Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-07-01

because they fear you was MS an
swer.
why should they fear me-"
But he shrugged his shoulders, and
made a gesture with his hands indica-
tive of utter ignorance.
Il ask you one question Answer
yes or no. Is the man Leithcourt my
enemy?"
The young Italian paused, and then
answered;
He is not your friend. l am quite
well aware of that. l have known
him several years. When we first
met he was poor"
Suddenly became rich-eh?"
Bought a fine house in the country;
lives mostly at the Carlton when he
and his wife and daughter are in
London-although | believe they now
have a house somewhere in the West
end-and he often makes long cruises
in his steam yacht"
"And how did he make his money!"
Again Olinto elevated his shoulders
without replying.
He walked with me as far as the
end of Bishops road, endeavoring with
all the Italians exquisite diplomacy
to obtain from me what l knew con
corning the Leithcourts. But | told
him nothing, nor did l reveal that ]
had only that morning returned from
Scotland. Then at last we parted, and
he retraced his steps to the little res
taurant in Westbourne Grove, while ]
entered a hanson and drove to the
well-known photographers in New
Bond street, whose name had beer
upon the torn photograph of the young
girl in the white pique blouse and hel
hair fastened with a bow of ribbon
the picture that | had found on boart
the Lola on that memorable night IL
the Mediterranean, and a duplicate O
which | had seer in Muriel's cozy LITTLE
room up at Rannoch.
/ recollected that she had told MI
the name of the original was Elm;
Heath, and that she had been a school
fellow of hers at Chichester. There
fore l inquired of the photographer
lady clerk whether she could suppl,
me with a print of the negative.
For a considerable time she searche'
in her books for the name, and at las
discovered it. Then she said:
Il regret, sir, that we can't give 70
a print, for the customer purchase
the negative at the time"
"Ah, I'm very sorry for that" | sale
ITO what address did you send it?
THE customer who ordered it wa
apparently a foreigner" she said, q
the same time turning round the ledge
4 so that | could read, and ! saw tina
A the entry was: "Heath-Miss Elma-
three dozen cabinets and negativ,
Address: Baron Xavier Oberg, Vo
nesenski Prospect 48, st PETERSBURG
Russia"
Who was this Baron Oberg? TIL
name was German undoubtedly, yet
lived in the Russian capital. Fro
London to st. Petersburg is a far CT
yet | resolved if it were necessary
would travel there and investigate.
At the German embassy, in the Cal
ton House Terrace, | found my frien
Captain Nieberding, the second sc
rotary, of whom | inquired wheth
the name of Baron Oberg was know
but having referred to a number
German books in his excellency's
brary, he returned and told me tn
the name did not appear in the lists
the German nobility.
"He may be Russian-Polish, mo
probably" added the captain. Il
opinion was that it was not a Germs
name, for there was a little pla
'g called Oberg, he said, on the railw
between LODI and Lowicz.
"a Next day I ran down to Chichest,
m and after some difficulty found t
Cheverton College for Ladies, a |
all old-fashioned house about half a m
cd out of the town of the Drayton 70;
The seminary was evidently a fiji
"a. class one, for when | entered |
tioed how we'll everything was kept.
we To the principal, an elderly lady
On somewhat severe aspect, / said:
nv 81 regret, madam, to trouble y
th- but | am in search of information
can supply. 1t is with regard tc
at certain Elma Heath whom you had
pupil here, and who left, belle
ed about two years ago. Her pare
lived in Durham. There has been SO
little friction in the family, and I
ac- making inquiries on behalf Of anot
the branch of tan aunt who desires
ascertain the girls whereabouts"
"Ah, I regret, sir, that / cannot
inc you that. The baron, her uncle, ca
here n day and took her away {
it denly-abroad, / think"
in Had she no school friends to WI
she would probably writer"
There was a girl named Leithct
md -Muriel Leithcourt-who was
lso, friend, but who has also left
"And no one else?" l asked, &c
t of often write to each other after
hen ing school, until they get MARI
ice. and then the correspondence usu
rely ceases"
ally The principal vas silent and re
any tive.
well" she said at last, there
ore. another pupil who was also on frie.
terms with Elma--a girl named L
med Moreton. She may have writer
are her. If you really desire to X