Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-01-19
DUKE OF
DEVIL
MAY-CARE
By HARRIS DICKSON
CHAPTER xvI.-continued.
Author of
The Black VOLTS Breed" Ete.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
(Copyrisht. 1905, BIZ D. Appleton q Co,

- Copyright, 1906, By d. Appleton & Cob -
CHAPTER xvI.-continued.
"Joe," the other looked up sudden
Nv from the table, where did she go?
4 saw her drive of that morning in
a carriage, and don't know whether
she came back to the hotel or not.
I searched everywhere. 1 have not
seen her since-since-this happened"
"She is at Mrs. Chaudron's with her
cousin"
Miss Ashton was taken ill, wasn't
she?"
eyes"
az thought that must be the reason.
She did not look well when they drove
away" He dropped his head in his
hands; after all it did not matter very
much. not now; nothing mattered.
Does she know where 1 am?" He
did not raise his head
eyes; she was here just now; she
saw you when you came into that
room"
Duke tottered to his feet, leaning
heavily with one hand on the table.
@tWhy did she come to this placer"
you would not give your name,
and the police wanted to identify you.
No. it wasn't exactly that way, but"
"Anitai Came to identify me? My
God" he sank back into his chair
again.
Eyes, both the girls are at the
Chaudrons'," Joe repeated, aimlessly;
Mrs. Chaudron took them home with
her after Mrs. Ashton disappeared.
OF course they couldn't stay at the
hotel alone. They are completely
crushed and heart-broken-"
Mrs. Ashton? Disappeared?" Duke
looked up blankly. What are you
talking about? What are you talking
sabout?''
We've never found her. you know;
we don't know a thing"
Don't know thing about what?"
Don't know what became of Mrs.
Ashton. She's been missing now since
last Thursday, about IL o'clock. We
have about come to the conclusion
that she has been Duke was star
ing at Joe, so steadily in the face,
that Joe scarcely knew how he fin
ished the sentence: we have come
to the conclusion that she has been
murdered
$50 that's it, That's it," Duke ex-
claimed, and sprang excitedly to his
feet-the mans eyes were terrible to
look at. by God, Joe Balfour, you
don't mean to tell me that 1 am here
in jail under suspicion of numbering
a woman-a woman? I thought those
police were asking me a lot of fool
questions couldn't make out what
they were driving at. That old por-
ter said those hotel doors were not
opened on Thursday night-did he?
He's a liar, a leather-faced liar. And
that other Frenchman, the one with
the black mustache-hes liar, too.
that place about daylight the next
morning. Let me out of here-let me
get out No, no. I forgot"
Joe caught him firmly by the arm
and sat him down at the table again.
Joe was now much more excited than
the other man.
Tell me, Noel, tell met You say
those doors were opened on Thursday
might, that they carried somebody out
of there the next morning? What do
you know about it?''
81 saw it myself-stood right there
and watched the whole thing.
walked up and down that street all
might long. An ambulance from the
hospital came there about daylight
men with uniforms on-ye1low flag.
They took somebody out of there on
stretcher. 1 don't know how, but
Both of those lying hounds helped to
lift the stretcher into the ambulance"
At the words hospital" stretch
err. yellow nag Joe bounded to his
feet. He stopped, listened to a few
more sentences. then tore open the
sdoor and rushed like mailman
through the corridor.
1t was done so quickly that he got
away before Duke could understand
what had happened. When he ran out
of the cell and reached the jailer's
door he heard Joe's excited voice in
the room
Look here. Mr.. Fitzgerald, he says
that some one was taken away from
that hotel in an ambulance
Jimmy Fitz and the jailer were al
ready on their feet, standing, close to-
gether for protection-they had heard
Joe coming Baker tried to slip out
through the door. but Joe blocked it.
and the man took refuge behind a
desk. Fitz and Baker and the jailer
glanced uneasily at each other.
Eyes, Mr. Balfour@ Jimmy Fitz
began.
I'm hospital ambulance on Friday
morning
well. you see. Mr.. Balfour. it was
this way
st nose two Frenchmen helped to
put stretcher In the ambulance
Yes, Mr. Balfour-" Jimmy had