Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1914-03-26

right! Anyway, you will help me.
Lester: You will Gomez"
There was "a wizardry in his man
ner not to be resisted.
Yes" | answered, with a quick in
taking Of the breath: "II come"
Il knew you would! Tomorrow
night, then-I'l call for you here at
: o'clock. We will have dinner To-
gether-and then. hey for the great So
cret.'
The door closed behind him. and his
footsteps died away down the hail |
looked at my watch it WAS n,s,gl, u
o'clock.
DiZZily went to +" ,,.,
was broken by u
dream Of a serpent,
and dripping fan%~
My first thought VIA .... .N
morning was for i'n:1;e H.. "a. ...iIl
Il lively sense of relief if... g.. beard
Parks voice answer, IN, "al, ~. the
phone.
This is Mr.. Lester" | said. lis CIV
erything all right?"
Everything serene. sir" he answer
ed. 1t would take u mighty smooth
burglar to get in here now. sir"
How is that?" | asked.
REPORTERS are camped all around
the house. sir. They seem to think
somebody else will be killed here to-
day"
Il hope not" l said quickly. And
don't let any Of the reporters in nor
talk to them. Tell them they must 60
to the police for their information. If
they get too annoying let me know,
and I'll have an officer sent around.
Don't let anybody in the house-no
matter what he wants-unless Mr..
Grady or MI. Simmonds or Mr.. Gold
berger accompanies him. Don't let
anybody in you don't know. If there
is any trouble call me up. | want you
to be careful about this"
81 understand. sir"
How is Rogers?" l asked.
Much better. sir. He wanted to
get up. but | told him he might as we'll
stay in bed. and I'd look after things.
= A"e5h LHok "do LllC uCSI pl1Ce luz
him, sir"
1T is" | agreed. Keep him there
as long as you can. I'll come in dur
ing the day, If possible. In any event,
Mr.. Godfrey and | will be there this
evening. Call me at the office if you
need me for anything"
Very good. sir said Parks again.
and hung up.
glanced through G%odfrey's account
OF the affair while | ate my breakfast
and noted with amusement the sly
digs taken at Commissioner Grady.
Under the photograph of the unknown
woman was the legend:
Mr.. Vantine's Mysterious Caller.
GRADY Please Notice.)"
And it was intimated that when
Grady wanted any real information
about an especially puzzling case he
had to go to the Record to get 1t.
This. however. was merely by the
way, for the story Of the double trag-
edy. fully illustrated, was flung across
many columns and was plainly consid-
cred the great news feature Of the
day.
| glanced at two or three other pa
pers on my way downtown. All of
them featured the tragedy with a riot
Of pictures. But when it came to the
story Of the tragedy itself their ac-
counts We're far less detailed and init
mate than that in the Record. sus-
pected that it was the realization of
the Records triumph which had caused
the descent of the phalanx Of report
ers upon the Vantine place.
went over the whole affair with
Mr.. Royce as soon as he reached the
office and spent the rest Of the day
arranging the papers relating to Van
tines affairs and getting them ready
to probate. Parks called me up once
or twice for instructions as to various
details. And then. toward the middle
of the afternoon. came the cablegram
from Paris which l had almost for
gotten to expect:
Royce & Lester, New York:
Regret mistake in shipment exceedingly.
Our representative will call to explain.
ARMAND &c SON.
So there was an end Of the romance
Godfrey had woven and which l had
been almost ready to believe-the TO-
nance Of design. Of a carefully laid
plot and all that. 1t had been merely
accident after all.
| put the whole thing impatiently
away from me and turned to other
work. but | found ! could not conquer a
certain deep seated nervousness, so at
last ] locked my desk. told the boy l
would not be back and took a cab for
a long drive through the park. was
able to greet Godfrey with a smile
when he called for me at Z o'clock.
1--WE engaged a table at Il little
place around the corner" he said. ut
liz managed by a friend OF mine. and |
think you'll like It,"
did indeed. the dinner was 30
good that II demanded undivided at