Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-08-28
to their next meeting.

And a. he bent over his desk In un-
accustomed meditation, the hour OF
that meeting was come. The doorman
brought a card-"Mme. Resale lie
Grange''-and behind him she ap-
peared.
Any woman who had known the
Resale LIE Grange Of Inspector NC
Gees recollections would have read
new prosperity into her at first glance.
Then, her shirtwaists, always immac-
ulately neat, were of cheap lawn; now,
her modest waist was chiffon and
Cluny hung over . figured silk. Her
suit had that perfect tailored stmpltc-
ity which only genius achieves. Her
hat was unobtrusive, but any discr1m-
mating feminine eye would have seen
that Verre made it; and verre Gomez
high. These signs sof wealth escaped
Martin MCGEE. The proof to him was
more tangible the diamond pendant
at her, throat, the rings on her fingers.
He noted these little brothers Of pros
perity before he perceived how much
younger she appeared In face and fig.
IRE than when he saw her last. Being
mere male man, he could not under
stand that this false youth was born
and bred of the modiste, the milliner
end the masseuse.
We'll, WE'LL" exclaimed Martin Nc
Gee, rising as though to some great
parsonage, back again! Say, you just
couldn't keep out Of big doings, could
you? And how pretty you look-pret-
tier and prettieH all the time. What
hauled you into the Hanska case?"
II amt III the Hanska case 1t all, "
responded Rosalie LIE Grange, answer
ing his second question first, "at least
not deep. Martin MCGEE" She flashed
upon him her dimples. snapped at him
her great gray eyes. When q person
is comm home late from supper with
an actress friend and sees . door open
and hears people talking on the inside
with remarks about murder and police
she investigates. Which done. An
when she finds lot Of human hens
runnin' around like their heads was
cut off, she helps straighten things out,
j was never right up close to murder
before" She paused minute, her
dimples faded and the lines Of her face
fell. UGH she shrddered with the
memory.
That" said Martin MCGEE, lis what
I'd cali coincidence"
"Coincidence!" repeated Resale La
Grange with fine scorn, now you look
here, Inspector MCGEE, there amt any
such thing as coincidences-any more
than there's such thing as luck
No, Martin MCGEE. Nearly everybody
that's lived long enough In New York
has had a murder or burglary or
something in the same block. 1t was
bound to happen to me in time. II
happened; and instead OF minding my
own business like the rest, butted
straight In. When the reasons for q
thing get too tangled up for you and
me to follow, we stick label on 1t
an'.call It luck. But there" she check.
ed herself "this Is just one Of my
platform inspirational talks like used
to give the sitters In my test seances.
Only then I laid 1t to the spirits. Now
lay it to Rosalie La Grange"
Used TOT" echoed Inspector McGee,
Does that mean you've cut It out?''
well, do these clothes and thi. five
dollar an hour massage on my poor old
face look like got EN- from sitters
at Two QOlldTS D. IuIOW ~ lA4uiACu MO
allie lie Grange. Say, ask me about
ii. please I'm dying. to tell"
"All right; I've asked" responded
Martin MCGEE, a kind Of dull fire
Illuminating his clean-shaven jowly
police countenance.
Now" said Rosalie LIE Grange, "Tm
going to astonish you, Marty MCGEE
i got it from Robert H. Norcross-the
railroad king"
McGee's face fell. This mascot OF
OF his, this curious good fairy who had
skipped in and out Of his career, scat.
tering golden successes, was kind OF
an ideal That abe should work q
doddering millionaire-as Norcrose
had been in his last years-for the
tainted coin of aged folly, was a blow
to what idealism an inspector Of detec
tives may hope still to cherish
Rosalie, skilled from youth to catch
and interpret the unconsidered express
sion Of the human countenance. rea(