The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1913-09-11

old woman was talking to me In
French strange medley that l could
make nothing of. When l was better
she questioned me about everything
saying Mon Dieu!' at every answer ]
made. Then she left and was gone q
long time; and when she came back,
that nan was with her. / learned aft
erward that he was called Monsieur
Chatelard. They both looked at me,
arguing iercely In such a furious
French that / could not understand
more than half they said. They
looked as II they were a~ppraising me,
like an article for sale, but Madame
Sofe held out steadily, on some point,
against Monsieur Chatelar6, and final
ly it appeared that she converted him
to her WI point Of view. He went
away very angry, and / did not see
him again, except at a distance, until
the night Of the wreck"
did you find out where they were
going, or who was back OF their
scheme?"
mo, nothing; or very little. There
was money involved. ! could tell hat
But no names were mentioned, %
any places that l can remember. You
see, / was Ill from the effects of the
chloroform, and frightened, too ]
think"
II don't wonder" said Aleck. wrink
ling his homely face. He remained
silent while he searched, mentally,
for a clue.
II found out, through my maid, who
arrived today, that some n of the
kidnapping party had been clever
enough to send a false message to the
hotel, explaining my sudden depar,
ture."
Il see, I see," said Aieck, going over
the story In his mind. And presently,
Where does Hand come In? And
how did Jim happen to be aboard the
Jeanne D'Arc?"
Hand was some sort OF henchman
to Monsieur Chatelard, l believe. And
he told me that your cousin was
picked up in New York harbor, swim
ming for life, it appeared. No one
seemed to know any more"
Aleck stopped short, looked at
Agatha, pursed his lips for a whistle
and remained silent. They had arrived
at the porch steps, and were tacitly
waiting for the doctors to descend and
give them, If possible, some encour-
agement for the coming night. But
the story of the Jeanne D'Arc had
grown more complicated than Aleck
had anticipated. and much was yet tc
be explained. Aleck was slow. as al
ways, in thinking It through, but he
figured 1t out, anally, to a certain
point, and expressed himself thus;
That's the way with your steady tel
lows; they're all the bigger fools when
they do Jump"
Pardon me, l didn't catch"
"Oh, nothing" said Aleck, half ir.
ritably. II only said Jim needed a
poke, like that heifer over In the next
field"
Agatha understood the boyish irri
tation, cloaking the love of the man.
You may be able to get more infor.
nation about your cousin from Mr.
Hand" she said. "He would be likely
to know as much as anybody"
We'll, however 1t happened. he's
here now"
Though II 1t had not been for his
fearful struggle for me he would not
have been so ill.," said Agatha miser.
ably. Aleck. with one foot Of the low
step of the piazza, stopped and turned
squarely toward her. His face was no
less miserable than Agatha's, but be-
hind his wretchedness and anxiety
was some masculine reserve Of power,
and a longer view down the corridors
of time. He held her eye with a look
Of great earnestness.
81 love old Jim, Miss Redmond.
We've been boys and men together,
and good fellows always. But don't
think that I'd regret his struggle for
you, as you call it, even If 1t should
NEAR the worst. He couldn't have
done otherwise, and I wouldn't have
had him. And II it's to be IA home
run-why, then, Jim would like that
far better than to die Of old age OF
liver complaint. It's all right, Miss
Redmond"
Alexis slow words came with a
double meaning to Agatha. She heard
through them, echoes of James Ham
bleton's boyhood; she saw a picture OF
his straight and dauntiess youth. She
held out to Aleck a hand that trem
bled, but her face shone with graft
tude.
Aleck took her hand respectfully
kindly, in his warm grasp. Besides"
he said simply, I'VE won't give up
He's got a fighting chance yet"
CTo BE CoNTNUED)