The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-08
CHAPTER XVII.

SA1AA In La
I'D. .3a Etretat
We were up at an hour which astonished
the little fat keeper Of the inn, and in in
registrar of births. 1t was two steps away
In the Rue Alphonse Kari, but would not
be open for three hours at least; WoNid
| messieurs would not have their coffee until
they returned Where would they find the
residence Of the. registrar of births? HIS !!
residence was some little distance away.
near the Casino, at the right-we should
ask for Maitre Fingret--anyone could tell
| u.s.. When should messieurs be expected
to return? 1t was impossible to say.
We set off along the street, leaving the
in1nikeeper staring after us,along the Rue n
houses, each with it's little shop on the
ground floor. Three minutes walk brought
us to the bay, pretty, even picturesque
g gsis co!ored # fishing, smaets: But we
paused for only a glance at it, and turned
t9ward the Casino the other Of end
house, half Hidden in vines.
=, A knock brought the notary himself to
| the door. a little dried-up man, with keen
panion explained our errand in. laborious
cn IS hSw the nsed ca
help one to talk and after a time the
little Frenchman aughtt his meaning, and
seeng a~ fat get ms step was soa t.
be an easy one, thanks to the severity and
thoroughness Of French administration, but
! admit that I saw not what we should
Of Miss Holidays birth. The next step
must be left to chance
The he notary unlocked the door, showed sea
. us. Then he got down his register Of
births; for 1875. 1t was, not a. large book,
for the births: at. Etretat are. not over
:'The name + think you said, was Holla-
! ''Hiram ". Holiday" nodded Mr..
%;And the date June 1oth:"
"Yes--June 10th"
The little man ran ran his finger rapidly
and read the entries one by one, more slow
ly, with quicker of perpexity about his
ba ps and asd ss sgin arag
shut the book with little snap and
"Messieurs," he said quietly, mo such
birth is recorded here. I. have. examined
the, record Q; {! for the months Of May, June,
, "But it must be there % protested Mr..
Royce Sss.,,.,o. - .. :,
: and no record made of it:" 49,. -
! Impossible, monsieur. No physician in
!. France would take that responsibility"
For large fee, perhaps suggested
I'm Paris that may, sometimes, be pos:
sible: But in small place like this,
should have heard, of it, and it would have
been my duty to investigate"
You have been here for that length
"Oh, yes monsieur" smiled the little
: man. 'For much longer time than that
a Mr.. Royce leaned forward toward him
: He was getting back all his old power as
: a cross-examiner. .-.
i siveiy. Il am QUITE Certain that Hiram "
s Holiday and his wife were here during
e the months Of May, June, and July, 1876
:. was born to them. Think again-have YOU
2 no recollection of them or Of the event?'
The little notary sat for some moments n
o head.
$ THAT would be the height Of the season
/ you see,. monsieur" he said apoogetically
7 that time and ! cannot know all of them
Nevertheless, it, seemed to me for a mo
/; ment, that there was about the name 6
5 certain familiarity:-as Of an: old tune, yol
il know, forgotten for years. Yet 1t mus
y have been my. fancy merely, for I have M
y recollection of the event you MENTION. i
. cannot believe that such a birth took place
at Etretat." 80.
There was one other chance, and gay'
Mr. MRoyGie the H,G ciew be osred .ars 70,
acquainted with a man by the name o
Ard Ard again the notary shook his head.
Iii
81 never before heard either name, mon
\ sieur," he answered. --~~,
l We sat silent moment, in despair. Wa
our trip to Etretat to, be Of no avail
had lost the trait thus early in the chase
what hope was there. that we should eve
the fact that no record had been made Q
Frances. Holidays birth? Why shout
her parents have, wished to conceal it
81 Would they not naturally have been anxiou
! to see that it was properly recorded?
An hour had passed the shops wer
opening, and a hustle of life LIE reached u
The first train for three days is abou
to arrive" said the little notary. ."Yo
The arrival Of a train is an event
Again we fell silent. Mr.. Royce go
out his purse and paid, the fee. We ha
60 no farther. could see that. the notar
was a-hungered for his roll and COFFEE
With sigh Il arose to go. The n. nota a:
"Ah," he said, "the train has arrive,
but it seems there were not many passe1
ished long journey -. ~
He nodded to, someone who approache
slowly, it seemed He was before the doc
THAT is the man " 1 cried to Mr.. Royc
"That is Martigny! Ask who he really is
He understood on the instant, and caugl
IL
Monsieur Fingret, who is that man
The notary glanced at him, surprised /
s"That," he said, lis Victor Fajolle. H
is, just home from America and seems vel
"And he lives here r. - -. -:
the a1re G rst me euS' came an1
married the daughter Of Madam AK son
, years ago-he was from Paris"
"And his wife Is livingy' .,.-
ooh, surely, she is living; she herse
returned from America but three weel
ago, together with her; mother and siste
The sister. they say, is-well--' and
finished with a significant gesture towa1
: I saw my companions face turn white
I steadied myself with an effort. I kne
that. at last the veil was to be lifted.
And they are at home now 90
II believe so,' said the notary, eying hi
with more and more astonishment:s 9TH
have been, keeping close at home since the
invalid. There has been much ia
q "Come, we must got" I cried. 81
q must not get there before us - :. :.
81 But sudden light cleaned in the \
b tarys eyes. -s
Waif psssisaTs he cried -
noW--it was the link which was wantin
and you have supplied it Holiday, a m
81 lionaire of America, his wife, Mada1
Allx-she did not live in the villa, the
" messieurs. Oh, no she was very poor
81 nurse-anything to make q little none
q her husband, who was fisherman W
drowned, and left her to take care Of t
children as best she could. All, rene
| 49,, HoI>r =,