Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-17
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A Mystery
@ f t w o
Continents
BY
BURTON E.
STEVENSON
Copyright. 1905, by
Henry Eolt and
Company
: be
I I 7o1lo day
T Ca s. e


goose chase. doesn't it? But you could
advise me- Mi Martigny. Where would
| it be best for me to search for them"
He did not answer for moment. and
l took advantage Of the opportunity to
select second cigarette and light 1t.
l dared not remain unoccupied.
That" he began slowly at last,
"seems to me mcst-ah! -deeficult
affair, Mistar 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
| nodded. That was my own the
Dry" | agreed, but to find them i'll
Paris seems also impossible"
Not If one uses the police he said.
But, my dear SIR l protested, Il
can't use the police. Miss Holiday at
least has committed no crime. She
has simply c:osen to go away without
informing u.s.
You will permit me to say then,
Mistair Lester" he Observed, with just
touch or irony, that l fail to com
prehend your anxiety concerning her. =
felt TINT l had made misstep:
that had need to so carefully.
at is not quite so simple as that"
explained. The last time we saw Miss
Holiday she told us that she was i'll
and intended to go to her country
home for a rest. Instead of going
- - WIT
informing any one indeed, doing
everything she could to escape detec-
ton. That conduct seems ST, eccen
trio that we feel in duty bound to in
vestigate 1t: besides, two days before
she left she received from us a hun
bred thousand dollars in cash.
l saw him move uneasiy on his bed.
After all this advantage of mine was
no small one.
"Ah,' he said softly, and again.
"ah! Yes. that Seems peculiar, yet per-
haps if you had waited for a letter.
Suppose we had waited and there
had been no letter-suppose, in conse-
quence of waiting, we should be too
late?"
TOO late? Too lnte for what, Mis-
tair Lester? What is 1t you fear for
her?'
II don't know" l answered, "but
Notwithstanding At least, we
could not assume the responsibility of
delay"
NO" he agreed, perhaps not. You
are doubtless quite right to inyesti-
gate. wish you success. wish that
l myself might aid you. there is so
much of interest in the case to me, but
fear that to be impossible"
And he breathed a sigh, which was
doubtless genuine enough.
"Will you go to PARISH" I asked.
ooh, no; not at once. At Havre l
affairs with him Then shall seek
some place of quiet along the coast"
"Yes," l said to myself, with leaping
heart, "Etretatv' But dared not
speak the word.
81 shall write to you" he added,
when 1 have settled. Where do you
stay at PARISH
eve haven't decided yet" l said.
"We?" he repeated.
Didn't tell you? Mr.. Royce, our
junior partner, is with me-
"1t is no matter where you stay"
he said II shall write to you at the
poste restante. l should like both you
and your friend to be my guests before
you return to Amer-ric'"
There was a courtesy, cordially in
his tone which almost disarmed me.
Such finished scoundrel!
1--WE shall be glad to accept" an
swered, knowing in my heart that the
Invitation would never be made.
/ was ready to go. l had accom-
plished all could hope to accomplish.
If had not already disarmed his sus-
picions, could never do SO.
II am firing you," l said, starting up
no. he protested, no" But his
voice was almost ihaudible.
81 will co. I said. "You must par
don me. l hope you will soon be bet
for op6 o1hGo1 tho dior bnhi,,d mo