The Red Cloud chief., 1906-01-19

search he was picked UP on the streets
somewhere suffering with apoplcXy
and taken to hospital, so nearly dead
that II was "A question whether hc
would recover. SO he's out of It. The
Jourdans told me that the women had
| sailed for France"
"You will pardon me-" said my hear.
or, "but I'm what way did you make
sure that they were the women you de.
sired?"
"By the younger ones resemblance to
Miss Holaday," answered, lying with
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. l 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. "It seems rather wild
goose chase, doesn't it? But you could
advise me, Mr.. Martigny. Where would
it he best for me to search for them?"
He did not answer for moment, and
I took advantage Of the opportunity to
select a second cigarette and light 1t.
dared not remain unOccupied.
THAT" he began slowly at last,
"seems to me q m0st-ah!-deeficult
three people through all France. There
seems little hope Of success. Yet l
should think 1t most likely that they
have gone to Paris"
nodded. "That was my own the
ory" | agreed. "but to find them in
Paris seems also impossible"
mot If one uses the police" he said.
But. my dear SIR" I protested, 81
can't use the police. Miss Holiday at
has simply chosen to go away without
informing U.S."
"You will permit me to say then,
Mistalr Lester" he observed, with Just
touch or irony, that fai! to COM
prehend your anxiety concerning her."
l felt that / had made a misstep;
that had need to go carefully.
ut Is not quite so simple as that"
explained "The last time we saw Miss
!
and intended to go to her country
home for rest Instead Of going
there she sailed for France without
informing any one - indeed, doing
everything she could to escape detec-
tion. That conduct seems so eccen-
trio that we feel in duty bound to in
vestigate 1t: besides, two days before
she left she received from us u hun
dred thousand dollars in cash."
saw him move uneasily on his bed.
After all this advantage Of mine was
no small one.
All" he said softly, and again,
"ah Yes, that seems peculiar, yet per
haps If you had waited for 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 late for what, Mis-
tar Lester? What Is 1t you fear for
herr"
II don't know" I answered, "but
something At least, we
could not assume the responsibility of
delay"
t NO" he agreed, perhaps not. You
J are doubtless quite right to invcsti-
, gate. l wish you success. l wish that
! myself might aid you, there is so
much of interest in the case to me, but
, fear that to be impossible"
) And he breathed sigh, which was
4 doubtless genuine enough.
t "Will you go to Paris?" / asked
D "Oh, no; not at once. At Havre I
shall meet my agent and transact my
= affairs with him. Then | shall seek
(! some place of quiet along the coast"
YES" said to myself, with leaptng
{ heart. "Etretatv' But / dared not
0 speak the word.
{ 81 shall write to you" he added,
A "when / have settled. Where do you
stay at Paris"
e "We haven't decided yet" said.
!, "We?" he repeated
Didn't l tell you? Mr.. Royce, our
junior partner, Is with me-"
"It Is no matter where you stay"
e he said. II shall write to you at the
/. poste restante. I should like both you
l. and your friend to be my guests before
# you return to Amer-ric'."
= There was courtesy, cordiality In
!. his tone which almost disarmed me.
t, Such finished scoundrel!
=. I'VE shall be glad to accept an
J. yu, knowing in my heart that tn,
Invitation would never be made.