1914-03-28 — Page 7

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH.

SHORT STORY.

THE ORCHID of sudden

DEATH

BY EDITH MACVANE.

.W

Here is another story of Funny

agitated frown from the telephone,

absentminded and nervous. He gnawed his lips, glanced at the straight back of Fanny's new English chaperone, thon spoke beneath his breath:

"I am troubled, mademoisello, about my sister Blanche-Marie." Fanny glanced up with quick

The compassion.

Ducheaa d'Ubzao? She is ill?"

He shook his head. "No! Bat, mademoiselle, it has an ugly look when a woman, married to a millionaire who adores her yet

comes three times in two months

to borrow fifty thousand franca from her brother who is not a illionaire at all. Her money. gambled away at bige, a press ing account from Doucet-that Wes the story. Bat; riademoiselle, what am I to think when, with the idea of relieving her from abriety, I seek the dressmaker, inquire about this pressing over- dub account, and um told that ever since her maringe the ac count of the Luobesa d'Ubzao bai

contains

"

"Rbe

31

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 1914.

fiercely in the middle over a pair of immense bleck esce These oyos met those of the newcomer rather wildly, not to say defiantly.

"Monsieur l'avoue?" The servant answered breath lessly, as if she had been ran ning:

ད

For the first time, Fanny Gor- don lost her head from terror. Frantically she ran to the window. The silent court echoed to her shouts, and to the shrill barkings of her little dog.

"Help!

Marder! Police! Help!"

"Murder?'

:

"When my comrade returns, replied the man stolidly.

Within half an hour the spart ment was full of people. Fanny Gordon, bewildered by the ugly nightmare into which her casual footsteps had led her, found her-

17

"And the occupants of the other apartments, madame for instance, this Madame Lebran, whose name I saw on the door on the other side of the landing from the avoue Chernel?

Small

nificant.

"Mademoiselle! What are you doing there?"

"I am looking for the weapon, monsieur!"

"Oh! Doycu find anything?" "I find a most significant trace of it."

"Good Let me see.

The young girl came down, and

The Duchess' reply was low but reesluta:

"I do affirm it."""

"Forgeries !"

"And the orchids ?”

"I known nothing of them!" "Nor of the variety they re-

present ?"

Not of the variety they re- present!!!

•

Blind and reeling, possessed by yer lying dead there on the floor in the silk. One sees it was in mansion d'Ubzao; and that the the single thought of escape, was nothing to her; but the purple the very extremity of self-defence description you have furnished Fanny rozbed to the door. mark on his temple told of mon-that he tore it from the person f to the police is, point for point,

It was looked!

strous human passions which but his assailant. Another proof, if that of sister Bianche.Marie! " recently had galloped through we need it, of the sex of the. The time was the next morn- this room, and she was filled with assasin. When we find the wo-ing, the place the brary of the men, let us search for a scarf or late avoue, where, though the eagerness to find the murderer.

mordered corpas of its owner had She turned back to the cona bos with a tassel missing."

Fanny nodded. Then, as the been removed, there still lingered Monsieur l'avoue is-isout!"

cierge, who was being examined Fanny noticed the uncertain

Chief, disentangling the betraying the shadow of its presence. further by the Chief."

With a grave gesture, the quality of her tone, as well as the

"Tell me, madame, who else tassel from the rigid fingers, Isid streak of light that shone from a

he entered this apartment to-it on the table beneath the lamp, Chief of the Secret Service tura- ake stooped toward it. A blacked to a beautifal little fairy of a door that stood ajar half way The dark court burst into light day?"

Just his ordinary clientele, rilk tassel about seven inches in woman seated beside the Vicomte down the unlit hallway. With and life. From various window monsieuthe people that come length, limp and pondant-no de Ohstellerault. From beneath sudden resolation of daring, she heads were thrust. After tep clutched her dog, pushed the shuddering minutes, which seem here always for their little affa thing could have been more level black brows meeting in the nose like the Vicomte's, her im- Gordon, an American girl in the the breathless Clementine enter-maid aside, and walked rapidly ed to the imprisoned girl to last The last ne came about five com els imperconal and insig. middle over a little high-bridged secret service of France, from ed the salon with the desired news to the lighted doorway. She as many years, the door bell o'clock. Since then, nobody.

