The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1913-07-11

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make nothing of. When ! was better
she questioned me about everything.
saving Mon Dieu!' at every answer ]
made. Then she left and was gone q
long time; and when she came back,
that man was with her. learned aft. +
erward that he was called Monsieur
Chatelard. They both looked at me,
arguing fiercely in such q furious
French that I could not understand
more than half they said. They |
looked az If they were appraising me,
Ike an article for sale, but Madame
sohe held out steadily, on some point,
against Monsieur Chatelard, and final.
" IT appeared that she converted him
to her own point Of view. He went
away very angry, and l did not see
him again, except at 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 that
But no names were mentioned, nor
\ any places that can remember. You
. see. | was Ill from the effects OF the
;. chloroform, and frightened, too.
8 think
(. T don't wonder" said Aleck, wrink-
r ling his homely face. He remained
t. silent while he searched. mentally
for clue.
o ~ found out. through my maid, who
e arrived today, that some one OF the
KIDNAPPING party had been clever
e enough to send false message 10 the
10 hotel, explaining my sudden depar
ture."
In 81 see, see," said Aleck, going over
IN the story In his mind. And presently
If. Where does Hand come IN? Ano
as how did Jim happen to be aboard the
o. Jeanne D'Arc?"
be Hand was some sort OF henchmail
a to Monsieur Chatelard, believe. Anc
he told me that your cousin was
Is, picked up In New York haroor, SWIM
at ming for life. 1t appeared. NO oh'
seemed to know any more,
he Aleck stopped short, looked a
ult Agatha, pursed his lips for whisti'
L. and remained silent. They had arrlVe'
ret at the porch steps, and were taclti
nv waiting for the doctors to descend an
,re give them, If possible, some encoui
agement for the coming night bu
,as the story of the Jeanne DArc ha
~ grown more complicated than Aiec
~ had anticipated, and much was yet
,od he explained. Aleck was slow, as a
,ta WAYS, in thinking it through, but Il
figured 1t out, finally. to certal
y. point. and expressed himself thus
aer "That's the way with your steady re
NV. lows; they're all the, bigger fools VINE
they do jump"
a,~ Pardon me, didn't catch
v.s "Oh. nothing" said Aleck, hail
n rttably. 81 only said Jim needed
and poke, like that heller over IN the ne
field"
-,n Agatha understood the boyish lr
hat tation. cIoakiug the love OF the ma
"You may be able to get more inle
~ - nation about your cousin from N
vsn Hand" she said. "He would be like
NOV In know az much as anybody
Md well. however 1t happened, n
here now!"
o,b "Though II It had not been for
taorfr, struggle for me he would
o,d have been so ILL.," said Agatha mis-
q m ably. Aleck. with one foot on the
n or stem of the piazza, stopped and turn
Was souarety toward her. His face was
less miserable than Agatha's. but
,tba hind his wretchedness and anxi
was some masculine reserve OF pow
ardp and a longer view down the corrid
~ nj Of time. He held her eye with Il
who of great earnestness
Now ~ love old Jim, Miss Redmo
me- We've been boys and men togeti
noon. and good fellows always. But d'
think that I'd regret his struggle
not YOU. as you call 1t, even il 1t she
az mean the worst. He couldn't u
svo. done otherwise, and wouldn't n
i, 70 had him. And If it's to be IA n
n.oh run--why, then, Jim would like
nah far better than to die Of old age
liver complaint It's all right,
n ON Redmond
4 aia. Alexis slow words came with
deep double meaning " Ae' 800 Z
rha.a. hleton's boyhood; she saw pictul
his straight and dauntless youth.
held out to Aleck hand that t
the bled, but her face shone with
tude.
rho Aleck took her hand respecti
,oman kindly. In his warm grasp. "besi
rus,ad he said simply, I'VE won't give
20 uka He's got a fighting chance yet"
In (To BE CoNilNoHD''