The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1915-09-04

faithful to me. you ought At least b
tell me the reason they wished to xii
me in secret"
Because they fear you" was his an
swer
why should they fear me?"
But he shrugged his shoulders, an
made q gesture with his hands indica
tive of utter ignorance.
Il ask you one question. Answe
yes or no. Is the man Leithcourt m.
enemy?"
The young Italian paused. and thel
answered:
HE is not your friend am quit,
well aware Of that. / have know
him several years. When We frs
met he was poor"
Suddenly became rich-eh?"
Bought fine house in the country
lives mostly at the Carlton when h,
and his wife and daughter are II
London-although I believe they nov
have house somewhere in the Yves
end-and he often makes long cruises
In his steam yacht"
And how did he make his money? ?
Again Olinto elevated his shoulder
without replying.
He walked with me as far as the
end of Bishops road. endeavoring will
all the Italians exquisite diplomacy
to obtain from me what knew con
corning the Leithcourts. But I told
him nothing, nor did | 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 hanson and drove to the
well-known photographers in New
Bond street, whose name had been
upon the torn photograph OF the young
girl in the white pique blouse and her
hair fastened with q bow of ribbon
the picture that I had found on board
the Lola on that memorable night In
the Mediterranean, and a duplicate OF
which had seen in Muriels coy little
room up at Rannoch.
/ recollected that she had told me
the name of the original was Elma
Heath, and that she had been a school
fellow of hers at Chichester. There
fore ! inquired Of the photographer
lady clerk whether she could supply
me with a print Of the negative.
For considerable time she searched
In her books for the name, and at last
discovered 1t. Then she said:
Il regret, sir. that We can't give you
q print. for the customer purchased
the negative at the time"
"Ah. I'm very sorry for that" said.
TO what address did you send it,"
THE customer who ordered 1t was
apparently a foreigner" she said. at
the same time turning round the ledger
SO that l could read. and l saw that
the entry was: "Heath-Miss Elma-
three dozen cabinets and negative.
Address: Baron Xavier Oberg, vos-
nesenski Prospect 4s. st Petersburg.
Russia"
Who was this Baron Oberg? The
name was German undoubtedly, yet he
lived In the Russian capital. From
London to ST. Petersburg is a far cry,
yet l resolved II it were necessary
would travel there and investigate.
At the German embassy, in the Carl
ton House Terrace, found my friend,
Captain Nieberding, the second Sec
rotary, Of whom l inquired whether
the name of Baron Oberg was known,
but having referred to a number Of
German books in his excellency's H.
brary, he returned and told me that
the name did not appear in the lists of
the German nobility.
HE may be Russian-Polish, most
probably" added the captain. His
opinion was that II was not a German
name, for there was q little place
called Oberg, he said, on the railway
between Lodz and Lowicz.
Next day l ran down to Chichester,
and after some difficulty found the
Cheverton College for Ladies, a big
old-fashioned house about half a mile
out of the town of the Drayton road.
The seminary was evidently q first
class one. for when l entered I no
ticed how well everything was kept
To the principal, an elderly lady Of
somewhat severe aspect, / said:
Il regret. madam, to trouble you,
but l am In search Of information you
can supply. It is with regard to q
certain Elma Heath whom you had an
pupil here, and who left, l believe,
about two years ago. Her parents
lived In Durham. There has been some
little friction In the family. and / am
making inquiries on behalf of another
branch Of tan aunt who desires to
ascertain the girls whereabouts"
"Ah, I regret, sir, that l cannot tell
you that The baron, her uncle, came
here one day and took her away sud-
denly-abroad, think"
Had she no school friends to whom
she would probabl..- writer"
There was a girl named Leithcourt
-Muriel Leithcourt-who was her
friend, but who has also left"