The Red Cloud chief., 1907-06-28

81 nm up for a months membership.
but I am not elected yet" Duncombe
answered.
"Then you shall come in as my
guest the baron declared.
"You are exceedingly kind" Dun
combe answered. II wonder whether I
might presume still further upon your
good nature and ask you a question"
"The asking" the baron murmured,
'involves Nothing"
"You bear, | am told, an honorable
name, and you are well received In so
clety. Why do you associate with muir.
dcrers and thieves I'm that hell of a
cafe where | saw you first?"
The baron smiled.
"My friend he said, II seek always
the life amusing, and ] find 1t there"
81 was robbed before your eyes,
baron"
The Frenchman sighed.
II am so sorry" he said, that l did
not see 1t. That indeed would have
been amusing"
you know that the young lady who
sat with us is dcadt'
"a most bizarre happening the bar
on assented. with a little sigh. II can
not imagine how it occurred. The
newspaper reports are not convincing.
One would like to reconstruct the sto-
~. Poor little Flossie. She was most
amusing, but just Il little, n very little.
too fond Of flourishing her jewelry.
one will miss her though"
nnF,rpipr FOR. " t,,nrnnnt 10 nItr
meeting at the cafe. You told me a
story there-you and your friend ma
dame-of a young English lady, which
the facts seem scarcely to sustain"
Tho baron sighed.
"My friend" he said, 1--WE did the
best we could at a moments notice. |
rather fancied the story myself. AS to
facts, what have they TO do with it?
You demanded q story, n you got it.
i rather battered myself that under the
circumstances it was not bad"
"You admit now, then, that it was
not the TRUTH
"The truth! My dear Sir George!
Surprising that the whereabouts of
your charming young friend had been
known to me, do you suppose that l
should have permitted myself to have
been bullied INTO disclosing it? For
give me, If l speak plainly, but if you
really wished for information which
you supposed that l had your method
of seeking it put you at once out of
court. A French gentleman does not
permit himself to be bullied."
Duncombe was silent for several mo-
,n,t, TIAa, ,n,,n n,N I;,. .-1..l
lie could have said, but where was the
user
"As a French gentleman, then" he
said at last. will you permit me to
make n personal appeal to you? Miss
Phyllis Poynton Is a young lady in
whom | am deeply Interested. She
was last seen ut the Cafe Montmartre,
from which place she disappeared. I
am an Englishman Of your own sta
ton. Tell me where l can find her or
what has become Of her"
my dear Sir George" Dle baron said,
''yOu might have saved yourself a great
deal Of trouble if you had spoken like
this to mt at the first. Frankly, then,
! have not the least idea. Young Eng
lish ladies come and go every evening
at the Cafe Montmartre and such
places. One remembers only those who
happen to have amused one and not
always those. Forgive me IL l speak
plainly. A young lady who had visit
ed the Cafe Montmartre alone-well,
you might look for her anywhere, but
most assuredly in that case If your
anxiety was to Induce her to return to
her friends you would be a little too
safe. All! We have arrived. Now, my
friend, I must make you free Of the
place"
Duncombe was tuning with anger,
but he had discretion enough to re-
main silent.
ID you play bridgeT' the baron
asked as they entered the card room.
occasionally" Duncombe assented.
II will go and see If I can find any
men," the baron remarked. - will
leave my young friend De Bergillac to
entertain you. The Vicomte de Ber-
gillac-Sir George Duncombe."
Duncombe shook hands with a pale,
weary looking youth, most immaculate
ly dressed, but whose whole appear
ance was distinguished by marked
symptoms of lassitude and Ill health.
They sat in easy chairs almost opposite
to II another, and Duncombe found