Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1907-05-17
CHAPTER XVII.
ETRETAT.

We were up at an hour which as
tonished the little fat keeper of he
inn, n inquired the location of the
office Of the registrar of births. 1t was
w steps away in the Rue Alphonse
Karr, but would not be open for three
hours at least Would messieurs have
their coffee now? No, messieurs would
not have their coffee until they re-
turned. Where would they find the
residence of the registrar of birthsp
His residence, that was another matter.
His residence was some little distance
away, near the Casino, at the right
we should ask for Maitre Fingret-any-
n could tell us. When should mes
sieurs be expected to return? 1t was
impossible to say.
We went off along the street, leaving
the innkeeper staring after us-along
the Rue Alphonse Karr, lined on both
sides by houses, each with it's little
shop on the ground floor. Three min
utes walk brought us to the bay. a
pretty, even picturesque place. with it's
perpendicular cliffs and gayly colored
fishing smacks. But we paused for
only a glance at it, and turned toward
the Casino at the other end. "Maitre
Ffngret?" we inquired of the first
passerby, and he pointed to a little
house half hidden in vines.
A knock brought the notary himself
W NiAN 49, q vi lCd-uD HILL, Wll0
keen face, and eyes incredibly bright.
My companion explained our errand in
laborious French, supplemented by
much gesticulation-it is wonderful
how the hands can help one to talk
and after a time the little Frenchman
caught his meaning. and hustled away
TO get his hat and coat, seeming a
fat fee. Our first step was TO be an
easy one, thanks to the severity and
thoroughness of French administration
but l admit that l saw not what we
should do further, once we had verified
the date Of Miss Holidays birth. The
next step must be left to chance.
The notary unlocked the door. showed
us into his office, and set out chairs
for us. Then ne got down his register
or births for 1876. IT was not a large
book, for the births of Etretat are not
overwhelming in number.
name, / think you said, was
Holladay?" he asked.
Hiram w. Holiday" nodded Mr..
Royce. 80
And the date June 10th?"
"YeS-June 10th"
Inc little man ran his finger rapidlv
down the page, then went back again
| ana read the entries one by one more
SLOWLY, with n quicker of perplexjtv
ABOUT his lips. He turned the leaf. be-
gan farther back and read through tho
list again. while we sat watching hin,
| Al last he shut the pooh with a little
snap and looked at us.
"MeSsieurs," he said quietly "no
such birth is recorded here. 7 have
the records for the months
OF May, June, and July
But II must be there" protested Mr.
Royce. ~
Nevertheless It is not here. Mon
sieur., W
Could the child have been born here
and no record mad of it?'
impossible, monsieur. No physicia,
IN France would take that RESPONSE
bility.''
For a large fee. perhaps" sugg ssted
my companion.
In Paris that may, sometimes. he
possible. But in a small place like
this, l should have heard of II and II
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.. For a much longer time thar
that"
Mr.. Royce leaned forward toward
him. He vas getting back all his
old power as a cross-examiner.
Monsieur Fingert." he began i'm
p~ressively, II am quite certain that
Hiram w. Holiday and his wife )