Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-08-07


soned, there would not be hotel in
Paris free Of surveillance. Naturally,
blond strangers would be in demand.
The complications that would follow
his own arrest were not to be ignored.
He agreed with his conscience that he
had not acted with dignity in forcing
his way into her apartment. But that
night he had been at odds with con
yention; his spirit had been that OF
the marauding old. Dutchman of the
seventeenth century. He perfectly
well knew that she was In the right as
far as the pistol.shot was concerned.
Further, he knew that he could quash
any charge she might make in that d.
rection by the simplest of declara.
tions; and to avoid this simplest of
declarations she would prefer silence
above all things. They knew each 9th.
er tolerably well.
1t was extremely fortunate that he
had not been to the hotel since Satur-
day. He went directly to the war Of
fee. The great and powerful man
there was the only hope left. They
had met some years before in Algiers,
where Courtlandt had rendered him a
very real service.
81 did not expect you to the min.
ute" the great man said pleasantly.
you will not mind waiting for a few
minutes"
Not in the least. Only, I'm In
deuce of mess" frankly and directly.
"lnnocently enough, I've stuck my
head into the police net"
"ls it possible that now can pay
my debt to your"
Such as 1t Is. Have you read the
article in the newspapers regarding
the disappearance of Signorina da Toe.
cana, the singer?"
Yes"
81 am the unknown blond. Tomor.
row morning want you to go with me
to the prefecture and state that was
with you all of Saturday and Sunday;
that on Monday you and your wife
dined with me, that yesterday we went
to the aviation meet, and later to the
Odeon."
''ln brief, an alibi?" smiling now.
Exactly. shall need one"
"And a perfectly good alibi. But |
have your word that you are In no.
wise concerned? Pardon the question,
but between us 1t is really necessary
If am to be of service to you"
"On my word as a gentleman"
"That is sufficient"
'In fact, | do not believe that she
has been abducted at all. VIII you
let me use your pad and pen for a
minute?"
The other pushed over the required
articles. Courtlandt scrawled few
words and passed back the pad.
For me to read2"
YES" moodlly.
The Frenchman read. Courtlandt
watched him anxiously. There was
not even a flicker OF surprise in the
official eye. Calmly lie ripped off the
sheet and tore It into bits. distribut-
ing the pieces into the various waste
baskets yawning about his long fat
desk. Next, still avoiding the younger
mans eye, he arranged his papers
neatly and locked them up In huge
safe which only the artillery OF the
German army could have forced. He
then called for his hat and stick. He
beckoned to Courtlandt TO follow. Not
word was said until the car was
humming on the road to Vincennes.
"Well?" said Courtlandt, finally. II
was not possible for him to hold back
the question any longer.
"My dear friend, am taking you
out to the villa for the night"
"But have nothing :"
And have everything, even fore.
sight. II you were arrested tonight It
would cause you some Inconvenience.
am fifty.six, some twenty years your
senior. Under this hat OF mine carry
thousand secrets, and every one OF
these thousand must go to the grave
with me, yours along with them.
have met you dozen times since
those Algerian days, and never have
you failed to afford me some amuse-
ment or excitement. You are the most
interesting and entertaining young
man know. Try one Of these cigars.
Precisely at tho time Courtlandt
stepped into the automobile outside
the war office, scene. peculiar in
character, but inconspicuous in that II
did not attract attention, was enacted
in the Care de rEst Two sober-vls.
aged men stood respectfully aside to
permit tall young man In n Bavarlan
hat to enter compartment OF the
second class. What could be seen OF
the young mans face was full OF
smothered wrath and disappointment.
How he hated himself, for his weak.
ness, for his cowardice! He was not
all bad. Knowing that he was being
watched and followed, he cou. not go
to Versailles and compromise her, use
lcssly. The devil take the sleek demon
of woman who had pre- npted him to
commit so base ~ actl
you will at let st." lie said, deliver
that message which have intrusted
to your care