The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1905-12-22

the first place WAS pretty fair sample
OF all the rcst
a frowsy headed woman answered
my knock.
You have rooms to letT I asked.
"Oh, yes, monsieur" she answered.
with an expansive grin step zis
way"
We mounted dirty stair, and she
Threw open Il door with flourish
meant TO be impressive.
"Lesc are Ze rooms, monsieur: zcy
are vcr' fine"
L looked around them with slnu-
lated Interest. smothcrlng my disgust
as well as could.
"How long have they been vacautp"
1 asked.
"Sincc only two days, monsieur. AS
YOU sec, ICY are vcr' fine rooms"
Ihat settled IL. If they had been va
cant only two days, | had no further
interest i'll them, and with some excuse
l made my way out glad to escape
from that fetid atmosphere OF garlic
md onions. SO l went from house TO
house. stumbling over dirty children,
climbing srimy stairs. catching glimpscs
all sorts of holes called rooms by cour-
tesy, inhaling hundred stenchcs In as
many minutes, gaining an insight that
sickcned inc into the squalid life Of the
quarter. Sometimes. l began to hope
that at last | was OH the right track,
out further inquiry would prove INV
mistake. SO the morning passed, and
the afternoon. / had covered two
olocks to no purpose, and l turned
eastward to Broadway and took a car
downtown to the office My assistants
had reported again-thCy had met with
no better success than l. Mr. Graham
noticed my detected appearance and
spoke Il word Of comfort.
Il think you're Oh the right Track.
Lester" he said. But you can't hone
to do much by yoursclr--it's too big a
job. Wouldn't II be better to employ
half dozen private detectives and nut
them under Your supervision? You
could save yourself this nerve trying
Work ana ut the same time get over the
ground much moro rapidly. Besides,
experienced men may be able to sug-
f"st something that you've overlooked"
l had thought of that-I had Won
dereu II l We're making the best nos
Si'lc Use OF my opportunitiCs-and the
suggestion tempted mc. But some
thilS rose within mc-pridc, ambition.
StuODornncSS, what You willard |
shook my head, determined to hang OH.
BESIDES. | had still before me that bat.
tie of wits with Martigny, and | was
resolved to make the most of it.
81 .Ct mo lSppn nn Ivy ,ny.nlr 1n,. 90,
two longer, SIR l said. Il believe I'll
succeed yet. If l don't there will still
1e time 10 call in outside help. fancy
I've made Il beginning, and want to
zee what comes OF it,
lie shook me kindly by the hand.
Il like your grit he said approx
ingly, ";uld I've every confidence in
you. 1t wasn't lack of confidence that
prompteI the suggestion Only don't
.saas.lsssa eas2aSl down as
Royce has. He's better, By Inc way,
but the doctor says that he must take
a long vacation-a thorough rest"
I'm glad he's better. I'll be care
fun / assentcd. and left the office.
While ! waited for car bought
Il copy of the last edition of my paper,
from force Of habit more than any,
thing, then. settling nysc,f in seat
still from force of habit turned to
the financial column ana looked it over.
There was nothing of special interest
there and l turned back to the general
news, Elancing carclessly from item
TO ITEM -Suddanly one crught my eve
which brought me up with shock.
The item read:
Shortly after 10 o'clock this morning a
man ran up the steps of the Cortlandt
street station Of the Sixth avenue Gle
waited In the effort to catch an uptown
train just pulling out and dropped over on
the platform with heart disease An am
bulancc WAS called from the Hudson
street hospital and the man taken there
Al noon it was said he would recover.
lie was still too weak to talk but among
other things a card of the Cafe Jourdain,
bl west Houston street, was found in his
pockotbook. An inquiry there dcvcloDed
the fact that his name Is Pierre Bethune
that he is recently from France and has
no relatives in this country.
In q moment l was out OF the car
and running westward to the elevated.
l felt that l held in my hand the ad-
dress l needed.