Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1906-06-15
CHAPTER XVI (Continued.)

nodded THAT was my own the
Ory." 1 agreed. but to find them ii
Paris seems also impossible"
Not II one uses the police" he said
'But. my dear SIR" protested. I"
can't use the police. Miss Holiday n
least has committed no crime. She
has simply chosen to 60 away without
informing us"
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. u
l felt that / had made a misstep;
that had need to go carefully.
1T Is not quite SO simple as that" I
explained. THE last time We saw AIisy
Holiday she told us that she was IN
and intended to go to her country
home for q rest. Instead Of going
there she sailed for France without
informing any one indeed, doing
everything she could to escape detec-
ton. 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 q hun
dred thousand dollars in cash."
saw him move uneasily on bis 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 II 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
lateT
TOO late? Too late for what, Mis-
tair Lester? What Is It you fear for
herr"
Il don't know" I answered, "but
something-something. At least, we
could not assume the responsibility Of
delay"
NO." he agreed. perhaps not. You
are doubtless quite right to investi-
gate. l wish you success. I 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 q sigh, which was
doubtless genuine enough.
"Will you go to PARISH I asked.
"Oh, no; not at once. At Havre
shall meet my agent and transact my
affairs with him. Then l shall seek
some place Of quiet along the coast"
YES" I said to myself, with leaping
heart, "Etretat" But l dared not
speak the word.
Il shall write to you" he added,
when l have settled. Where do you
stay ut PARISH
I'VE haven't decided yet" 1 said.
"WeT he repeated.
Didn't tell you? Mr.. Royce, our
Junior partner. is with me-"
1T is no matter where you stay"
he said. Il 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 courtesy, a cordially in
his tone which almost disarmed me.
Such q finished scOundrel!
I'VE shall be glad to accept" I an
owered, knowing in my heart that the
Invitation would never be made.
was ready to 60. l had accom-
plished all l could hope to accomplish.
II had not already disarmed his sus-
picions, l could never do So
Il am firing you," l said, starting I'D.
NO. he protested, no" But his
Soice was almost inaudible.
Il will Co." said. You must par
don me. l hope you will soon be bet
ter" and l closed the door behind me
with his murmured thanks III my ears.
1t was not till after dinner that l
found opportunity TO relate to Miss
kemball the details Of my talk with
Martigny.
why did you change your mind: ?"
she asked.
THE adventure tempted me. Those
are your own words. / thought per.
haps l might be able to throw Mar.
tigny off the track"
And do YOU think you succeededY
Il don't know" answered doubt.
fully. "He may have seen clear
through me-"
"Oh, l don't believe him superhu-