Charlevoix county herald., 1919-06-06

fOuOWeu TIC ! all wan.
adjoining 1t, Immediately behind
Jacquelne He was looking at me
with an unmistakable glance of rec
ignition.
knew that | had seen him several
times before, but, though his features
were familiar ! had forgotten his
name. I stared at him and he stared
back at me, and made an urgent sign
to me.
Keeping an eye on Jacqueline and
not losing sight of her at any time,
| followed the tall man. AS | neared
him my remembrance of him grew
stronger. When he turned round
had his name on my lips.
II was Simon Leroux.
"Diable! So you've got her" he
! began In a hoarse, forcble whisper.
'Where did you pick her up?"
l made no answer, but waited for
him to lead again-and l was thinking
! hard.
There's the devil to pay!" he went
on In his execrable accent. Louis
came on pOst-haste, as you know, and
he hasn't turned up this morning yet.
All, mon Dieu, | always knew Tom was
/ close but l never dreamed you knew
anything. You know what happened
last night?
at was an unfortunate affair.""
said guardedly.
unfortunate !" he repeated, staring
at me out Of his bloodshot eyes. ut
was the devil, by =! Who was he?"
His face was fiery red, and he cast
so keen look at me that | almost
thought he had discovered he was be-
trayng himself.
ut was lucky ! was in New York
when Louis wired us she had flown"
he continued omit the oaths which
punctuated his phrases. Lucky / had
my men with me, too. / didn't think
I'd need them here, but I'd promised
them a trip to New York-and then
come Louis wire put them on the
track. | guessed she'd go to Days
old Duchaine was mad about that
crazy system of his, and had been
writing 10 him.
81 tell you it was ticklish. There
was millions of dollars worth of prop
erty walking up Broadway, and they'd
got her. with taxi waiting near by,
when that DEVILS fool strolls up and
draws a crowd. If I'd been there I'd
have"
A string of vile explosives followed
his last remark.
"They got on his track again and
followed them to the Merrimac," he
continued. "And they never came out.
They waited all night till nine this
morning, and they never came out.
thought her good girl-it's awful
Who was he? Say, how much do you
know"
His face was dripping with sweat,
and he shot an awful look at Jacque-
line as she bent over the suitcase.
could hardly keep my hands off him,
but Jacqueline's need was too great
for me to give vent to my passion.
/ remembered now that, after send
ing Jacqueline to the clerks desk
alone, she had gone to side entrance
and l had joined her there and left
the hotel with her i'm that fashion.
d | gathered from what he had said
that the possession of Jacqueline was
vitality important both to LerOux and
to Tom Carson and that they had en-
deavored to kidnap her and hold her
till the man Louis arrived to advise
them.
"How much do you known" Kissed
Simon at me.
"Leroux," | said, I'm not going TO
tell you anything. You will remember
that / was employed by Mr. Carson"
"By - he swore, "aint | as
good as Carson? What are you going
to do with herr"
"You'd better go back to the office
and wait, unless you want to spoil the
; game by letting her see you" / said.
| 81 don't know whether Toms run
ming straight or not" he said huskily (;
"but let me tell you, young man, it'll
pay you to keep in with me, and IL
you've got any price name itl'
He shook his heavy fist over mel
believe the clerks thought he was GO
ing to strike me, for they came hur-
rying toward us. But l saw Jacque-
line approaching, and, without another
word, Leroux turned away.
| Jacqueline caught sight Of his re-
treating figure and her eyes wldened.
/ | thought | saw shadow of fear In
them. Then the memory was effaced
and she was smiling again.
| I instructed the store to call mes
senger and have the suitcase taken at
once to the baggage room In the Grand
Central station.
"Now Jacquellne, I'm going TO take
! you to lunch" said. "And afterward