The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1919-08-22

for"-I hesitated again "a two
weeks Journey"
Bermuda or Niagara Falls?" asked
the young IN
II beg your pardonT" / inquired, con-
scious that my face was insufferably
hot.
IF you are taking madame to Der
muda she will naturally require cooler
clothing than If you, are taking her TO
Niagara Falls" the young woman ex-
planned, looking at me with benevolent
patience. And seeing that / was wholly
Disconnected, she added:
Perhaps madame might prefer to
make her own selection"
AS l stood in the center Of the store,
apparently a stumbling block to every
shopper, J%acqueline fitted here and
there, until a comfortable assortment
Of parcels was accumulated upon the
counter.
! bought a neat ~sole-leather suit
case, which, at J%acqueline's practical
suggestion, was changed for a lighter
one Of plated straw.
1t was while Jacqueline was exam
lining the suitcases that my attention
was drawn to a tall, elderly man with
a hard, drawn and deeply lined
weather-beaten face and wearing a
massive fur %overcoat, open in front,
who was standing in the division be
tween the trunk department and that
adjoining It, Immediately behind
~Jacqueline. He was looking at me
with an ~unmistakable glance of rec
ignition.
l knew that l had seen him several
times before, but, though his features
were familiar, 1 had forgotten his
name. / 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 I
had his name on my lips.
1t was Simon Leroux.
"Diable! So you've got her!" he
began In a hoarse. forcible whisper.
Where did you pick her up7"
/ made no answer, but waited for
him to lead again-and / 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 " dreamed you knew
anything. You know what happened
last night"
1T was an unfortunate affair" I
said %guardedly.
unfortunate! he repeated, staring
at me out Of his bloodshot eyco. 1T
was the devil, by - Who was hep
His face was fiery red. and he cast
so keen a look at me that I almost
thought he had discovered he was be-
traying himself.
1T was lucky I was in New York
when Louis wired us she had flown"
he continued-I omit the oaths which
punctuated his phrases. Lucky I 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. I put them on the
track. I guessed she'd 60 to Days
old Duchaine was mad about that
crazy system Of his, and had beer
writing to hims
II tell you 1t was ticklish. There
was millions Of dollars worth Of prop
erty walking up Broadway. and they'd
got her, with a taxi waiting near by,
when that DEVILS fool strolls up and
draws a crowd. II 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 neve came out. l
thought her a good girl-it's awful!
who was he? Say, how much do you
known"
His face was dripping with sweat,
and he shot an awful look at Jacque-
line as she bent over the suitcase. I
could hardly keep my hands of him,
but Jacqueline's need was too great
for me to give vent to my passion.