Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1914-08-28

ofY."
II was about to ask you to dine with
me tonight" disappointedly-
Cant; awfully sorry, Abby. II was
only luck that l met you in the Lux
embourg. Be over about seven.
was very glad to see you again"
Abbott kicked a broken easel into
a corner. "All right. II anything
turns up I'll let you know. You're at
the Grand?"
Eyes. By-by."
~ know what's the matter with
him." unused the artist, alone. Some
woman has chucked him. Silly little
fool, probably"
Courtlandt went down stairs and out
into the boulevard. Frankly, be was
beginning to feel concerned. He still
held to his original opinion that the
diva had disappeared of her own free
will: but If the machinery OF the po-
lice had been started, he realized that
his own safety would eventually be-
come involved. BY this time. he rea-
soned, there would not be hotel in
Paris free of surveillance. Naturally,
blond strangers would be in demand
The complica tons 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-
vention; 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"
ions; and to avoid this simplest of
declarations she would prefer silence
above all things. They knew each 9th.
er tolerably well.
It 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 q
very real service.
II did not expect you to the min
ute." the great man said pleasantly.
You will not mind waiting for few
minutes"
mot In the least. Only, I'm in a
deuce of mess" frankly and directly.
'Innocently enough. I've stuck my
head into the police net"
rs 1t possible that now / can pay
my debt to you?"
Such as 1t Is. Have you read the
article in the newspapers regarding
the disappearance Of Signorina da Tos-
cana, the singer?"
Yes"
II am the unknown blond. Tomor-
row morning I want you to go with me
to the prefecture and state that / was
with you all of Saturday and Sunday:
chat on Monday you and your wife
dined with me, that yesterday we went
to the aviation meet, and later to the
Odeon."
I'm 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 it is really necessary
if am to be of service to you"
ION my word as gentleman"
THAT is sufficient"
I'm fact, l do not believe that she
has been abducted at all. Will 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 read?"
Eyes," modify.
The Frenchman read. Courtlandt
watched him anxiously. There was
not even flicker OF surprise in the
official eye. Calmly he ripped off the
sheet and tore it into bits, distribut
ing the pieces into the various waste
baskets yawning about his long fiat
desk. Next, still avoiding the younger
mans eye, he arranged his papers
neatly and locked them up in huge
safe which only the artillery or the
German army could have forced. He
then called for his hat and stick. He
beckoned to Courtlandt to follow. Not
a word was said until the car was
humming on the road to Vincennes.
"Well?" said Courtlandt, finally. Il
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 If you were arrested tonight II
would cause you some inconvenience
am f1fty-six, some twenty years your
senior. Under this hat of mine carr,
thousand secrets, and every one Of
these thousand must go to the grave
with me, yours along with them.
have met you a dozen times since
those Algerian days, and never have
| you failed to afford me some amuse
ment or excitement. You are the mos
interesting and entertaining youne
man l know. Try one Of these cigars.