The Jasper news., 1920-02-12
AAPTER xvl.-contlnued.

!, peatlng II till he goes, for won't see
\ him?S Bgt, GeOrge"-thls ! said stern
l-"lfSSsou bring that man up-after
what. tYe;$aid to you-you needn't
saLse01d td6th to me next Sunday"
GAdfae 1pAerstood2 the alluslon--I
always give aim a quarter on Sunday
morfihg Nheh he brings the paper up.
He grfnhed And departed.
= ~Ne%T.FhSt new dodge is thlsf" l
cogitated, carrying the paper to my
study and examining II in the light.
The wfftings was distinctly foreign
French or German In the "r's." The
'mademoiseIle" also suggested for
eigner.
The bell rang. sat down. The bell
rang again. put my feet on has
sock, turned up my nose slightly,
smiled and sat still. The door was
pounded-not furiously, but with evil
dent Northumberland the bell rang
agnin.
At this thought I'd better show a
sign of life, so | went and called
through without opening.
"Stop that noisel" commanded an
grily. Noise stopped.
Both persons waited for the other
to say something. As the opposite
side didn't called through again.
"Who is it?"
"Pollce detective"
The words were Kissed through in
stage whisper, and | noticed a for
eign accent on "pollce." thought l
might as well look at him., anyway
which I did through the crack without
removing the chain-bolt. saw
rather short, very slight man-pongee
colored, to be accurate-with an intel
lgent. honest-looking face. but very
common clothes-cheap ready-made
Overcoat and hat. Yet the man had
very much Of an air about him.
"Wellf" said In as unwelcomIng a
tone as could.
II wished to see you about Made
moiselle de Ravenol-the young lady
who crossed In the steamer with you"
"Well2" said l.
"She has disappeared"
"Well2" And this last from me left
him quite in the air, as | saw by his
frOwn, However, he made q fresh
start:
"Mademoiselle de Ravenol crossed
In the same steamer with you about
two weeks ago, did she not7"
"She may have"
"Her name is on the passenger list
with yours-I have the list here"-he
produced some papers. but apparently
did not find that he had the list, and
with a gesture of impatlence appealed
to mel am correct, am | not-she
crossed with you on the same
steamerT
what have TO do with that2"
asked curtly, wondering what he was
driving at; for of course knew Claire
hadn't disappeared since last night,
and II she had he wouldn't be asking
me about the steamer. Dozens Of
people crossed on the same steamer
with me-"
Naturally" he admitted, trying to
be pleasant. "But this MademoIselle
de Ravenol-she crossed In your care,
did she not2"
"She did not"
"She did not2" he asked In a sur
prlsed sort of way. as II he thought !
was lying. "In whose. then, may |
ask2"
merely shrugged, as though to tell
him, "Find out for yourself" Seeing
II he did not pursue that line but
tried this: "You saw a good deal OF
her on the steamer did you not
talked with her frequently"
ignored this last and told him
but ! have no information to give
you'll Nothing at all She did NOT
come over with mel had no charge
OF ber-nO responsibility for her &C
tiOns on board the steamer, or for her
being met or not met or anything
else"
Certainly. understand" He
gave the door a little push as a hint
to me. "But do you not see that you
might furnish me with valuable
cluef" He gave the door a harder
push, and as II clicked on the chain,
bolt he repeated, "If you allow me tC
enter that we may discuss this In prI.
Vate-"
thought ! saw myself letting q
strange man enter with all those Cia.
monds loose In box with pens And
at the thought Of them ] saw that this
might be only another plot OF mon.
sieur'sl
looked at him In a way that made
him think l was considering my re
Aponsihilifisa. and then asked as caS