I'm not!"
Or with this!"-and Fenny, madame your sister obtained her heard this story before! My tion-room. In the meantime, the started. "Tell me, Dacheas!" interrupt no almost! In spite of her walking to the window which specimens of the celebrated or
sister has told you-"
young Turk, with polite protests, denials, poor jed Fanny quickly; "have you no foolish
little she had flung open the night chid of Sudden Death."
"Never, on my sacred honour, allowed the boot to be unbuttoned Duchess we found the facts before, picked up the sausage- aid to give us? No clue, no
The Vicomte frowned. "Tho'
Vicomte. Labot an arrow into and removed by the fair author suspicion even, as to the identity even as the professor had told us. shaped weatherstrip with which first year after her marriage, the air, that was all-and it seems of the mischief.
In one corner of the conservatories it had been sealed, and which mademoiselle-I
to have hit the mark! Vicomte, of the assassin?".
"Oh, Monsieur Harboosch remember it "None whatever," returned the of the mansion d'Ubzac there is a still lay on the wide still.
particularly, because I was with unless my calculations fail, I Boy! Have I killed you ?" Duchens d'Ubzao, with sudden set of pote, in rank, luxuriant "Monsieur, look! · All
when the box arrived hope before the ten days are up to "It is nothing, mademoiselle! solemnity. "The avoue Cheruel bloom of the Orcia mortis other windows in the speriment anonymously. By great good for introduce to you the assassin of If you will examine my orchide" the same dieguise in which, Song a total stranger to me ex repentinaea corner lilled, made are closed against the entrance of tune, she gave it to a footman to
the avone Cheruel. "
And he began to untia a long, last week, I sasured" myself, wetshe swallowed and spoke moiselle, with so nating tad air by the same strip, covered open. Young and strong as he the Rue Longlois, the Vicomte de he carried in his hand. The Lebrun, that while on the even- Nine days after the murder in elim roll of white cardboard that from the maid of the Widow with difficulty"except for deadly an odour that it is tended with the same. crimson wool veriain blackmailing transactions by special gardeners, whe ap-damack. And in the little high wae,ne is fore, fortnight Chatellerault conducted his sister young American held up his ing of the murder her mistress with which he had approached proach it, in rotation on different window above the Dagobert chair caprisions of women, insisted on to the Elysees Palace Hotel, to boot.
had indeed received a visit from the dust shows the fresh traces placing the horrible things in orchid collector, Mrs. Mounting: Trott's on me. I own, I had already paid days!
the apartment of the celebrated "I see you buy your shoes at a handsome young man with Ah! Yet the Duchess, you of a similar him thousands for for some
weather-strip her conservatory; and, though
the Roulevard des the hood of his cloak drawn ap private affairs of my own which think, approached it,ahe so recently removed. Ah, monsieur, she declared that the sender, ton V. Shaife. The Duchess, Italiens. Number 9-let me see over his bead, he had remained concern no one. And if he was fragile, so small la-breathed the take it! In the hands of whose intentione against her haggard and desperate in that's thirty centimeters long, only five minutes, and gone away as unscrupulous, as merciless, venomous pollon, plucked the muscular and bloody-minded life were obvious, was absolutely anticipation of the terrible to isn't it?"
-the two women thought, away with the other poor wretches in flowers, arranged them, packed man, could a more
She handed the boot to a foot from the house! We know that effective unknown to her, still, year after refused the expedition. Her at man, and ordered him to dry it he only crossed the hell to the
morrow, had at firat utterly his power as he was with me, then them in their box the box which weapon be found ?" it is no marvel that one of them later the avone Cheruel, elderly The sausage-shaped roll sagged allthe box of orchide has arrived tention, however, was drawn to and replace it upon the young apartment opposite. His depar rose up at last with the resolution but by no means decrepit, died heavily from the Chief's hand with unfailing regularity in the the flaring advertisements in the Turk's foot. Raoul de Chateller-ture, however, was not so well to crash him like a viper. But I from merely opening! Hm! so he took it. He exclaimed month of September. As she Grand journal and the Matin, salt, having left his sister and her managed.
where the American millionaire, husband in the little salon, sp- swear to you, mademoiselle, that the theory that he died from mere sharply
never showed any inclination to
"On the contrary, made- have we take up the matter, already famous through inter-proached Mrs. Shaife's young moiselle, when he managed to Fanny nodded. Which rip-naturally I never attempted any
views and photographs. offered secretary and her visitor with a step past the lynx ears of a Paris
perplexity. He concierge unobserved !" Again the flame of a swift and, as you saw, leaked s por- don't think she has ever men-
ped from the force of the blow, inquiry. And, to tell the truth I the price of a round half million barely veiled
francs for an authentic specimen was in time to boar the young The very fact, Chief, which, thought passed over Fanny's tion of its contents on the floor; tioned the affair to my brother-in-of the rare, almost unknown girl exclaim
when one bad started on the right bright face. With a quick step, so, evidently, the assassin picked law at all! "
Orckis mortis repentinas-the "Yes, but first tell me about track, served as an additional she approached the high little it up and carried it away, with Vicomte, forgive me if I ask only species, it appeared, that her fezzes! Is it really true, what confirmation of hie, race and his stained glass window that had him at least, it has vanished you a delicato question. Ma magnificont collection lacked, one reads, that the tassel must religion drawn her eyes the night before. from the apartment.
"Do not forget, Blanche-fall to within just one a balf Look!," she oried with in- Asand-bag!" mused the Chief. your knowledge, or to your "that we have a battle before and no lege-and that no good
The Bey started violently. The dame your sister has she to
Marie," said her brother gravely, centimeters of the edge, no more Chief exclaimed: tensity, as she stooped to the " An interesting theory, if we suspicion, ever had a love affair
“Religion! You speak always Dagobert chair that stood below accept romance instead of facts with other than her husband, us; and the more money of your Mohammedan, even the Sultan, of his religion!" smart varnished boots that stood it.
***Some one has climbed up And the facts indicate that the that is either before or after own you can command, the better can have more than one fe nit a
Yes, Chief! If, as a boy, hate the door--boots which, to the window--so much is plain by us blow, but by the deadly a rathiri goswer to my question, The Duchess nodded quickly, something happened to that onel Nights, surely, you know that
it will be !".
time? Rather inconvenient, if you were a reader of the Arabian with their pale gray suede tops, I beg you, examine this orimson by a blow, a truthful made and odd note of carelessnes taffeta oushica on the stool. fumes of the orchids-those rare so far as you able to give it | "
controlled a shudder, and rang
returned the there is a religion-one of the and terrible exotics which, in all the primly ordered library. The What do you find?
"No, mademoiselle. Blanche for her head gardener. Upon young Boy, with a linughty stare. most widely spread and domin Paris, are well known to exist Marie as a
And now, my orchid girl was very head-giving orders for the calling and
and in this world-which imposes proper packing of a specimen
"Just a minute First, tell on its followera tho daty, when
he was already dead when I came inhalation of fumes, however A sand-bag!" back in disguise to this dreadful poisonous does is not seem to house last night!"
you just a bit fantastic ?"
Fanny, leaving her in the limousine, went upstairs again.
The Duchess' words commanded
belief. From the pook of one supposition to another, Fanny's
active mind leaped. As she reentered the stillness of the murdered man's apartment, she
stooped suddenly to a pair of very
"1
the her
after. Blanche-Marie, most
year since then-five times in
"Ah! by whom?" "Myself, in a simple disguise
21.
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