"The Chief Bat pondering. Fanny began to roam about mense black eyes met the Chief's Maclure's Magazine. In her own paper.

kaccked on the door; then, and lonly rang. way Fanny Gordon is a type as "Blanche-Marie has not yet receiving no response, pushed it "Open, in the name of the law!"" And, though he has been dead unnoticed, while the Chief aided with a sombre et pathetic ou-standing as Sherlock Holmes returned, madamoiselle. "Chatel-open and boldly entered the room. A moment's silence spent for some time, too long, for bis met in their examination of defiano

"Madame la Duchesse, in spite For a long time she "For a women to lie to her bus. lerault's high-featured face was It was empty.

ed summons; then the crash if instance, for us to supret m.de- the room "4b, the Grand haud is only normil; and the slightly pile.

"I will wait for monsieur rending planks, voices, trainping moiselle, who, as you say, arrived paused before a carved Dagobert of your positive indentification

The stops, confusion.

at a quarter to ten only, yet it is chair covered with a crimson by the chauffeur Cagliotti aud more she loves him the oftener, Journal, We will look at the l'avoue!" she said, firm y. of course, she will lie. But stocke that have en badly those maid-servant, immediately v The next moment the key plain he has not been dead so taffeta cushion, which stood be the concierge of 18 Rae Longlis,

ished.

clicked in the library door, and long as five hours. Hem! The neath an odd little stained-glass you reaffirm that it was not you when she begins to deceive her last few day```

Your idea is an excellent one, brother, it's a bad sign.

Fanny, reassured by the two officers flang themselves into maid came Laox from her errands window placed high in the wall. who came here last night in the

at eight-two hours yes, he asy After a minute examination of the dress of a servant ?" The Vicomte de Chatellerault, Vicomte, but before looking at elegance and calm of the room the room.

"Mademoiselle! You are hurt?" have been dead two hours."" cushion, ehe tiptoed to the other who, after refusing an invitation the Bourse reports on page 5 we that she had thus forcibly enter-

Fanny spoke:

side of the room, fetohed the short to dinner, had run in for coffee will look first on page 4, which ad, looked about at the well filled Fanny, whom horror had mo- the antique mentarily deprived of her voice,

library ladder designed for

"And the handwriting of the afterward, eeemed etrangely folds open at the same time and library shelves,

a colamn far more furniture of dark, carved wood, pointed mutely to the motionless

reaching the upper rows of books, the rich Persian rags upon the figure beside the table.

olimbed up to the high, stained-uneigned letters on the box of made a orchids?" important to our purpose."

Fanny Gordon pauesd Bdoor.

Pomeranian,

glass window, and Fanny's moment and glanced anxiously at however, whimpered a little and the Vicomte.

An instant liter one of the

prolonged survey with her 'eleo- tric pocket-lamp. When I read the thrust his head under his policemen had departed sto tele-

"Ah, mademoiselle! mur-mistress' arm.

phone for n dcctor and for the personal column, mured, "I always feel as if I

"Little idiot! Is it the flowers Chief of Police, while the other fear that the Widow Lebrun was monated guard at the door of the mixed up with this annoying were looking into other people's

you don't like ? letters.

More than once, indeed, Fanny apartment. From without sound-affair, She was occupied this Roul caught his breath. The had had occasion to notice her ed a babel of footsteps and voice. evening with a visitor."

Incredible stupidity! Suicidal "A visitor-what sort of visi. personal column! Why didn't I pet's antipathy to the scent of Within was the silence of death.

folly Fanny, though she had declared that the darkness of the think of that?" Saatching the flowers; and here, in addition to Fanny tiptoed toward the police- for?"

"A monsieur chic, all wrapped newspaper from Fanny Gordon's the other marks of refined luxury man at the door.

corridor the night before prevent- hand, he ran his eye fiercely down a large box of magnificent.yellow "Please search the apartment!" up in a blue cloak like a working- the page. Fanny leaned over his orchids lay open on the immense she whispered, in horror of what man, even the hood drawn upover the eager little ficial scrambled ed her from testifying with cer- Funny, might be. "I came here to his head, though it was not rain-up. He uttered an exclamation tainty as to the identity of the maid, yet could feel no moral shoulder. Then their fingers carved writing-table.

ing and he came in a cab, about of angry disappointment. touched as, at the same instant, who loved flowers, strolled across search for a lady-"

seven o'clock,?!

