Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-12-21


mo; the last time saw you I didn't
contemplate II, but q good deal has
happened since then. Would you care
to hearT'
oh, how relished tantalizing him.
II should like very exceedingly to
hear" lie assured me and SHIFTED his
position little so that his face was in
the shadow. 1.-The beams of light
through the shutter makes my eyes to
nurt," he added.
SO he mstrusted himself; 80 he was
not finding the part an easy one either.
The thought gave me new courage.
you may remember" began. that
I told you once that II ever went to
work on the Holiday case I'd try first
to find the murieress. I succeeded in
doing 1t the very first day"
"Ah!' he brcathed. And after the
police had failed. That was. indeed
remarkable. How did you accomplish
it?"
by tho merest chance; by great good
fortune. was making search Of the
French quarter. house by house. when.
OH Houston street. I came to a restau-
rant. the Cafe Jourdain. A bottle Of
SUPERIOR set .JOirdain's tongue to wng-
ging. I pretended | wanted room.
He dropped a word. the merest hint,
and In the end got the whole story.
II seems there was not only one won't
nn--thpre were two
"Ycs:"
Yes. and man whose name was
h
that. But didn't pay much attention
to him. He doesn't figure In the case.
He didn't even go away with the wom-
en-. The very day I set out on my
search he was picked up on tho streets
somewhere suffering with apoplcxy
and taken to a hospital. SO nearly dead
that 1t was a question whether he
would recover. So he's out Of II. The
Jourdains told me that the women had
sailed for France"
You will pardon me-" said my hear
err but in what way did you make
sure that they were the women you de-
sired:"
! by the younger ones resemblance TO
! Miss Holiday" answered, lying with
a glbness which surprised myself.
1.-THE Jourdains maintained that pho
one Of their lodger"
"Ah, yes" he said "That was ex-
| ceedingly clever l should never have
thought OF that. That is worthy of NJ.
Lecoq. And so you follow them to
France; but surely you have some more
definite address than that"
No" ! said. at seems rather a wild
goose chase doesn't it: But you could
advise me, Mr.. Martigny Where would
1t he best for me to search for them
He did not answer for moment. and
l took advantage Of the opportunity to
select a second cigarette and fight it:
l dared not remain umoccupied.
"rhat" he began slowly at last.
"seems TO me most-ah -dcehcult
affair, Mistair Lester-to search for
three people through all France There
seems little hope of success. Yet
should think it most likely that they
have gone to Paris"
I nodded. THAT was my own the.
ory." l agreed. but to find them in
Paris seems also impossible"
Not IL one uses the police" he said.
But. my dear SIR" I protested. II
can't use the police. Miss Holiday Mt
least has committed no crime. She
has simply chosen to 60 away without
informing MS"
You will permit me to say then,
Mistair Lester" he observed. with jus,
a touch or irony. "that | fail to com.
prehend your anxiety concerning her y
/ felt that had made n misstep
that had need to go carefully
1T is not quite so simple as that
explained. THE last time we saw Miss
| Holiday she told us that she was il
and intended to go to her country
home for Il rest Instead Of going
! there she sailed for France withou,
I informing any one - indeed. doing
: everything she could to escape detec
Q ton. That conduct seems so eccen
= trio that we feel in duty bound to in
D vestigate 1t; besides, two days before
l she left she received from us a hun
bred thousand dollars in cash
! saw him move uneasily on his bed
D After all this advantage Of mine was
no small one.
All" he said softly, and again
: ''ah. Yes. that seems peculiar, yet per
I haps II you had waited for a letter
Suppose we had waited and there
i had been no letter-suppose, in conse-
g quence of waiting. we should be toe
late!"
= TOO late? Too late for what, Mis-
: tair Lester? What is it yon fear foi
her:'
Il don't know" I answered. but
something sOmething. At least. W.
could not assume the responsibility OF
| delay"
mo" he agreed. perhaps not Ao'
are doubtless quite right 10 investi
gate. ! wish you success. | wish that
I myself might aid You. there is 81
| much Of interest in the case to me. hui
| l fear that to be impossible
| And he breathed n sigh. which was
| doubtless genuine enough.
will you go to Pnris?" asked.
| "Oh. no; not at once. At Havre
| shall meet my agent and transact IN!
| affairs with him. Then shall seel
| some place of quiet along the coast.
1 YES" ! said to myself. with leapin!
III