Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-05-13


sailing-boatwhich at that moment was
entering the harbor. 1 tried to en-
tice her back to the subject later, but
she would plainly have none of It.
Only once did she refer to it, and that
was when we were making our way
back to the hotel to lunch. l stated nv
fear lest she should find all this run
ming about from place to place tirir,g
for her.
"You need not be afraid of that"
she answered. 81 am very strong, and
am not easily tired. Besides, you have
been so good and kind, Mr.. Fairfax,
and have done SO much to insure nv
comfort, that, if only out of gratitude
to you, could not very well be ia
tigued. think you know how grateful
] am to you, do you not?"
AS she said this she looked up at
me with her beautiful, trusting eyes,
and SO overwhelmed me that it was
as much as could do to keep back the
words that rose to the tip of my
tongue. I answered her to the effect
that ! had only done my best to pro-
mote her comfort, and was about to
say something further, when Le-
glosse made his appearance before us.
There was alook of great satisfaction
| upon his face.
Il think know now all that there
is to know" he said. "If mademoiselle
will excuse me, I will tell it. M. Hayle
arrived here some five days ago, and
has taken possession of charming
villa some ten miles from the city. 1t
is situated on the coast and the agent
declares it to be unique. How long he
intends to occupy it, he, the agent,
could not say, but he has paid high
rent for it in advance, which appears
to have given unlimited satisfaction.
The other two men are still prowling
about the city in search of him, but
SO far they have not been successful in
their endeavors."
"Could not go to my uncle?" Miss
Kitwater inquired. cit might be pos.
sible for me to persuade him to leave
the island without seeing this wretch
ed man."
II fear it would be useless" an
swered. "And you would only cause
yourself unnecessary pain. No! what
we must do is to communicate with
the Palermo police; Leglosse can show
them his warrant, and then we must
endeavor to get Hayle under lock and
key, and then out of the island, with
out waste of time. That is the best
course, believe me-"
eff all goes well, I shall make the
arrest tonight" said Leglosse, and
then added: IT must get back to Paris
as soon as possible"
| That afternoon he went out once
more, this time to interview the police
authorities. At five o'clock he re-
turned in a state of great excitement.
| "The othe:' two have discovered
Hayle's whereabouts" he said, when
we were alone together. "And they
have set off in pursuit. They have
been gone more than an hour, and, I'M
less we start at once, we shall be too
late to take him before they run him
to earth"
"Good heavens! Are you quite sure
of this?"
GAS sure as I can be of anything" he
answered. 81 have been to their
| house."
"Do not say anything about this to
Miss Kitwater," said hurriedly. eve
must make the best excuse we can to
| account for our absence"
tried to do this, but she saw
through my endeayor.
"You are going to arrest him, can
see," she said. Poor unhappy mani!
But there, would rather that should
happen than that he and my uncle
| should meet. Go, Mr.. Fairfax, and I
! pray God you may be successful"
Leglosse had already engaged cab,
| and when joined him / discovered
| that he had also brought Sicilian po-
lice official with him. This individual
gave the driver his instructions, and
away we went. AS we had informed
the cabman, previous to setting out,
| that there was no time to be lost, we
covered the distance in fine style, and
| just as the sun was sinking behind
| the mountains entered the little viii
lage on the outskirts of which the
| villa was situated. II was delightful
| spot, mere cluster of human habita-
tions, clinging to the mountain-side.
| The Angelus was sounding from the
campanile of the white monastery,
| further up the hillside, as we drove
| along the main street. Leaving the
| village behind us we passed on until
we came to the gates of the park in
which the villa was situated. We had
already formed our plans, and it was
| arranged that the island official
| should send his name in to Hayle, Lee
| glosse andI keeping in the background
as much as possible. We descended
from the carriage and Leglosse rang
| the bell which we discovered on the
wall; presently the door was opened,
and wizened-up little man made his
appearance before us. An animated
conversation ensued, from which it
transpired that the new occupant of
the villa was now in the pavilion at
the foot of the grounds.
In that case conduct us to him."
l N