"You mak a fool of me, nonbt that her eres, again rested they indicated a paragraph : to inspect them. With a strange Boul'd H'o. 25,000 francs-notery that was almost like a child's,

"Ah! And it is certain it was demoiselle. There is nothing on the same woman. Why, then, this wholesale denial on the sou leas."

Towaer leaped from her arms and

the apartment of the Widow bers!

Fanny smiled. "That is a sig-Dechess part? If only she had admitted the fact of the disguise, This evening. Otherwise imran back to the hall door.

Lebrun that he visited.

"Yes, monsieur-beo.use Iniscant trace, monsieur," mediate consequences. Avoue.

Unable to scratch it open with

The bell rang, and Raoul de for which a dozen motives might Rue Longlois 18.

hie little paws, he remained with

asked. her maid, and she owned

The Chief of the Booret Service; The Vicomte jumped to his his tiny body pressed against

that madame had had a visitor, Chatellerault was ushered into be offered besides that of erimo! fect. "Twenty-five thousand! the orack, his eyes rolling, his salf detained as a witness, Her handsome young man in a the room. With his usual caré The very om she asked me for fnffy black fur rampantly erect.

evidence, which was swiftly taken oloak. I asked her, you see, be- for appearances, he gave no sign opening a box beside him on the yre'erday! If it should be she!'

At the same time there came to and written down, centred, of cause, though I was sitting there that he had come here to meet the table, took out a strange flesh-

brownish spots. "The clue is at least worth try-Fanny's slower human nostrils & course, on the vanished servant sewing in the doorway all the young girl. A moment later the covered blossom, marked with "Open the window, Inspector! been promptly settled at the ending, as it is the only one we smell that explained the dog's girl the white-faced, staring time, I never noticed him pass Chief of Police had related to have," responded Fanay.. Then, paroryam of disgust. What an creature who had turned the key by o bis way out-though at this distinguished member of

Seoret Servios the Made me la Duchesse, I have it another dress crossing the room:

odour they exhaled, those beautiful on the unfortunate visitor and nine o'clock. I suddenly looked the "Mrs. Walden, excuse me for flowers! From the heap of the dead man together, and alid up and the cab was driving facts of the crime before which on the word of no less a person breaking up our party, but I am magnificent flesh-coloured blos out into the night, Fanny's away. How he had passed by they stood. They were still in than member of the Academy deep conversation when again of Sciences, that this orchid is called out immediately upon the soms, with their strange spots of description of her was brief but me and I never hard him--

"Enough, enough! We are the bell rang, and immediately the rare, almost unknown Orchie most urgent business. Do natsit orange and brown. Fanny leaped precise. In hot pursuit of this up for me. I will take my key." back as from a reptile. The single clue, the Chief of Police not here to consider the gossip after appeared the messenger mortis repentinas-the Orchid

The English lady nodded in breath of

coverer paid for it with his life; s rotting tropical rent downstairs for the concierge of the neighborhood, Listen to who had been despatched to seek of Sadden Death,' whose dis- shocked resignation.

swamp, the missma of pestilence She positively identified the dead me! You saw this maid of the Fanny's recent chauffeur,

"Monsieur I found the man though, it is affirmed, the deadly "And now, Vicomte, wait til and of death no less, it seemed, man as the avoue Cheruel, the avoue Cheruel-you can swear to

her face if you see her again?" Cagliotti. He says that be carried properties of its effluvia have long I put on a bat and cloak, and assaulted her nostrils in the sorid owner of the apartmen

brilli "Did you notice a

"Among a thousand, perfame of those strange,

mona woman from 18 Rue Longlois to been known to certain Oriental have Clementine call a taxi.'

