Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-01-31

eo Noiheu UP oNei lily discovery tn1C
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. 81
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
i 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."
HE couldn't have caught you, but a
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
on the boat, you've another opportuni-
ty. Why not go and have n talk with
him-tfnt 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 a risk"
1.-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
understands"
"Oh, yes; understand"
"And then 1t would be the natural
thing for you to look him up us 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 hadn't happened to see him
rs he came on board I'd probably not
have known it ut ALL"
perhaps he saw you at the same
time"
"Then the fats In the fire." 1 said.
If he knows l know he's on board,
then he also knows that suspect him.
If he doesn't know, why, there's no
reason for him to think that I'll find It
out, unless he appears in the cabin
J 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 half
hours talk with him, matching nv
wits against his.'
But yours are brighter than mine,'
pointed out. you've proved it pretty
effectually in the last few minutes"
mo, 1 haven't. I've simply shown
you that you overlooked one little
thing. And / think you're right about
the danger of going to Martigny. Our
first duty is to Miss Holiday. We
must rescue her before he can warn
his confederates to place her out of our
| reach"
The unstudied way in which she said
''our" filled me with an unreasoning
happiness.
"But why should they bother with a
prisoner at all? They didn't shrink
from striking down her father"
"And they may not shrink from strik-
ing, her down at a favorable moment"
she answered calmly. at will be cas-
Ter in France than in New York"
My hands were trembling at the
thought of it. If we should really be
too late!
"But don't believe they'll go to such
extremes. Mr.. Lester" continued my
companion. 81 believe you're going to
find her and solve the mystery. My
theory doesn't solve 1t, you know; 1t
only makes it deeper The mystery
after all, is: Who are these people,
Why did they kill Mr.. Holiday? Why
have they abducted his daughter;
What is their plot?'
"Yes," l assented. And again had
a moment Of confused perplexity.
But after you find her." she asked
what will you do with herr"
do with her? Why, take her home
of course"
But she'll very probably be broker
down, perhaps even on the verge OF
| hysteria. You must bring her to us q,
I; Paris, Mr.. Lester"
saw the wisdom of her words.
"That's very kind of you," l said
Il am sure Mr.. Royce will agree. But
we have first to find her."
l was glad for my own sake too
The parting of tomorrow would not
then, be final one
She left me presently, and for al
hour or more sat there and looked, Ii
every aspect, at the theory she had sug
gested. Certainly there was nothing
to disprove it. and yet, as she had said
1t merely served to deepen the mys
terry. Who were these people, l asked
myself again. WHO dared to play so bold
and desperate Al game? The illegiti
mate daughter might, of course, i'm
personate Miss Holiday, but who was
the elder woinan--lier mother? Then
the liaison must have taken place in
France-her accent was not to be mis-
taken-but il France Mr.. Holiday
mad been always with his wife. Be
sides, the younger woman spoke ENG
lish perfectly. True, she had said only
few words-the hoarseness might
have been affected to conceal differ
ence in voice-but how explain the
elder woman's resemblance to Hiram
Holidays daughter? Could they both
be illegitimate? But that was non.
sense, for Mrs. Holiday had taken
her into her life, had loved her
And Martigny? Who was he? What
was his connection with these women
That the crime had been carefully
planned could not doubt, and it had
been carried out with surprising skill.
Doubtless it was Martigny who had
arranged the plot, who had managed
Its development. And with what bold
ness! lie had not feared to be pres
ent at the inquest or even to ap-
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