The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1907-03-28

II . .
though l do not quarrel with that
ne sitting in my room one even
ing. 1t is necessary for me that J
take life easily. I have a weakness OF
tne neart, which has already given me
much trouble. Besides, 1 have you
compantonship. which is most welcome
ana for which I thank you trust
Mees-Mees-what you call-Holladay
Is again WELL"
We haven't heard from her" 1 said
she Is still at her place in the coun-
oh, she is doubtless well-in her
take such an interest-you will par
don me If / weary you.'
Weary me? But you don't!"
Then will make bold to ask you
v you made any-what you call
theory or h crime?"
NO, l answered.: that is, none be-
yond what was in the newspapers-the
illegitimate daughter theory. 1 sup
pose you saw 1T. That seems to At the
case"
He nodded meditatlvely. Yet I like
TO imagine how Monsieur Lecoq would
approach 1t. Would he believe it was a
murder simply because it so appeared?
Has 1T occurred to you that Mees Hol-
laday truly might have visited her
rather and that his death was not a
murder at all, but an ACCIDENT"
A accident?" I repeated. "How
SooAo NC an dCClQeI1I f1OW COulu u
man be stabbed accidentally In the
neck! Besides, even If 1t were an ac-
cident. how would that explain his
daughters rushing from the building
without trying to IA him, without
giving the alarm? If 1t wasn't a muir
der, why should the woman. whoever
she was. be frightened? How else can
you explain her f.ght?"
he was looking at me thoughtfully.
All mat you say is YER true" he said.
1T show that you have given to the
case much thought. I believe that you
also have a fondness for crimes of
mystery" and he smiled at me. "Is it
not SO, Mistatr LESTER"
i have never suspected It," 1 laughed.
until this case came up, but the mi
crobe seems to have bitten me-"
An, yes" he said doubtfully, not
quite understanding.
And Nv rather fancied at times"
l admitted, that I should like to take
a hand at solving Though, of course.
l never shall. Our connection with
the case is ended"
He shot me a quick glance, then
lighted another cigaret.
Suppose 1t We're assigned to you to
solve 1t" he asked. "how would you
set about it,"
I'D try to find the mysterious wom-
an"
But the police, so 1 understand, at
tempted that and failed" he objected.
How could you succeed?"
oh. l dare say. 1 shouldn't succeed"
I laughed. his air striking me a little
more earnest than the occasion de-
manded. II should probably fail, just
as the police did"
In France" he remarked, ct is not
In the least expected that men Of the
law should
Nor is it here" 1 explained. only,
| ar cOIyGSa q 10 uyuor ~o,,'% ho1r ~ ~,
times; some cases demand more or less
detective work. and are yet too deli
cate to be entrusted to the police"
1T Is also the fault of our police that
1t is too fond Of the newspapers, of pos
ing before the public-it Is a fault OF
human nature, Is 1t not?"
"You speak English so we'll, MI. Mar
tigny." I said, that i have wondered
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 still find it sometimes very diff
hcult to understand you Americans
o speak SO much more rapidly than
the English. and so much less distinct
~. You have a way OF running your
words together. of dropping whole
syllables-
Yes" 1 smiled, 'and HI is the very
thing we complain Of in the French"
$3.50 A oAS ~ So VI H H.
well define laws which each one COM
p~rehends, while here"
Every man is a law unto himself.
Remember. it is the land Of the free"
And the home Of the license, is it
not?" he added, unconscious of irony.
Yes, / decided, I 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 would have
many pleasant evenings together, and I
looked forward to them with consider
able anticipation. He was interesting
in Misunderstanding, with that
large tolerance and good humor, which
] have already mentioned, and which
was one Of the most striking character
istics of the a And then-shall !
admit It'll was lonely, too, sometimes.
as I suppose every bachelor must be;
and I welcomed a companion.
It was Monday, the fourteenth day
OF April, and we had Just opened the
office. when a clerk hurried in with q
message for Mr.. Royce.
There's a man out here who wants
to see you at once. SIR he said. "He
says his names Thompson, and that
he's Miss Frances Holidays butler"
Our junior half started from his chair
In his excitement; then he controlled
himself. and sank back into 1t again.
snow him In" he said, n sat with
his eyes on the door, haggard in appear
that moment had I noticed how the
past week had aged him and worn him
down-his work, of course, might ac-
count for part Of it. but not for all. He
seemed almost i'll.
The door opened in a moment, and
a gray-haired man Of about sixty en-
tered. He was fairly gasping for breath
n plainly laboring under strong emo
ton.
We'll, Thompson" demanded MI.
Royce. what's the trouble now?'
Trouble enough. sir!' cried the 9TH
er. my mistress has been made away
with, sir! She left town just ten days
ago for Belair, where we were all walt
ing for her, n nobody has set eyes on
her since, sir"
Continued Next Week.
DON'T THINK YOU ARE OLD