The Washington herald., 1907-12-01

glad of a hand. dare say. Jump up on
the box and III get inside
This change effected. the is started on
its way 10 Densley. But il had not got
more than mile on its way when IL
was met 10y another fly and James Iuce.
either recognizing some one or Suspectirg
something. got out and ran after it, hall
ing The driver 90 stop
Running up 10 the carriage window. he
looked in, and Al once recognized Leblanc.
who WAS quite evidently taken aback by
the meeting. There was another man in
the fly. but ne sat well back. so that his
face could not be distinguished
Hello. monsieur; this is bit Of luck.
Were you going 10 Doncaster 10 meet
your niece" asked James Iuce-
Monsieur recovered himself quickly. bent
forward so as TO MI the window and pre-
vent James Ince from looking in, and
said.
Dear me. is it Mr.. Ince2 This is
surprise. a most pleasant surprise. / am
delighted TO see you"
Ana with that he put out his hand.
seized that of the young barrier and
shook IL heartily.
Ince repeated his question. Monsieur
Leblanc raised his eyebrows.
My niece? All. yes. I was going 20
meet her. You have seen her. them
I've not only seen her. I've brought
her ON to YOU I understood you were
at Densley. her place"
Monsieur Leblanc hesitated drawing a
long breath, as if uncertain what % do
or what 10 say. Only Tor a moment.
however.
"Ah,' he cried. smiling. so that his
two rows OF false teeth showed from end
10 end. that is most kind of YOU, And
50 you have taken all this trouble, We
are most grateful. I do not quite un-
derstand yet why you should he with her:
but no matter, ! am glad 10 see you
Where is sheE"
IN the fly which has just passed
yours"
'Ah, And so you are on your way to
Densley?'
Yes. You viii turn back and accom-
pany us, viii you not?"
Alas, 1 cannot yet have that pleas
ure. l have to see my friend here off
by train. But if you viii take my niece
on to Densley, and put her up at the
Red Lion. the inn in the village. l will
come back as quickly as I can, and we
will have n chat together"
Now while this colloquy was going on
the two men engaged IN it were trying.
by every means in their power. each 20
outwit the other. For While James Jnce
was determined 10 see who was the
Frenchmans companion, Monsieur I.e-
blanc was equally determined that he
should not satisfy his curiosity. In order
more effectually to block up the window
and keep James Ince from tkrusting his
face inside the vehicle, Monsieur Leblanc
placed himself i'm such a manner that his
person filled the aperture from the one
side to the other.
But he was so intent upon doing this
that he overlooked one most important
fact He was carrying on his arm light
! overcoat. which he used TO make him,
self wider. by holding it over his arm
and putting the hand TO his waist
This action naturally made James Ince
the more inquiSitive, and he tried TO peep
| through the small space left between the
coat and the Frenchman's waist In do
! ing this, however, he suddenly became
aware Of a strange fact: he recognized
the light Overcoat as one belonging 20 his
friend st. Quintin.
Without a moments hesitation he whip
ped the coat off Monsieur Leblanc's arm,
crying:
why, this is St Quintlns coatr'
At the moment of doing this he was
actuated merely by the wish to make
his recognition of the garment an excuse
for snatching it up and peering into the
carriage as If in expectation Of seeing his
friend. But the way in which Monsieur
Leblanc changed cOUntcnance and tried
10 get the coat back into his possession
| reused in the shrewd young barrister new
and strange suspicious. Holding it tight
ly and stepping back briskly from the
| side Of the fly. he said:
J All right, Monsieur Leblanc III take