Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1914-05-07

'<,t sstss -
~ ssAa, wAom dosbtiess mademoi-
5ll1e recosnixes.''
NDra eyed the great man doubtfully.
ssWhAt II the gentleman to you"
.SlsS was intefrogafed.
q tbsolutely nothing" contemptu-
4 The minister inspected his rings.
He has annoyed me at various
times" continued Nora: that is all.
And his actions on Friday night war
rant every suspicion I have enter
tanned against him."
The chief Of police turned toward
the bandaged chauffeur. you recog-
nixe the gentleman?"
mo, monsieur, never saw him be-
fore. 1t was an old man who engaged
lme."
go on"
"He said that mademoiselle's old
keacher was very ilPand asked &c, as
,3sistance. left rnademoiselle at the
house and drove away. 1 was hired
from the garage. That is the truth.
SHonsienr."
3 Nora smiled disbelievingly. Doubt
less he had been paid we'll for that
lie.
".And your" asked the chief of No
'fa's chauffeur.
p seHe Is certainly the gentleman, mon
ssieur. who attempted to bribe me-"
THAT Is true," said Courtlandt with
rkSost calmness.
S AA&ademoiselle, II Monsieur Court
slandt wlshed. he could accuse you Of
attempting TO shoot him."
Is .It was Rn accident. His sudden ap-
pearance h my apartment frightened
me. Besides, believe woman who
lives comparatively alone has legal
land moral right to protect herself
from such understandable intrusions.
wish him no physical injury, but l
am determined to bC annoyed by him
(. no longer"
The minister's eyes sought Court
landt's face obliquely. Strarge young
man, he thought. From the express
spectator rather than the person most
vitality concerned in this little scene.
Z And what pair they made!
: Monsieur Courtlandt, you will give
Ae your word Of horor not to annoy
MHaemoiselle again?"
4 IN promise never to annoy her
kagain.
~ For the, briefest moment the blazing
Inblue eyes clashed with the calm brown
zones. The latter were first to deviate
to loAose Ma pair OF eyes burRjng
switto this q Of ones SELF PerhGbs
!, mi pi tion was Intensified BY
ooui M, " hfa gaze. II only there,
J, Rp say Mrly inalsdiDio
- .sease.a1tf esalf n re longed
to or out! SShe was l06 Wrathfui to
Iiotice the auickening throb of the
veins on his temples.
q "Mademoiselie, I. find no =. case
against Monsieur Courtlandt, unless
1 you wish to appear against him for his
x0rcible entrance to your apartment"
Nora shook her head. The chief of
3 olice stroked his mustache to hide
Ffhe feeting smile. A peculiar case,
. the like Of which had never before
come under his scrutiny! "Circum-
stantial evidence. we know. points to
him; but we have also an alibi which
1s' incontestable. We must look else
where for your abductors. Think;
have you not some enemy? Is there
no one who might wish you worry
and Inconvenience? Are your asso.
ciates all loyal to you? Is there any
jealousy"
No. none at all, monsieur" quickly
and decidedly.
In my opinion. then, the whole af.
fair rs hoax, perpetrated to vex and
annoy you. The old man who en-
ployei the chauffeur may not have
been old. have looked upon all sides
OF hsrsIair. and it begins to look like
practical joke. mademoiselle."
,<<*Ah" angrily. "And am to have no
redress? Think OF the misery l have
gone through. the suspense! My voice
1s gone. i shall not be able to sing
3 again for months. Is 1t your sugges.
ton that I drop the investigation"
Yes. mademoiselle, for It does not
look as II we could get anywhere with
It II you insist, will hold Monsieur
Courtlandt; but I warn you the magis.
l,trate would not hesitate to dismiss
the case instantly. Monsieur Court
landt arrived in Marseilles Thursday
morning; he reached Paris Friday
moraing. Since arriving in Paris he