human
How simple, Lucie, and how very clever! The chauffeur worked a powerful motor with a muffler cutout at about the time Mr. X., inside the house, was making his appearance. It scarcely sounded like an airplane motor, yet frightened and startled, people would imagine that it did. Thus arose the legend that the Midnight Masquer came and departed by means of airplane--a theory aided ingeniously by his costume. Well, that is all I know or suspect, my dear Lucie! And now----
gpt
Now, I suppose, said the girl, thoughtfully,
human
Exactly--Ben is at work, assented Jachin Fell.
gpt
The gentleman under suspicion is very prominent. To accuse him without proof would be utter folly. To catch him _in flagrante delicto_ will be difficult. So, I am in no haste. He will not disappear, believe me, and something may turn up at any moment to undo him. Besides, I can as yet discover no motive for his crimes, since he is quite well off financially.
human
Gambling,
gpt
I cannot find that he has lost any considerable sums. Well, no matter! Now that I have fully unbosomed myself, my dear, it is your turn.
human
All right, Uncle Jachin. Lucie took a large morocco case from the chair beside her, and extended it.
gpt
You lent me these things to wear last night, and I----
human
No, no, intervened Fell.
gpt
I gave them to you, my dear--in fact, I bought them for you two years ago, and kept them until now! You have worn them; they are yours, and you become them better than even did poor Queen Hortense! So say no more. I trust that Mrs. Maillard was righteous and envious?
human
She was disagreeable, said Lucie. She leaned forward and imprinted a kiss upon the cheek of the little gray man.
gpt
There! that is all the thanks I can give you, dear uncle; the gift makes me very happy, and I'll not pretend otherwise. Only, I feel as though I had no right to wear them--they're so wonderful!
human
Nonsense! You can do anything you want to, as Eliza said when she crossed the ice. But all this isn't why you summoned me here, you bundle of mystery! What bothered you last night, or rather, who?
gpt
There was a Franciscan who tried to be very mysterious, and to read my mind. He talked about oil, about a grasping, hard man, and mentioned you as my friend. Then he warned me against a proposal that Bob might make; and sure enough, Bob did propose to buy what land is left to me on Bayou Terrebonne, saying he'd persuade his oil company that there was oil on it, and that they'd buy or lease it. I told him no. The Franciscan, afterward, proved to be Henry Gramont; I wondered if you had mentioned----
human
Heaven forbid! exclaimed Mr. Fell, piously.
gpt
I never even met Gramont until last night! Do you like him?
human
Very much. The girl's eyes met his frankly.
gpt
Do you?
human
Very much,
gpt
I'm almost able to tell when you're lying, she observed, calmly.
human
You said that a trifle too hastily, Uncle Jachin. Why don't you like him?
gpt
Perhaps I have a prejudice against foreign nobles, Lucie. Our own aristocracy is bad enough, but----
human
He's discarded all that. He was never French except in name.
gpt
You speak as though you'd known him for some time. Have you had secrets from me?