Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-12
CHAPTER XIII.

plele ana speedy success, MI Lestci'
he said warmly. you've done splen-
did work"
l pointed out to him that. after I'LL,
my success was purely the result of ac-
cident. Had been really clever !
should have instantly suspected what
that sudden seizure on the station plat
form meant | should have hurried
back to the scene and followed Mar
tigny-as still called him in my
thoughts to the hospital Oil the chance
Of securing his first address. Instead
Of which. If chance had not bcfriended
mo. should have been as far as ever
from solution of the mystery. l
trcmblcd to think upon what a slender
bread my victory had hung.
But Fly chief would not listen. He
declared that Il man must be Judged by
his achievements and that he judged
me by mine.
Let lis lind out how our friend Is"
| said ut last, so the hospital was called
up We were informed that tho pa
tent was stronger, but would not be
able to leave his bed for two or three
days.
The Jourdnins may tell him Of my
call" 1 said. They'll suspect some
thing when l don't return today, yat
they may wait for me day or two lon
ger-they have my money-and one day
is all l want It's just possible that
they may keep silent altogether. They
have nothing to gain by speaklng-it's
plain that they're not in the conspiracy.
Anyway, tomorrow I'll be out Of
reach"
Mr. Graham nodded.
"Yes-that's plainly the next step.
You must follow them to France-but
where in France will you look for
them? l didn't think of that before.
Why, the search is just beginning!
thought it impossible to accomplish
what you have accomplished. but that
seems easy now beside this new prob
;en."
yea" assented. "Still it may not
be so hard as it looks. We must try
to find out where the women have
gone, and believe Rogers can help US.
My theory is that they're from one of
the towns which the Holidays visited
when they were abroad, and Mr.. Hol-
laday must have kept in touch with
his Office, more or less, during that
time"
My. chief sprang up and seized his
hat.
1.-THE very thingr' he cried. There's
no luck about that bit Of reasoning,
Mr.. Lester Come, I'll go with you"
"Only," l added as we went down to-
gether, II very much fear that tho
search will lead to Paris, for Martigny
is undoubtedly a Partisan"
"And to find a person In Paris"-
l did not answer. l only shut my
teeth together and told myself for the
hundredth time that must not fail.
Rogers had been carrying on the
routine work of the business since his
employers death and was supervising
the settlement of accounts and the
thousand and one details which must
be attended to before the business
could be closed up. We found him in
the private office and stated our errand
without delay.
EYES," he said, "Mr Holiday kept
in touch with the Office, Of course. Let
me see What was the date?"
LET us look for the first six months
Of 1876" I suggested.
He got down the file covering that
period and ran through the letters.
Eyes, here they are" he said after a
moment "In January, he writes from
Nice, where they seem to have re-
manned during February and March.
About the middle of April they started
north = here's letter dated Paris,
April 19-and from Paris they went to
a place called Etretat. They remained
there through May, June and July.
That is all the time covered by this
file. Shall l get another?"
NO" l answered, "but wish you'd
make an abstract Of Mr.. Holidays
whereabouts during tie whole time he
was abroad and send it to our office
not later than this afternoon"
very we'll, sir" he said, and we
left the room.
But why didn't you let him 60 far
ther?" asked Mr.. Graham as we left
the building.
Because l think I've found the
place, sir,' l answered. "Did you
notice-the time they stayed at Etre-
tat covers the period of Miss Holla-
days birth, with which, I'm convinced,
these people were in some way con-
cerned We must look up Etretat."
A map at the office showed us that
it was little fishing hamlet and sea-
side resort on the shore Of the English
channel not far north of Havre.
"My theory isl l said, ''that when
the time of her confinement approach
ed Mr.. Holiday brought his wife to
Paris to secure the services Of an ex-
perienced physician perhaps, or per-
haps a nurse or linen, or all Of them.
That done, they proceeded to Etretat,
which they may have visited before
and knew for a quiet place with
bracing atmosphere and good climate
just such a place as they would nat
urally desire. Here the daughter was
born, and here, am convinced, we
shall find the key to the mystery,
though I'm very far from guessing
what that key is. But have q premo-
may smMe II you wish
that I'll find the clew I'm seeking at