Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-12-08

indebted to him, and had driven back
VITA them. An unabashed in
tru'ler, that fellow! He ought to have
a lesson
bis air of unwelcome deepened, II
possible, as Billy helped himself to
chair, drew 1t confidentially close to
him and cast careful glance about
the veranda.
-. don't want anyone to hear this"
he explained.
Falconer smiled synically He had
met confidential young Americans
before. There WAS nothing they could
sell him.
Its about Miss Beecher." Billy
looked uncomfortable. He hesitated,
blushcd boyishly thru his tan. and
blurted, There's something mighty
| queer about that departure of hers
yesterday"
| '.Ah!"
Il don't feel right about it. .
It's deuccd queer She isn't in Alex
! andria."
| "Ah."
/, If you say All again, hope you
choke said Billy Violently to him.
self. Aloud he continued, II wired to
ths tShedivial and to all the other
| hoiels--there are just few-and she
isn't registered thcre. and the May
nal'ds are not, either"
/ Possibly staying with friends"
said Falconer indlfserontly He re-
Sl'ded his paper.
! Very few Americans have friends
! in Alexandria. However, that might
be SO. But no ship has arrived from
| the Continent for three days, and it
seems mighty odd, Il they were there
three days ago, for them to have
wired ut the last minute and had her
tesl off like that"
| Il do not pretend to account for
! your compatriots," said the sandy
haired young man
| Billy looked at him minute.
There's no use in your being dis
agreeable" he remarked IL didn't
thrust myself upon YOU because
| was attracted to you, at all. But I
thought you We're a sensible, mascu-
line human being who was interest
| ed in Miss BecCher'S whereabouts
Il beg your pardon" said the other
Young man. 81 ami mean / am in
telested-if you think there is any
your point"
Well, now. see if you can see
this. I wired the consul there and
some other fellow at the port, and
they wired back that no people of
the name of Maynards have arrived
! on any of the boats for the past two
weeks--that was as far back as they
locked up. Now that's queer"
He could be mistaken-or they
could have bought some one else's
accomm Jdations-and that would ac-
count for the hastiness OF their
plans" Falconer argued.
but what train did she go on?"
What train? Why, the express for
Alexandria"
THAT left at eighty thirty. Now
why in the world would she rush
away in the middle OF the afternoon.
sending a telegram from the station
and leaving her packing undone, for
an eight-thirty train?''
why IL really can't say, She
may have had errands-''
Where did she have her dinner?
Did she dine with friends at some of
the hotels? What friends has she
here?"
II really can't say to that, either.
[ wasn't aware that she had any"
And where did she send that
telegram from? There isn't a copy of
any such telegram at the offices I've
been to--at Cooks or the station. 1t
might have been written on teIe-
graph blank and sent up by mcssen-
ger with the money--but why not
come herself, with all that time on
her hands? And nobody remembers
selling her any ticket Alexandria
and you know anybody would re-
member selling anything to girl
like that"
f'alconer was silent.
and nobody ct Cooks paid out
any money on her letter of credit
or cashed any express checks for her
Where did that money come from
that was sent back to the hotel?"
But what is the point of all thiso"
THAT'S what l just particularly
don't know. But it needs looking
into"
F'alconer favored him with level
scrutiny. How long have you know n
Miss Beecher?"
Il met her the night before last