Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-06-08
CHAPTER XIV (Continued.)

'"But \ had to go to the JourdainA,s
l protested. land I couldn't help their
going to him. To have asked them not
to 60 would have made them suspect
me at once"
'Oh, yes; but at least you needn't
have sent them. They might not have
gone at all-certainly they wouldn't
have gone SO promptly-n you hadn't
sent them"
"Sent them?' repeated. and stared
at her in amazement, doubling II ]
had heard Alright.
Eyes, sent them" she said again EN-.
phatically. "Why do you suppose they
went to the hospital SO early the next
morning.
Il suppose they had become suspi
cious Of me-"
Nonsense! What possible reason
could they have for becoming sus
picious Of your On the contrary, they
went after the key to those padloclzs
on the window shutters. OF course
Martigny had it."
For moment / was too nonplused
to speak. could only stare at her.
well. l was fool, wasn't II" l de
manded finally. ITO think that ]
shouldn't have foreseen that! was
so worked up over my discovery that
night that couldn't think Of anything
else. OF course. when they asked fol
the key. the whole story came out"
Il shouldn't blame myself too severe
IT," laughed Miss Kendall as she
looked at my rueful countenance. II
myself think it's rather fortunate that
he's on the boat"
Fortunate! You don't mean that"
Precisely that. Suppose the Jour.
dams 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 Eu-
rope. and he had only to examine this
boats passenger list to discover your
name"
But. at any rate" l pointed out,
'he would still have been in America
He couldn't have caught U.S."
lie couldn't have caught you, but q
cablegram would have passed you in
midocean warning his confederates.
If they have time to conceal their pris-
oner, you'll never find her. Your only
hope Is In catching them unprepared.
And there's another reason-since he's
Oh the boat, you've another opportuni-
ty. Why not go and have q talk with
him-that battle Of wits you were look
ing forward tor
I'D thought of that" I said, but
I'm afraid couldn't play the part"
THE part?"
"Of seeming not to suspect him. Its
too great a 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. 1t sounds
terribly involved, doesn't It? But you
understand"
"Oh, yes; l understand"
And then 1t would be the natura
thing for you to look him up as soor
Us you learned he was Ill. To avoid
him will be to confess that you suspec,
him."
But his name isn't on the passenger
list. II hadn't happened to see hin
as he came on board I'd probably moi
have known 1t at ALL"
Perhaps he saw you ut the sam.
time"
Then the fats in the fire." l said
IF he knows l know he's on board
then lie also knows that l suspect him
II he doesn't know. why, there's IL
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 I'm
necessary risks. The thing appealed
to me. l think / should enjoy q hall
hours talk with him, matching m,
wits against his"
But yours are brighter than mine,
pointed out. You've proved it pretty
effectually In the last Few minutes"