The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-04-12
CHAPTER VII.
La Bebee


Yielding to Madame Fantine's
insistence the newcomers turned
toward the entrance to the hotel.
But before she had taSen a dozen
steps Major Stickney halted.
Hold on" he exclaimed. ~'Pve
got to go in a minute. I'll be
back tonight, Mr.. Telfair-but |
want to know something before |
go. Tell me, Peter, and you too,
Madame Famine, did you not
come from France to Gallipolis in
1902"
The Bondies stopped short.
But yes, Monsieur" Peter Bond
| lie cried. But yes."
Stickney nodded. what |
wanted to ask whether a gentle
man, NJ. Delaroche Telfair, was
on your ship"
You know NJ. Delaroche?"
Madame Fantine's eyes grew big.
But yes, monsieur, he was on
the ship. And he was with us
before. Is it not so, Pierre?"
Peter Bondie nodded. I'VE
have come with M. Delaroche Tel
fair to America. All, But he
was the great man. When he
married Mademoiselle Delawar
in Marietta, Famine go to her as
maid. Later she nurse la bebee
And then Madame Telfair die,
and NJ. Delaroche take la bebee
and he go away into the woods
and ! see MIN never again. But
hear that he is dead and that
la heehe grows up with the Indi-
ans"
she did" Major Stickney
struck in. Now sine Las iisap-
peared. Mr.. Telfair here has
come TO Ohio to find her."
The French woman's beady
eyes jumped to Jacks face.
This monsieur" she asped. is
he of the family Telfair?"
Yes, of the American branch.
His people have lived in Alabama
for 100 years."
And he seeks the Lady Es-
teller"
Stickned nodded impatiently.
Yes. OF course" he reiterated.
The old Count Telfair is dead
and his estates all belong to the
daughter of NJ. Delaroche. The
title descends to the English
branch, to Mr.. Brito Telfair-"
m. Brito!" Famine and Pierre
looked at each other. "Ah! that
is what brings him to Canada"
they cried, together.
You knew that he was in Can
ada?" it was Jack who asked the
question.
Famine answered. But, yes,
monsieur" she said. I'VE have
friends at Maiden that send us
word. | know not then why he
come, but now it is very clear.
lie want to marry the Lady Es-
telle and get her property to pay
his debts. All, I know his house.
NJ. Delaroche has hated it al
ways"
He warned Tecumseh against
him before he died, and when
Brito turned up Tecumseh sent a
messenger to me asking me to
come and take charge of her. |
came on at once, but the girl had
disappeared"
And you can not find herr"
Fantine's bright eyes were dart
Ing from Jacks face to Alagwa's
and back again. you have
search--and you can not find
herr"
We'll! l haven't searched very
much!' Jack laughed ruefully. 81
haven't been able" He went on
and told of his adventures with
Williams.
Famine listened in seeming
amazement, with m2ny exclama.
lions and shrugs of her mighty
shoulders. Alagwa listened with
swimming brain. She was sure
sure, that this fiendishly clever
French woman had penetrated
herat glance and that she had
almost as swiftly guessed her
identity with the missing girl.
Suddenly she remember that
this woman had been her nurse
when she was small. II Famine
kept silence till she could speak
to her alone she would throw
herself on her mercy, tell her all
that she had not already guess
ed and hog for eiiapoa Oh ,