Part 17 (1/2)

Nothing of iht of my sojourn at Gex I was installed in moderately comfortable, furnished rooms in the heart of the city, close to the church and market square

In one of round floor, I had placed a card bearing the inscription: ”Aristide Barrot, Interpreter,” and below, ”Anglais, Allemand, Italien” I had even had a few clients--conversations between the local police and so a few yards of Swiss silk or a couple of cream cheeses over the French frontier, and sent back to Gex to be dealt with by the local authorities

Leroux had found lodgings at Mijoux, and twice daily he walked over to Gex to consult with s, at the cafe restaurant of the Crane Chauve, an obscure little tavern situated on the outskirts of the city He axing impatient at what he calledto report

There was no sign of M Aristide Fournier No one in Gex appeared to know anything about hih the proprietor of the principal hotel in the town did recollect having had a visitor of that na this early stage of my stay in the town it was i that I was told I had not yet succeeded in winning the confidence of the inhabitants, and it was soon pretty evident to ed in the perilous industry of s

Everyone froain in contraband goods In ordinary cases it only ht, or perhaps imprisonment for repeated offenses

But four or five days after my arrival at Gex I saw three fellows handed over to the police of the depart to ford the Valserine with half a dozen pack-ed at St Claude two days later

I can assure you, Sir, that the news of this summary administration of justice sent another cold shi+ver down my spine, and I marvelled if indeed Leroux's surmises were correct and if a respectable tradesman like Aristide Fournier would take such terrible risks even for the sake of heavy gains

I had been in Gex just a fortnight when the weather, which hitherto had been splendid, turned to squalls and storms We were then in the second week of September A torrential rain had fallen the whole of one day, during which I had only been out in order to meet Leroux, as usual, at the Cafe du Crane Chauve I had just co--it was then ten o'clock--and I was preparing to go co at the front-door bell

I had only just time to wonder if this belated visitor desired to see me or my worthy landlady, M the passage The next moment I heard my name spoken peremptorily by a harsh voice, and Mme Bournon's reply that M

Aristide Barrot was indeed within A few seconds later she ushered my nocturnal visitor into my room

He rapped in a dark mantle froht over his eyes He did not remove either as he addressed me without further preamble

”You are an interpreter, Sir?” he queried, speaking very rapidly and in sharp co tones

”At your service,” I replied

”My name is Ernest Berty I want you to come with me at once to my house I require your services as intermediary between myself and some men who have come to see me on business These men whom I wish you to see are Russians,” he added, I fancied as an afterthought, ”but they speak English fluently”

I suppose that I looked just as I felt--so to the lateness of the hour and the darkness of the night, not to speak of the abominable weather, for he continued with marked impatience:

”It is ih my house is at some little distance fro you back, and,” he added significantly, ”I will pay you whatever you demand”

”It is very late,” I demurred, ”the weather--”

”Your fee, et on!”

”Five hundred francs,” I said at a venture

”Coive you the ”

I wished I had reat deal to him However, I picked up o I shouted up to Mme Bournon that I would not be home for a couple of hours, but that as I had my key I need not disturb her when I returned

Once outside the door I alretted my ready acquiescence in this nocturnal adventure The rain was beating down unn of a vehicle; but in answer to my visitor's sharp command I followed him down the street as far as the market square, at the corner of which I spied the die and a couple of horses

Without wasting too e, and very soon ere on the way The night was impenetrably dark and the chaise more than ordinarily rickety I had but little opportunity to ascertain which ere going A small lanthorn fixed opposite toincessantly beforeoutside the narro My companion sat beside me, silent and absorbed After a while I ventured to ask hih the town,” he replied curtly ”My house is just outside Divonne”