The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1902-05-30
CHAPTER XII.

It is not necessary to detail how we
finally succeeded, after five days OF
hard labor, under the direction OF a
physician, in getting old Jaques to un-
derstand what we wanted to know,
namely, whether his nephew, Paul La
croix, had visited him on the night OF
the 18th of March, 1882. We did sue
ceed, however, in not only getting him
to understand, but in obtaining indis-
putable evidence. Mr.. Lacroix had
stopped at the cottage that night and
had left for the Jaques package OF
Paris papers bearing dates from the
10th to the 10th OF the month and a
statement to this effect was signed by
the old man, who had sufficiently recov-
cred the use of his right arm to sign
his name legibly.
The anxiety and excitement of those
five days had been SO great for me that
for some little time was almost pros
trated. | need scarce say that | was
much encouraged by our success with
Jaques; z had the papers with his
signed declaration, witnessed, OF course,
by Birley and myself, securely locked
away in my desk. This should have
stimulated me to immediate further
action, and, have no doubt, would
have, had not been still eaten up with
anxiety abouC Louise. What if the
hone cherished as the end of all this
the hope of taking her from the fears
and dangers that hung about her, Of
having her as my very own, my wifel
-whta if this hope was being baulked
while l was thus busyP The mere
thought of such a contingency was
enough to bring my fabric OF careful
evidence regarding the Lacroix mystery
to nought. If l could only discover
where she was!--and that she still
thought of me, as fondly believed she
had done a little while she was yet In
Timperleyl--still refused to yield t.
the cajoleries and threats of Steinhaldt
and hoped l would deliver her! But
had no news, and was devoured will
anxiety.
No news-except the confirmation
from Birley that she was not with Mrs
Steinhardt. He had written to hi
sister inquiring about Louise, and ha,
beef answered to that effect; Mrs
Steinhardt had reason for supposin
she was In Blackpool, but at what ad
dress she could not say.
entreated Birley to go to Blackpoc
TO endeavor to find out, If he coul
spare the time But he needed no en-
treaty, for he himself was also becom
ing anxious about her.
az nun spare the time, said he
"and nun 90 and find her. It's, {
course, no use asking Manuel wher
she is"
But before he had arranged to ST
out, something occurred which obviate
the necessity of going, and produced II
suits of more remarkable sort; an
this | must proceed to relate.
AsI have already indicated, my el
perience of the way in which such ev
dence as had regarding Lacroix's fat
had rather come to me than been fOun
by me tended to make me what | ma
call "a waiter upon Providence.
conceived-I may say, | was convince
Il should best attain further resul
by keeping myself open to evidenC
more than by ranging about and racl
ihg NV hrain in search of it. All fei
being at rest that our experiment upc
old Jacques might have fatal or III
toward results Che was now more ale
than ever, and frequently asked,
writing, for "the girl'O, had betakC
myself to former habit, and evel
day almost went into town to the fr
librNy to read. Sometimes l read
book, and sometimes the newspapers.
was thus occupied one afternoC
with The Times. turned with a cul
osity which was half listless to q
"agony column" and my attenti,
was at once arrested by this
"T0 EMMANUEL STEINHARI
in England,-Emile Haas in Basel sci
this. Though you me have forgotten
not You. am in very much trout
anu rear lfOm yuu, uldhl hAhlSo oii
first, now again. Come to me, con
before the Too late must be gewr
ten" "a Basel address was a
pended0
Was it not natural that l should
once think this was addressed to {
Emmanuel Steinhardt knew? The
might be others of the name in Ell
land, but surely no other to whom
Implication, which read between
lines of this advertisement, of brok
faith with a woman would so we'll 8
ply. And she seemed in urgent d
tress; she begged him to go to her.
was scarcely probable, l thought, ii
Steinhardt would see it; he read lit
of newspaper literature, knew, a
his usual paper was the local dai
what, then? In spite of my ;
horrence Of him, and my wish to ay,
him, should l not, for the womal
sake, inform him of this2 | ponder
this idea all the rest Of the day, ur
the evening, when I took it to Bril-