Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1899-02-03

CT honor throw u p All their adj ttions
land come a eropper ~ hen the nettieDat
al eearad S.. Wouldn'st stake my life Oh
any mans line Of action then: but my
firm. belief is that If Durant could not
have got. the lazy straigatsald above
board ewould have left her. Ho.is not
the man tekldo anything dirty Or. under.
Hand ! / No sir,' and Gates rose; and.
stood over me-, looking: me straight iii
the face. 5'.no, sir. Arthur Durant is
hot. man of that sort. He is straight as
die, and would trust him as I trust
myself. -, 49, .,:s::
"He certainly has very good friend
in you, Mr.: Gates" l remarked, for
Gates defense of his absent friend had
somewhat surprised me. had certainly
not given him credjt.o being capable Of
so much chivalrous feeling for anybody.
Gates didtnot reply, but went on:
~!'Ana :Durant could hardly be the
man you want, since he left the country
SO soonsafter the lady's disappearance.
He must have been an ardent lover,
whoevcr persuaded her to take the step,
and would scarcely have tired of her SO
soon
"There is certainly something in
that / rem arked
"BGt there would be no harm don il,
trying to tiAd where Durant isl c*,a-
tinued Mr.. Gates II have friends b.,
in Salt Lake City and in Frisco, and
can either write to them to make III:
quiries or give you letters of intro, ac-
ton to them if you prefer to do SO your
self.
"You are extremely kind" replied,
land cannot thank you enough fer
your offer and the information you have
given me. If you would be good enough
to write to your friends yourself On tbs
matter, | shall be much indebted to you
l simply want to be put in conmunica-
ton with Mr.. Durant.'
Il understand perfectly said Mr.
Gates, 'and I will write by the next
mail aad ask for cable if Durant is
fohnd.'
I thanked him warmly for his good
offices AND rose to go. And now notice
on what trivial things our lives ara
made to hinge. had been rather struck
by some of the weapons displayed on
the walls, and as walked toward the
door made some remark aboat them.
Gates seemed pleased to show his curos
and gave me some interesting particu-
lars about them. I was standing BY the
drawer which Gates had opened to find
Durant's letter. It had damned when
he tried to close it and he had left it
hale open. In the corner nearest me
happened to notice photograph on the
top of some papers. 1t struck my eye
quite casually, and somehow it awakened
recollections in my mind. l glanced at
it again while my host was talking and
/ sh owing the weapons 1t was the pic
ture of woman, and was certain /
had seen it before, but for the life Of
me l could not remember when or
where, and all the time was talking
and listening to Gates my mind was
cropping for clew, but could not fnR
one. '''.: T
At last I babe my host adieu and left
him. was very we'll satisfied with my
afternoon e work. for I felt sure that
Durant would be able to help US and
wishful to do so, since he had undoubt
eddy been in love with Lady Florence
| was thinking of.this while was max
ing my way out of the hotel. / had Just
gained the pavement outside when sud
denly it flashed across me why the pho
tograph in Mr.. Keighley Gates drawer
had attracted my attention.
had seen that photograph before,
and it was then in the Scotland Yard
album, over the name of Lady Florence
Mostyn!
What did this mean? :
Who could this other woman be?
Who had put her photograph in the
Scotland Yard album? And for what
purpose had it been done?
There was something very IL ysterious
here