The Red Cloud chief., 1907-06-14

The porter supplied her with note pa
per aad envelopes. She sat down at
a small round table and once more
glanced around. Convinced that she
was not being watched, she hastily
wrote u few lines, sealed and address
ed the envelope and handed it to the
porter.
you will give this to Sir George i'm
mediately le returns" she begged. 1T
is important"
Monsieur shall have IL without
doubt, mademoiselle," the man an
swered.
She pulled down her veil and left the
place hurriedly. When she reached
the boulevard she slackened her pace
and drew n little breath of relief.
Ten thousand francs!' she murmur-
ed to herself. IF l took that with me.
they would receive me at home. I
might start all over again. 1t is worth
n little risk. Heavens, how nervous l
ann
She entered a cafe and drank a petit
verre. AS she set her glass down n
man looked at her over the top of his
newspaper. She tried to smile, but
her heart was beating, and she was
! sick with fear.
what a fool I ami" she muttered.
at Is a stranger too. If he were one
of Gustav's lot, | should know him"
She returned his smile, and he came
and sat down beside her. They had
another liqucur together. Later they
left the place together.
Duncombc returned to his hotel tired
out after a disappointing day spent in
making fruitless inquiries in various
parts Of Paris. He had learned nothing.
He seemed MS far off the truth as ever.
He opened the note which the porter
handed him listleSsly enough. After
ward. however, it was different. This
is what he read:
/ can tell you about the young English
lady If you will promise upon your honor
that you will not betray me / dare not
come here again. / dare not even speak
to you while the others are about. Go TO
the Cafe Sylvan tonight and order din
ner in a private room. 1 will come at half
past I. FLOSSlE.
Duncombe drew a little sigh Of re-
lief. At last, then, he was to know
something. He was very English. a
bad amateur detective and very weary
of his task. Nothing but his intense
interest in the girl herself-an interest
which seemed to have upset the whole
tenor of his life-would have kept him
here plodding so ~rclentlessly away ut
a task which seemed daily to present
more difficulties and complications.
Yet so absorbed had he become that
the ordinary duties and pleasures
which made up the routine of his life
scarcely ever eel entered into his
mind. There had been men coming
down to shoot whom in an ordinary
way he would not have dreamed of
putting off, Il cricket match which had
been postponed until his return and
WHICH he had completely forgotten.
Paris had nothing in the shape OF
amusement to offer him in place of
these things, yet in his W mind these
things were as they had not been. Ev.
cry interest and every energy Of his
life were concentrated upon the one
simple object of his search.
He gave the man half a crow and
walked to the lift whistling. The pOr
ter shook his head, and DuncOmbe re
ceded considerably In his estimation
Notwithstanding the tip. He cOnsid
cred Mile. FlOssie a little obvious fol
a gentleman Of Duncombe's class
Duncombe treated himself to a cock
tail and a cigarette as he changed his
clothes. 1t was positively the frs
CLEAN Of hope he had had. And ther
suddenly he remembered Spencer's
t warning, and he became grave.
He was at the Cafe Sylvan early
He ordered dinner, gave elaborate in
/ structions about a young lady whel
she arrived and with a glass Of alb
! smith and another cigarette sat dow
to wait. At a quarter to 8 he began
to get restless. He summoned TIL
waiter again and gave a more detailed
description of Mile. Flossle. The wait
: er was regretful, but positive. N
. young lady Of any description IA ar
rived expecting to meet a gentleman
in a private room. Duncombe trie'
him with her name. But, yes, Mile
Mermillion vas exceedingly well know
there. He would give orders that sh
should be shown up Immediately sh
L arrived. 1t would be soon withou