The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1913-01-30

n II
k21&.IJ her. I sat up all night, and
EAt4 Bruno, the dog, never left
t.EU off bowling. / am certain
k.cI something has happened"
Two big tears ran down
her wrinkled face.
How long have you been with Nine.
Servois?" l asked.
Twelve years. / came TO her a
few days after her husband died. This
morning at ten ! became 80 nervous
that / went down to Nogent-sur Marne
to see Nine. Meiser; and when
learned that my mistress was not
there called on M Edouard. But he
could give me no tidings OF her"
Who Is M. Edouard?"
Mime Servois's nephew. or, rather,
one Of her nephews. Ny dear, good
mistressi / 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.
/ 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 well known.
His younger brother, Edouard. was a
stock brokers clerk Both visited their
aunt pretty regularly, especially All
guste, who frequently applied to her
for small loans. / 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
during the last two years the two had
been inseparable.
Josephine, the woman who came to
me, had given me Edorard's address,
and | asked him to cali. He was a
sickly youth, prematurely bald, with
an unpleasant rasp in his voice. He
could throw no light on the affair and
confirmed Josephine'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 suspi'
cious.
"She 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.
81 don't know. It's presentiment
have"
where is your brother?" I asked.
"My brother!" he rasped; che 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 Butte* You don't need 6
letter of introduction" he added, with
n chuckle.
I dismissed my unpleasant visitor
and an hour later saw Nine. Meiser
q wellpreserved, fashionably dressed
woman with dazzling white teeth.
Nine. Servois, she stated, had spen
few hours with her and had left he
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 II
my power to discover her missinl
friend.
THAT young Edouard," said, "di'
not seem very upset"
" oh of
she is a selfish little brute. My frten'
always disliked him and preferre
Auguste, vagabond as he Is"
Having known Nine. Servois int
mately. can you think why she shout
have gone away"
mo. I cannot. If there had been
secret In her life she would have COZ
f1ded it to me. It seems extraord
harry"
had already sent the exact descr1l
ton of Nine Servois to every poilc
commissary in the metropolis; ant
that same night after dinner. went t
Montmartre to have q talk with Al
guste. =,
His brother had spoken the trut
Aueuste was well known in that pal
of the town, and in less than quartz
of an hour I ascertained where to I'm
him. It was in one Of those quain
small cabarets which abound at Mon
martre, where for the price OF gias
of beer one can listen to recitation
and songs by talented, out-of-eioo
artists, to many Of whom Montmaru
is the first step on the ladder to lam
Mile. Claire, a pretty CIR! with Gle
Merodic hair, who sang some sen
mental ballads, was, had been toi
Auguste's particular friend.
II struck eleven o'clock, and the
was no sign of Auguste. 1 saw Cla1
enter a small room, whence 81
emerged with her hat and cloak al
then walked rapidly to the door.
I followed her, and asked where
could find Augusta She replied In
she had been waiting for him sin