The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1906-02-02

giving the a'arm2 If It WASN'T MUIR
der. why should the woman, whoever
she was, be frightened? How else can
you explain her tlight?"
He was looking at me thoughtfully.
"All that you say is YER true" he said.
1T shows that you have gwen to the
case much thought. 1 believe thar you
also have Il fondness for crimes of
mystery" and he smiled at me. rs it
not - ATistair T.eSterf"
81 had never suspected it," laughed,
until this case came up, but the mi
crobe seemg to have bitten me-"
"Ah, yes" he said doubtfully, not
| quite understanding.
And I've rather fancied at times" |
admitted. that should like to take a
hand at solving it-though, of course, l
never shall. Our connection with the
case is ended"
He shot me quick glance, then
lighted another cigarette.
suppose it were assigned to you to
solve it." lie asked, how would you
set about it?''
"Td try to find the mysterious wo-
man."
But the police. so l understand, at.
tempted that and failed" he objected
Glow could you succeed?"
"Oh, l dare say l shouldn't succeed"
| laughed his air striking me as little
more earnest than the occasion de-
manded. 81 should probably fail, just
as the police did"
I'm France" he remarked, "it is
not in the least expected that men of
the law should"-
Nor is it here" l explained. "Only,
of course, a lawyer can't help it some
times Some cases demand more OF
less detective work and are yet too del
icate to be intrusted to the police"
1T is also the fault of our police that
it is too fond of the newspapers, of
posing before the public, 1t is a fault
OF human nature, is it not?'
You speak English so WE'LL Mr.. |
Martigny" l said, that l have won
dered where you learned it."
Il was some years In England-the |
business of wine-and devoted myself |
seriously to the study of the language. |
But still find it sometimes very diff |
cult TO understand you Americans
you speak SO much more rapidly than |
the English and so much less distinct |
ly. You have a way of running your |
words together, of dropping whole syl |
lables'-
YES" smiled, land that is the very
thing we complain of in the French"
"Oh, our elisions are governed by |
well defined laws which each one com. /
prehends, while here
Every man is law unto himself |
Remember it is the land of the free
"And the home of the license, is 1t
not?" he added, unconscious of irony.
Yes, decided, was very fortunate
in gaining Martignys acquaintance.
Of course after he opened his business
he would have less time to devote to
me, but nevertheless we should have
many pleasant evenings together, and
[ looked forward to them with consd-
cradle anticipation. He was interest
ing in Notwithstanding, with that
large tolerance and good humor which
| have already mentioned and which
was one of the most striking character
istics of the man. And then-shall /
admit it'll was lonely, too, some
times, as / suppose every bachelor
must be, and 1 welcomed a companion.
1t was Monday, the fourteenth day
of April and we had just opened the
office, when a clerk hurried in with a
message for Mr.. Royce.
There's a man out here who wants
to see you at once, sir" he said. "He
says his names Thompson and that
he's Miss Frances Holidays butler"
Our Junior half started from his chair
In his excitement; then he controlled
himself and sank back into it again.
''Show him ill.," he said, and sat with
his eyes on the door, haggard in APP
pearance, pitiful in his eagerness. Not
until that moment had l noticed how
the past week had aged him and worn
him down. His work of courA might
account for part of it, but not for all.
He seemed almost ill.
The door opened in a moment and
a gray haired man of about sixty en-
tered. He was fairly gasping for
breath and plainly laboring under
strong emotion.
We'll Thompson" demanded Mr.
Royce, whats the trouble now?"
Trouble enough, sir!' cried the 9TH
er. my mistress has been made
away with, sir. She left town just
ten days ago for Belair, where we
were all waiting for her, and nobody
has set eyes on her since, sir"