Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-02-07
He motioned me to u scat.


ment-the need was YER sudden, as
have said. had not time to engage a
stateroom"
THAT explains it. Well, the doctor
told me that you We're bed fast"
''Yes; since the voyage began l have
not left it."
watched him as he went through
the familiar motion of lighting sec
ond cigarette from the first one. In the
half light of the cabin had not at first
perceived how Ill he looked
But you, Mistair Lester" he was
saying. "How does it occur that you
also are going to France? l did not
know you contemplated
no" / answered calmly, for l had
seen that the question was inevitable,
and I even welcomed it, since it gave
me opportunity to get my guns going.
mo; the last time saw you didn't
contemplate it, but a good deal has
happened since then. Would you care
to hear:"
Oh, how relished tantalizing him!
Il should like very exceedingly to
hear" he assured me and shifted his
position IL little so that his face was in
the shadow. .'l'hc beams of light
through the shutter makes my eyes 10
hurt" he added.
So he mistrusted himself; so he was
notfinding the part an easy one either!
The thought gave me new courage.
You may remember" began, "that
told you once that if ever went to
work on the Holiday case I'd try first
to find the murderess. l succeeded in
doing it the very first day."
"Ah!' he brentbed. "And after the
police had failed! That was, indeed,
remarkable. How did you accomplish
it?"
By the mcrest chance; by great good
fortune. / was making search of the
French quarter, house by house, when.
OH Houston street, came to Il restau-
rant, the Cafe Jourdain. A bottle of
superieur set Jourdain's tongue to wag-
ging. pretended l wanted II room.
He dropped word, the merest hint,
and in the end got the whole story.
1t seems there was not only one WON'T
an-tnefe We're tWO."
.Yes?"
Eyes, and a man whose name was
Betuny, or Bethune, or something like
that. But | didn't pay much attention
to him. He doesn't figure in the case.
He didn't even go away With the wom-
en-. The very day I set out Oh my
search he was picked up OIL the streets
somewhere suffering with apoplcxy
and taken to hospital, so nearly dead
that it was Il question whether lie
would recover. So he's out OF it. The
Jourdains told me that the women had
sailed for France"
You will pardon me-" said my hear
err but in what way did you make
sure that they were the women you de-
sired!"
by the younger ones resemblance TO
Miss Holiday" answered, lying with
a glibness which surprised myself.
'The Jourdains maintained that pho
tograph Of Miss Holiday was really
one Of their lodger.'
"Ah, yes" he said. THAT was ex-
ceedingly clever. should never have
thought of that. That is worthy of NJ.
Lecoq. And so you follow them to
France; but surely you have some more
definite address than that"
no" said. at seems rather wild
goose chase doesn't it? But you could
advise me, Mr.. Martigny. Where would
1t be best for me to search for them!"
He did not answer for moment and
took advantage of the opportunity to
select a second cigarette and light it..
dared not remain unoccupied.
That" he began slowly at last,
seems to me most all! -deeficult
affair, Mistair Lester-to search for
three people through all France There
seems little hope of success. Yet |
should think it most likely that they
have gone to Paris"
l nodded. THAT was my own the
ory," l agreed, "but to find them in
Paris seems also impossible"
Not If one uses the police he said.
But, my dear sir" 1 protested, II
can't use the police. Miss Holiday at
least has committed no crime. She
has simply chosen to go away without
Informing u.s.
you will permit me to say then,