The Detroit times., 1913-10-08
as directed. He knew positively moth.
y HAROLD MacCRATH.

Ing.
The man laughed softly. A thou
sand francs apiece for him and An
tome, and no possible chance of being
discovered. Let the police dnd the
house In Versailles; let them trace
whatever paths they found; the agent
would tell them, and honestly, that
an aged man had rented the house for
a month and had paid him In ad.
vance. What more could the agent
say? Only one bit Of puzzlement:
why hadn't the blond stranger ap-
peared? Who Was he, In truth, and
what had been bis game? All this
waiting and wondering. and then a
curt telegram of the night before,
saying, Release her" So much the
better. What his employers motives
were did not interest him half SO much
AS the fact that he had thousand
francs In his pocket. and that all ele'
ment Of danger had been done away
with. True. the singer herself would
move heaven and earth to find out
who had been back Of the abduction.
Let her make her accusations. He
was out Of 1t.
He glanced toward the forward part
of the tram. There she sat, staring
at the white road ahead. A young
Frenchman sat near her. curling his
mustache desperately. SO beautiful
and all alone! At length he spoke to
her. She whirled upon him 80 sud.
denly that his hat fell OF his head and
rolled at the feet of the onlooker.
your hat. Monsieur he said
gravely. returning It.
Nora laughed maliciously. The
author of the abortive Irritation fed
down to the body Of the tram.
And now there was no one on top
but Nora and her erstwhile jaiier,
whom she did not recognize In the
least.
"Mademoiselle." said the great po-
liceman, soberly, this Is a grave &C.
cusation to make"
| II make It. nevertheless" replied
Nora. She sat stiffly in her chair.
her face colorless. dark circles under
her eyes. She never looked toward
Courtlandt.
But Monsieur Courtlandt has Of
fered an alibi such as We can not lg-
more. More than that, his integrity Is
vouched for by the gentleman at mic
side, whom doubtless MademOiselie
recognizes"
Nora eyed the great man doubtfully.
What is the gentleman to your"
she was Intercepted.
Absolutely nothing" contemptu'
ously
The minister inspected his rings.
He has annoyed me at various
xs ho< To- oil
And his actions on Friday night war
rant every suspicion have entertain
ed against him."
The chief of police turned toward
the bandaged chauffeur. "You recoe-
nixe the gentleman"
I, mo, Monsieur, I never saw him be-
fore. 1t was an old man who engaged
me-"
Go on"
HE said that Mademoiselle's old
teacher was very III and asked for as
sistance. left Mademoiselle at the
house and drove away. was hired
from the garage. That is the truth.
Monsieur"
Nora smiled disbelievingly. Doubt
less he had been paid we'll for that
lie.
"And your" asked the chief Of No
ra's chauffeur.
"He is certainly the gentleman,
Monsieur. who attempted to bride
me-"
THAT is true" said Courtlandt with
utmost calmness.
"Mademoiselle. II Monsieur Court.
landt wished, he could accuse you OF
attempting to shoot him."
| 1T was an accident. His sudden
appearance in my apartment fright
ened me. Besides, I believe a woman
who lives comparatively alone has a
legal and moral right to protect her.
self from such unwarrantable intru-
sions. wish him no physical injury,
but am determined to be annoyed
by him no longer"
The minister's eyes sought Court
landt's face obliQuely. Strange young
man, he thought. From the expires.
sion of his face he might have been q
Ivitally concerned In this little scene.
And what . pair they made!
Monsieur Codrtlandt, you will give
me your word Of honor not to annoy
Mademoiselle again.
Il promise never to annoy her
again"
For the briefest moment the blazing
blue eyes clashed with the calm brown
ones. The latter we're FIRST to deviate
from the line. It was not agreeable
to look into q pair Of eyes burning
with the hate of ones self. Perhaps
this confiagration was intensified by
the placidity of his gaze. II only
there had been some sign Of anger, OF
contempt. anything but this incredible
tranquility against which she longed
to cry out! She was too wrathful to
notice. the Quickening throb Of the
veins on his temples.
"Mademoiselle. ind no case
against Monsieur Courtlandt. unless
you wish to appear against him fol
his forcible entrance to your apart
Iment." Nora shook her head. The
Ichief of police stroked his mustache
Ito hide the fleeting smile. A peculia,
case. the Nike Of which had never be
fore come under his scrutiny! CIR
cumstantial evidence, we know. points
to him; but we have also an alb
which Is incontestible. We must lool
elsewhere for your abductors. Think;
have you not some enemy? II there
no one who might wish you worry ant
} Inconvenience? Are your associates
all loyal to your II there any jeal
ousy?"
mo, none at all, Monsieur" quickl,
and decidedly.
I'm my opinion, then. the whole af
s.ss a. = hoav nsrDAtrnfad IN vex ant