Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-11-13
6be HoNadaY Gaze


you've realized by this time that you alone are to blame for Mart1gny's pres ence on the boat"
 "But I had to go to the Jourdains," I protested, land I couldn't help their going to him. To have asked them not te go would have made them suspect me at once."
 "Oh, yes; but at least you needn't have sent them. They might not have gme at all-certainly they wouldn't have gone so promptly-if you hadn't sent them"
 Sent them?' I repeated, and stared at her in amazement, doubting if had heard alright. ....
 "Yes, sent them," she said again em- phatically. ""Why do you suppose they ~ went to the hospital so early the next morning%
 q suppose they had become suspi- cious of me-"
 "Nonsense. What possible reason could they have for becoming sus- picious of you? On the contrary, they went after the key to those padlocks on the window shutters. Of course Martigny had it."
 For a moment I was too nonplused to speak. I could only stare at her.
 "Well, was fool, wasn't I?' de- manded finally. 'To think that I shouldn't have foreseen that! I was so worked up over my discovery that night that couldn't think of anything else. Of course, when they asked for the key, the whole story came out"
 II shouldn't blame myself too severe ly," laughed Miss Kemball as she looked at my rueful countenance. T myself think it's rather fortunate that he's on the boat"
 Fortunate! You don't mean that"
 Precisely that. Suppose the Jour- dains hadn't gone to him. He'd have left the hospital anyway in two or three days. He isn't the man to lie inactive when he knew you were searching for the fugitives. He'd have returned then to his apartment next to yours; your landlady would have told him that you had sailed for Flu rope, and he had only to examine this boats passenger list to discover your name"
 But, at any rate" I pointed out, 'he would still have been in America. He couldn't have caught us"
 He couldn't have caught you, but cablegram would have passed you in midocean warning his confederates. | If they have time to conceal their prls- oner, you'll never find her. Your only hope is in catching them unprepared. And there's another reason-since he's on the boat, you've another opportunii ty. Why not go and have a talk with him-that battle of wits you were look ing forward to-"
 I'd thought of that" I said, ''but I'm afraid couldn't play the part"
 ''The part?"
 "Of seeming not to suspect him. It's too great risk"
 "The advantage would be on your side" she pointed out. You could tell him so many things which he already knows and which he has no reason to suspect you know he knows. It sounds terribly involved, doesn't 1t? But you understandY
 "0h, yes; I understand"
 And then it would be the natural thing for you to look him up as soon as you learned he was i'll. To avoid him will be to confess that you suspect him."
 But his name isn't on the passenger list. If I hadn't happened to see him as he came on board I'd probably not have known it at all."
 Perhaps he saw you at the same time"
 Then the fats in the fire" I said If he knows l know he's on board then be also knows that suspect him If he doesn't know. why. there's nc reason for him to think that I'll find Il out. unless he appears in the cabin which doesn't seem probable"
 Perhaps you're right" she admit ted. There's no use taking any un necessary risks. The thing appealed to me. I think I should enjoy a hali hours talk with him, matching my wits against his"
 But yours are brighter than mine, pointed out. You've proved 1t pretty efectually in the last few minutes"
 "No, I haven't. I've simply showI you that you overlooked one littl' thing. And I think you're right about the danger of going to Martigny. oul first duty is to Miss Holladay. VI must rescue sler before he can warr his confederates to place her out of ou1 reach
 The unstudied way in which she sait our filled me with an unreasOnint happiness.
 But why should they bother with [ prisoner at a1I They didn't shrinI from striking down her father"
 And they may not shrink from strik ing her down at a favorable moment she answered calmly. Tt will be eas fer in France than In New York"
 My hands were trembling at th thought of it If we should really b too late,
 But I don't believe they'll go to sue extremes, MT. Lester continued m companion "I believe you're going [ find her and solve the mystery. N. theory doesn't solve it. you know; only makes it deeper. The mystery after all, Is: Who are these people Why did they kill Mir. HoIladayI WI. have they abducted bis daughter What Is their plOtT'