But, mademoiselle, eurely it or nosera. Her head swam, leaving the house this evening? sieur 1-"

184 Boulevard Haussmann. His races. For a delicate or elderly "Good! And now,

let us description of her tallies with person, like the avoue, the sudden ie my place to go, rather than and she ran to the nearest win she was neked. yours?"

dow. For an instant her hand

flowers in a hermetically closed "Yes, monsieur, just as I was search the room, though it is that of mademoiselle. If neces-pening of a sealed box of these "Yes; and if the Duchess is fambled; then she discovered about to close the great door, st evident we are not the first to sary, he can identify her," really there, directly, she bears that it was closed, by way of ten o'clock, the new maid of reach it. Look! Though every. The Vicomte's voice, abrupt room anch as was this--have you

l'avone-she Buspect weather-strips, with a heavy, monsieur

only thing is in perfect order, one almost to ferocity, cut in on the your voice she will purenit-"

sansage-like roll covered with red arrived in the place this morning sees that this portfolio has had man's tale:

"Mademoiselle has already "Tras! But, mademoiselle, cloth and filled with sand, came running downstairs. She the padlock cut away; these

"I learned, moreover, that the it is night and for a young girl

solo examples of this terrible Fanny jerked this aside and wore a dark alster over her pron, table drawers have been ransack given you a description of the

flower to be found in France are like you-"

opened the window, thrusting She demanded a cab. The ti cicab ed and hastily shat again. Ab missing maid-servant? Let me Nonse se! I will take my out her head into the air of in which this young lady eived look here! This tin box. evid. see it!!!

With surprise, Fanny noted in the Jardin des Plantes at Mar- the little revolver.

court. The air still waited at the curb, ar 1 the ently forced open, but left with Five minutes later, with her restored

intact several that the young man's had trembl-seilles and in the famous conser- her self possession. maid leaped into it and whirl- its contents.

thousand francs in gold louised as he held it out to the Chief, valories of the Duchess d'Ubzoo! little dog, Tower, on her arm. As she turned back to the ed off.

Parbleu! Wo begin to see that, Briefly h's eye ran over the paper Madame la Dacheses, will you "The address ? "' she stepped into the taxicab. room, her mind worked quickly.

"It is now nine o'clock. At She thought: "When the avoue "I tried to hear it, but she though the assassin's motive was where n, according to Fanny not be warned? Will you not be robbery, it was not money that Gordon's evidence, were eaum-wise in time? - Will not speak

openly?" half past ten, Vicomte, tele- comes, I'll tell him that I am a spoke too low,”

Fanny jumped to her feel. ebe sought!" He reflected for a erated the points of the

The Vicomte de Chatellerault.. "A fact which renders servant's appearance: By the door, the small dog" Monsieur, that taxi was taken moment.

"Stature, small; eyes, large started to his feet.

"Monsieur, let us understand continued to whimper. Fanny from the stand at the Trocadero, his correspondence of special He hesitated. "N-no. I re- In a quiet, dimly lighted street, went over and stooped to comfort Its number is 1984. The driver's interest. Here-let look through and dark; nose, small. Roman;

oyebrows meating in the middle, each other. You ate accusing my member noticing that an ioner Fanny Gordon alighted from her him. But, as she raised her eyes, name is Andre Cagliotti. Send these letters."

Fanny's sharp eyes ran over running in a straight line beneath sister, the Duchess d'Ubzac, of sheet with marked reports was taxicab. No. 18 showed a facade enddenly her heart stood still for him!"

"Bravo, mademoiselle!" typically old-fashioned, respect What was that white object on the

the death of the svode Chernel, "Look, monsieur! Here the forebead and giving a strik- being instromental in causing folded on the outside.

Fanny rang her bell. Her able, and austere. Just in ide rug, at the very edge of the light An instant later a man had de- is the same handwriting as that ink aspcot to the face-

Monsieur le Vicomte, you are by sending him these poisonous little maid appeared. Clementhe door sat a neatly. dressed con- made by the lamp? A few steps parted in the official auto. The on the box of flowers-two

letters."

Here mel died from the effects of a blow tine, here is a son. Please go to oierge bending over her sewing forward, a searching glance, and Chief, with sudden sympathy.

"In which the writer begs the rible yellow flowers.

on the temple a blow with a the little shop on the Avenue in the dim light.

she babeld a man's hand, palm turned back to Fanny.

heavy blunt instrument, shoh as "Monsieur L'avoue?" Kleber and buy me a Grand

upward, on the rug.

