Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-01-06
eve haven't heard from her. l said.
"She Is still at her place in the coun-

WV nav VII anu IIOIll lltI, S'i'N.
"She Is still at her place in the coun-
try"
ooh, she is doubtless well--in her i
take such an interest-you will par
don me If | weary YOU
WEARY me? But you don't!"
| "Then l will make bold to ask you
have you made any-what you call
theory of the crimeY'
NO | answered" that is, none be
yond what was IN the newspapcrs-the
/, illcgitimatc daughter theory. s,1ppose
you saw it. That seems to lit the case
He nodded meditativcly. yet lik'
to imagine how Nj. Lecoq would ap
proach it. Would he believe it was 4
murder simply because it so appeared:
Has IT occurred u you that Nices liol
laday truly might have visited her fit
Their and that his death was not a muir
der at ALL but an accident?'
"An accidcntT ] repeated How
could it be IN accident? How could a
man be stabbed accidentally in the
neck? Besides. even if it were an ac-
cident, how would that explain his
daughters rushing from the building
without trying to save him. without
giving the alarm? If it wasn't a MUIR
der, why should the woman. whoever
she was. be frightened? How else can
you explain her tiight?'
He was looking ut me thoughtflllly.
Cali that you say is YER true" he said.
ut shows that you have given to the
case much thought believe that you
also have a fondness for crimes of
| mystery" and he smiled at lnc. rs II
not so. Mistair Lestcr?''
II had never suspected T." laughed,
until this ease came up. but the mi
crobc seems to have bitten me-
".Ah yes he said doubtfully, not
quite understandings
"And I've rather fancied at times"
admitted. that should like to take Il
hand at solving it--though. of course
case is ended"
He shot me quick glance, then
lighted another cigarette.
Suppose it were assigned to you to
solve it, he asked. "how would YOU
set about iti"
I'D try to find the mysterious wo-
man"
But the police, so | understand, III.
tempted that and failed" he objected
How could you succeed?"
"Oh. dare say shouldn't succeed,
| laughed. his air striking me as a little
more earnest than the occasion de
handed II should probably fail, just
as the police did"
''In France, he remarked, ut is
not in the least expected that men OF
the law Should
''Nor is it here explained. Comfy.
of course, Il lawyer can't help it some
times. Some cases demand more or
less detective work and are yet too del
icate to be intrusted to the police
1T Is also the fault of our police that
1t Is too fond of the newspapers. of
posing before the public. 1t is fault
of human nature, is 1t not?"
you speak English SO well, Mr..
Martigny,' l said. that have Won
dered where you learned it,"
II was some years in England-the
business of wine-and devoted myself
seriously to the study of the language.
But l still find it sometimes very diff
cult to understand you Americans
you speak so much more rapidly than
the English and so much less distinct
ly. You have a way Of running your
words together, of dropping whole syl
lables''-
"Yes," smiled, land that is the very
thing we complain of in the French"
ooh, our elisions are governed by
we'll defined laws which each one COM
prehends, while here"
every man is law unto himself
Remember it is the land of the free i,
"And the home of the license, is 1t
not?" he added, unconscious of irony.
Yes, decided, was very fortunate
in gaining Martigny's acquaintance.
OF course after he opened his business
he would have less time to devote to
me, but nevertheless we should have
many pleasant evenings together, and
looked forward to them with consid-
cradle anticipation. He was interest
ing in self-entertaining, with that
large tolerance and good humor which
have already mentioned and which
was one of the most striking character
istics Of the man. And then-shall
admit it'll was lonely, too, some
times, as l suppose every bachelor
must be, and l welcomed companion.
4
1t was Monday, the fourteenth day
Of April, and we had just opened the
office, when clerk hurried In with q
message for Mr. Royce.
There's man out here who wants
" see you at once, SIR he said. HE
says his names Thompson and that
he's NJ ~-''s batter"