The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-10-10

tutng another singer.
Call up the Herald" suggested
Courtlandt.
Abbott did so. And he had to an
swer innumerable questions, questions
which worked him into a fine rage:
who was he, where did he live, what
did he know, how long had he been in
Paris, and could he prove that he had
arrived that morning? Abbott wanted
10 hing the receiver into the mouth of
the transmitter, but his patience was
presently rewarded. The singer had
not yet been found, but the chauffeur
OF the mysterious car had turned I'D
In a hospital, and perhaps by
night they would know everything.
The chauffeur had had bad accident:
the car itself was a total wreck, In a
ditch, not far from Versailles.
"There!" cried Abbott, slamming
the receiver on the hook. What do
you say to that?"
The chauffeur may have left her
somewhere, got drunk afterward, and
plunged into the ditch. Things have
happened like that. Abby, don't make
camels hair shirt out of your paint
brushes. What a pother about a sing
er! II it had been great inventor, a
poet, an artist, there would have been
nothing more than a two-line para,
graph. But an opera singer, one who
entertains US during our idle eve
nings-ha! that's a different matter
Set instantly that great municipal ma
chinery called the police in action;
sell extra editions on the streets.
What ado!"
What the devil makes you so bit
ter?"
WAS l bitter? l thought was
philosophizing." Courtlandt consulted
his watch. Half after four. Come
over to the Maurice and dine with me
tomorrow night, that is, if you do not
find your prima donna. I've an en-
gagement at five-thirty, and must be
off,"
Il was about to ask you to dine with
me tonight" disappointedly.
Cant; awfully sorry, Abby. 1t was
only luck that l met you in the Lux
Be over about seven. ] i
was very glad to see you again"
Abbott kicked broken easel into
4 corner. "All right. If anything
urns up I'll let you know. You're at
he Grand?"
Yes. By-by."
Il know what's the matter with |
him." unused the artist, alone Some
has chucked him. Silly little
COL, probably"
Courtlandt went down stairs and out
nto the boulevard Frankly, he was
BEGINNING to feel concerned. He still
leld to his original opinion that the
Iva had disappeared of her own free
will; but if the machinery of the 20
ice had been started, he realized that
is own safety would eventually be-
ONE involved. By this time, he rea-
oned, there would not be a hotel in
'aris free of surveillance Naturally,
lond strangers would be in demand.
he complications that would follow
is own arrest were not to be ignored.
lie agreed with his conscience that he
ad not acted with dignity in forcing
is way into her apartment. But that
light he had been at odds with con-
ention; his spirit had been that of
le marauding old Dutchman of the
etenteenth century. He perfectly
ell knew that she was in the right as
If as the pistol-shot was concerned
urther, he knew that he could quash
ny charge she might make in that di- [
ection by the simplest of declara-
ons; and to avoid this simplest of
eclarations she would prefer silence
Dove all things. They knew each 9th.
: tolerably WELL {
1t was extremely fortunate that he '
Id not been to the hotel since Satur- |
~. He went directly to the war Of s
,e. The great and powerful man a
ere was the only hope left They t
I'd met some years before in Algiers, v
here Courtlandt had rendered him a b
ry real service t
II did not expect you to the min. y
e." the great man said pleasantly. n
'ou will not mind waiting for a few IL
lnutes." n
Not in the least. Only, I'm in
uce of mess" frankly and directly.
nnocently enough, I've stuck my s.
ad into the police net" Il