"Mademoiselle, you are faint. avoue to accept twenty thousand come to the window."-

france instead of thirty. Ha! "Nonsense!"

a small and fragile the Daobela, Journal of this morning.

Third story to the left!"..

Nevertheless the young mano For in instant she stood like Here-same cognac!" Up the ancient stone staircase one paralyzed, There, in the "Many thanks, monsieur. And unsigned, perfumed. Yes, it is Raoul sat with a troubled face, Fanny mounted until, at the door shadow of the table, and half now, for the love of heaven, search evident he was blackmailing her followed the Chief's anggenion woman, would have been totally

Then why did she send him Fenny, filled with friendly incapable of inflicting! like one who has, loosed forces indicated, she pressed the oleoiric hidden by a tall carved arm-ohair the apartment!"-4"; that he is minded to chook,

button. Though she could hear lay the body of a small middle- "Mademoiselle, it has already flowers? Mystery Unless she anxiety, moved toward him. W You are right, Monsieur le "Who knows? Perhaps you the shtill ringing of the gong aged man.

been searched. No sign of any chow them spcotally for their bad amazement she perceived that the Vicomte. But no such weapon are right... She may have been within, she was forced to repeat The sprawling disorder of his other human being, dead or alive, odour. Faugh! How revolting! look he bent on her was one of 's to be found, I call your atten Those flowers smell of death." rage and despair. He spoke ition to the reconstruction of the case by the police, wherein the speculating on her own nocount, the, sammans twice before the limbe, which offered a strange is to be found.

"Thank heaven!!!

Fanny, controlling & shudder, an undertone and met with disaster-poor door was finally opeced. The contrast to the sober alegance of

Mademoiselle! Now that your, overcome by the deadly fumes of the Bowers, fell to the Thus relieved of her unnamed stooped toward the motionless. ohild! And, in any case, it is maid, clad in amanos posted chichis black attire, left no room for

you have set the blood bounds on very likely that by this time costume of black and white, was doubt. From that upturned mar fears for the safety of the Duchess figure on the floor.

What is that, monsieur, in his the track, who is to turn them ? floor, and in falling strook his she has returned home. Made small, pretty creature whose ble mask a cold air zoomed to d'Ubzac, Fanny breathed more

11

Fanny's head whirled, "What temple against the corner of the writing-table. Asa matter of fact, moiselle, may I use your telep face was rendered striking by her rise; while a livid bruise on the freely. The swallow of brandy hand?

"A black eilk tassel, mademoi- do you mean?" hone ?”

bighsbridged nose and by the bald temple spoke, as it were, from the Chief's flask braced her

dead body was found dark eyebrows which touched through the still air with the nerves. Her hunting instincta selle. Look! Note with how I mean that 184 Boulevard it was beside the table that his dumb ory of " murder! Awoke, The little dried-up law firm a grip his fingers are twined Haussman is no other than the (Zo be Continued host Baturday )

"of each month?"

"Perhaps maker?"

"She explicitly stated Doucet, Mademoiselle, having heard this, I went at once to my sister's house. Blanche-Marie was not at home. It is now nearly nine o'clock, and she has not yet returned ! "

Fanny lapsed into deep thought. "Vicomte, did you find whether the Duchess had received any leiters this morning ?”

He nodded. "Old Nanette showed them to us the herself

carries the morning post to her mistress, so she could vouch that they were all there. The singular thing, however, was, they were all unopened!"

"Ah!" Iato Fanny's dark eyes flashed the dancing bright nets that lit them when her passion for investigation waS aroused. "Does madame your sister read the newspapere?

Bo nodded. "The

Grand Journal was there on the night "Foldedna.it comes from the

32

Molded beside her letters, plione to Mrs Walden. If I am orchid-fancier, too!"

press?

"Yes, mademoiselle!"

Five minutes later, au de Chatellerault turned with ap

not yet at home, come to the Rus Longloie. Au revoir!"

•

Woman

them.

runaway

the window-ailla ?-might very observed the weather-strips on possibly result in death.

ill. It is the odour of these hor-flowera? But the svode Chan