The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1913-01-10

E;:.,...4 ming; and from that mo-
fHG...1 ment l have not heard OF
La ~.(:l her. 1 sat up all night, and
III NJ Bruno, the dog, never left
r.: III off bowling. l am certain
E.:.Zc::1 something has happened
Two big tears ran down
her wrinkled face.
'How long have you been with Nine.
Servois?" 1 asked.
few days after her husband died. This
morning at ten 1 became so nervous
that went down to Nogent-sur-Marne
to see Nine. Meiser; and when I
learned that my mistress was not
there called on M. Edouard. But he
could give me no tidings of her.
who is M Edouard?"
Nine. Servois's nephew, or, rather,
one Of her nephews My dear, good
MISTRESS! / am sure she has been
mu-mur-"
saw the woman was becoming hys-
terical, and advised her to go home,
promising to search for Nine Servois.
I learned that Nine. Servois was a
widow of about forty-fve, comfortably
off, living in the Rue Liable, a quiet
street leading from the Boulevard
Pereire. Her only relatives were two
nephews, the sons of her deceased Sis
ter. Auguste, the elder, a genuine
Bohemian, having failed in various
professions. took up painting and
earned his living by drawing portraits
for one franc each in the cafes in
Montmartre, where he was we'll known.
His younger brother, lIdOuard, was a
Stockholders clerk Both visited their
aunt pretty regularly, especially Au-
guste, who frequently applied to her
for small loans l was also informed
that Nine. Servois had made will
bequeathing them the bulk of her
property. Nine Servois entertained
very little; but, music-mad, was seen
at every concert and matinee. Her
closest friend was Nine. Meiser, and
been inseparable.
Josephine, the woman who came to
me, had given me EdouarG's address,
and | asked him to call. He was a
slckly youth, prematurely bald, with
an unpleasant rasp in his voice. He
could throw no light on the affair and
confirmed Iosephine's statement that
his aunt's day was regulated by the
clock. She always went to bed at
ten: and the fact Of her having stayed
out all night certainly looked susri-
cious.
"*The may have met with an acct
dent he said, but dread worse"
What makes you suppose this?"
He shrugged his lean shoulders, and
! repeated BY question.
II don't know. It's presontment
I have
''Where is your brother?" | asked
my brOthor!" he raspcd; 'he and
I don't speak. His address is Wher-
ever he can obtain lodgings on tick
You'll find him any night knocking
about La Hu:te.* You don't need a
letter Of Introduction" he added, with
a chuckle
dismissed my unpleasant visitor
and an hour later saw Nine. Meiser,
a Well-proServcd, fashionably dressed
woman with dazzling white teeth.
Nine. Servois. she stated had spent
a few hours with her and had left her
at about nine o'clock. making an ap-
pointment to meet the following aft
ernoon She was very much dis
tressed, and begged me to do all in
my power to discover her missing
friend
THAT young 11douard,' | said, did
not seem very upset."
Il am not surprised" she retortcd !:
"he is selfish little brute. My friend
always disliked him and preferred
AuSuste, va"abond as he is"
"Having known Nine. Servois init
mately, can YOU think why she should
have gone aWay'o"
NO, | cannot. If there had been a
secret in her life she would have con.
fided it to me. 1t seems extraordi
nary
had already sent the exact descriD
ton Of Nine. ScrvOis to every notice
commissary in the metropolis: end
that same night after dinner. went tC
MCntmartrc to have talk with Au
guste.
His brother had spoken the truth
Auguste was we'll known in that part
of the town, and in less than quarter
of an hour l ascertained where to fine
him. 1t was in one Of those quaint
small cabarets which abound at Mont
martre, where for the price OF a glass
of beer one can listen to recitations
and songs by talented, out-of-elbov
artists. to many of whom Montmartre
is the first step on the ladder to fame
Mile. Claire. a pretty girl with Cleo
Merodic hair. who sang some senti
mental ballads. was, had been told
Auguste's particular friend.
1t struck eleven o'clock, and there
was no sign of Auguste. I saw Claire
enter small room, whence SHE
emerged with her hat and cloak an(
then walked rapidly to the door.
/ followed her. and asked where
could find Auguste. She replied tina
she had been waiting for him since
*Paris slang for Montmartre.
ten, and was now going to call at an
other cafe where, perhaps, he nigh
have found work"
This cafe, to which she conducted
me, was filled with smoke, and thu
audience roared the refrain Of song