Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-05-23

lINlS, | SilOlllG I:lNe iiSstIu VI ", "''"
would have been my duty to investi-
gate"
You have been here for that length
of time, them
"Oh. yes. monsieur" smiled the little
man. 70 Il much Longer time THAN
that
MIR. Royce leaned forward toward
him. He WAS getting back all his
old power rs Il ,russ-eXaIniner.
"Monsieur Tinsert," he began i'm
pressively. II am quite certain that
Hiram w. Holiday and his wife We're
here during the months OF May. June
and July. 1876. and that while they
We're here. Il daughter was born to
them. Think again-have YOU no re-
collection of them or OF the event"
The little notary sat for Some mo-
ments with knitted brows. At last he
shook his head.
That would be the height of the
season, YOU see. monsieur" he said
a~pologetically. There are 4 great
many people here. at that time, and i
cannot know all of them. Never
theless. it seemed to ne for a moment
that there was about the name II GER
ain familiarity-as of vi old tune, you
know, forgotten for years. Yet it must
have been my fancy merely. for | have
no recollection of the event you men
ton. l cannot believe that such q
plftn LOOK pace at Elrelat.
There was another chance and j gave
Mr.. Royce the clew.
Monsieur Fingert." he asked. are
you acquainted with a maj by the
name of Pierre Bethune?"
And again the notary shook his head.
Or Jasper Martingy"."
II never before eard either -nnrnc.
monsieur" he answered.
We sat silent Il moment. in despair.
WAS orr trim to Etratnt To hn Of ,tn
avail? Where was my premonition
now? If we had lost the trail thus
early i'm the chase. what hope was
there that We should ever run down
the quarry? And how explain the fact
that no record had been made of
Frances Holiaday's birth? Why should
her parents have wished to conceal it?
Would they not naturally have been
anxious to see that it was PROPERLY re-
corded?
An hour had passed: the shops were
opening and Il hustle of life reached us
through the open door. People began
TO pass by tWOS and threes.
The first train for three days 4.
about to arrive" said the little notary.
You see. this Is a very small town.
messieurs. The arrival of a train is
an event."
Again we fell silent. Mr.. Royce got
out his purse and paid the fee. We
had come to an impasse-a closed way.
we could go no farther. 1 could see
that the notary was a-hunger for his
roll and coffee. With a sigh. l arose to
go The notary stepped to the door
n looked up the street.
All" he said, the train has arrived,
but 1t seems there was not many pas
sengers. Here is one, though, who has
finished a long Journey"
He nodded to someone who approach
| ed SLOWLY III Soarnpl In yryo haPo~~
the door-he passed OMIT was Mar
tigny!
THAT is the man." I cried to Mr..
Royce. That is Martigny! Ask who
he really is."
He understood on the instant. and
caught the notary's arm.
Monsieur Fingert, who is that
man?"
The notary glanced at him, surprises
by his vehemence.
That" he said, lis Victor Fajolle.
He is just home from America and
seems very i'll, Door fellow"
And he lives here?"
the town-the first house-you cannot
miss it-buried in a grove of trees. He
married the daughter of Madame Alix
some years ago-he was from Paris"
And his wife is living?"
oh. surely. she is living; she her
self returned from America III three
weeks ago.. together with her mother
we'll" and he finished with a signi.
fcant gesture toward his head.
saw my companions face turn
white-I steadied myself with an eff.
fort. l knew that. at last. the veil was
to be lifted.
And they are at home now?"
II believe So" said the notary, eyine
| him with moro and rn0Y.o a OF 0o{chroo,,
They have been keeping close at home
since their return-they will permit M
n to see the-invalid. There ha.
been much talk about it,"
Come. we must got" 1 cried. III,
must not get there before us!''
notary's eyes.
Wait. messieurs!" he cried. "A mo
ment. But a moment. All. 1 remem
Der 1t nOw-it was the link which wa,
wanting. and you have supplied it
Holiday. a millionaire Of America, hi
wife, Madame Alix-she did not liv,
in the villa, then. messieurs. Oh. no
she was very poor. a nurse-anythin,
to make Il little money: her husband
who was a fisherman, was drowned
and left her to. TAX care of the child
rem as best she could. All, 1 remembe
-One a mere BABY"
He had got down another book, an,
was running MS Hngef ap1dIy dow
the page-his" finger all a-tremble wit
excitement. Suddenly he stoppe
With a little cry Of triumph.
Here it is. messieurs! 1 knew
could not be mistaken! See!"
Under the date Of June 10. 1876, wa
an entry of which this is the English:
Holiday. Hiram w. and Elizabeth
his wife. Of the city Of New York
United States of America: from Celest
Alix, widow Of Auguste Alix. he
daughter Celeste. aged 5 months. Al
claim surrendered in consideration q
the payment Of 25, 900 francs"
Mr.. Royce caught up the book an
glanced at the back. It was the Rec
ord of Adoptions."
(Coneludad Nax% wack..