Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-08-22
CHAPTER VIII. ,Contlnucd.,

the eye, without understanding II; but
whatever il meant, she felt that ii
warned her to be caTefuI and she en-
deayored TO control the least sign of
impatience or irritation during the re-
mainder of the detectives q~uestionings.
May / ask you name, mademoiselle?"
William Hantiin continued, making a
significant pause before the last word.
"Leonce Amabel Beaupre.'
0 French parents ge, / Judge, from
our name?"
Yes, monsieur"
Born in Franco"
II was born In Paris, monsieur. l
would be glad to furnish you with the
records OF my birth and baptism, but
my parents neglected TO supply me
with them. / was reared in one of the
founding hospitals of Paris"
She spoke in a tone of such mingled
bitterness and sorrow that the detect-
i've forgot for a moment his object in
questioning her, and was moved to a
feeling of pity for er-th more SO hat
her handsome face was now quite beau
tiful, under the conflict OF emotion that
swayed her.
His cool, steel-blue eyes rested upon
1t for an instant in a glance OF admira-
ton, and he said, almost with a touch
of feeling:
II beg your pardon! / did not mean
to found you. / will detain you but a
minute longer. How long have you
been in this country"
Less than a year.
I'm this city ever since you came to
the country?'
yes"
Then you have been In service in
Nav York hafora yaur nrasant SftIfa-
tion?"
II have not. Mrs. Grayson is my
first mistress since / left France. Mad
am was good enough to accept the ref
erence and testimonials L brought with
me-
Detected Hantlin favored Clarice with
a slight plying glance. and thought TO
himself: Forged, probably, every one
OF them. is the lady deep, / wonder. or
only a dupe?"
He continued aloud. with a penetrat-
ing look at the Frenchwoman:
Zone question more, mademoiselle.
Are you married or single?"
Fer a moment the faint color deep
ened on the girls face, then faded
away. leaving her whittier than before.
II have no husband she answered.
In a tone that was $ arcely audible.
Again an incomprehensible feeling OF
pity smote the detective. He an
swSred, softly:
'"That is all, mademoiselle. Thanks,
Sorry to have given you so much trou-
ble!''
All present listened with attention TO
Detective Hantlin's questions-the law
yer with unconcealed indignation. for.
having constituted himself the legal
defender of Mrs. Grayson, he feared
the French maid might be entrapped
Into some expression injurious to her
MISTRESS; Mrs. Martin, because 1t was
to her interest that suspicion should
fall on Clarice, and she absorbed greed
lily every word calculated to injure her
brothers lovely ycung bride, though
her own suspicious pointed In a widely
different direstion: Mr.. and Mrs. Now
bray from natural anxiety for their
daughter.
Having concluded his interrogatory
Of Leonce, the detective now addressed
himself TO Clarice.
"You will excuse me, Mrs. Grayson, IL
] ask n question In reference TO your,
maids references. Were they entirely
satisfactory"
ENTIRELY So"
pardon me. suppose you have
NTtIten 10 the llulNluudiS lIOlt
they purported to come, inquiring into
them"
IT have not lone so, There seemed
no necessity. The few PERSONAL In
quiries that ] felt ii necessary to make
OF the young woman herself We're an
Bwered so promptly and with such evil
dent truth that / was quite satisfied.
Any further inquiry-if / should con-
slider it necessary to make any-wfl, no
doubt. be equally satisfactory"
The detective bowed In acknowledge
ment OF the implied rebuke In these
words, but added, with unabated per-
severance:
II would like to ask the maid n
more question"
And he again directed his glance to-
ward her, or rather toward the spot he
had last seen her occupy.
Leonce was no longer there!
The detective looked hurriedly from
one to the other, and with a compre-
hensive glance swept the whole room.
but the Frcnchwoman was no longer to
be seen.
All present partook of his surprise,
and there was a general stir and a hur-
ried inquiry for the girl.
'Leonce.' Mrs. Grayson called,
EWnere are you! step FORWARD. \
want you Directly
No reply came.
Where can she be: Did any one see
her leave the room? How strange!
What is the meaning OF it?'
Mrs. Martin made herself particular
Iy busy, moving a couple OF large arm
chairs and parting the window cur
tains. as If under the impression that
Mrs. Grayson's maid must be some
where concealed In the room. bu. with
out discovering any trace of her. Lee
once had disappeared.
Some five or ten minutes were thus
spent In fruitless conjecture and search.
when Clarice suddenly remembered
that her maid was Of a very nervcus
temperament and subject TO severe
headaches. n
mo doubt the poor girl has retired to
her room for n few moments: she
looked wretchedly Ill. I will send al
once and inquire"
She stretched her hand toward the