The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1920-12-23

minute. Then, because she believed
that there might be more to be told,
and because she was big-hearted and
interested in every ones troubles, she
urged him to accompany her to a
nearby restaurant and pour out his
heart while she supped. Lonely and
disheartened, Valois accepted gladly
and within half an hour they were
seated at tiny table I'm an italian
cafe.
"About your dischargeT' she queried
after time,
Il wns not even asked to accompany
Mr.. Frederick's body" he burst out,
even though had been with him a
year. SO : stayed in the apartment
to straighten things, expecting to be
retained in John Cavendish's service.
1 even did the work in his apartments,
but when he returned and saw me
there he seemed to lose his temper,
wanted to know why was hanging
around, and ordered me out Of the
place. Flung money at me, he did,
told me to get out, that he never
wanted to see me again. Since then
1 have tried for three weeks to find
|
While she gave him a word Of SYM
pathy, Miss Donovan was busily think
Ing. She remembered Willis remark
in the apartments, "Are you sure of
the dead mans identity2 His face
is badly mutilated, you know;" and
her alert mind sensed a possibility of
q newspaper story back Of young
Cavendish's unwarranted and strange
act.
"Mr. Valois," she said kindly,
would you mind If l asked you q
question or two more2"
"No," the'man returned.
"All right. First, what sort Of O
man was your MASTERY"
ValOis answered almost with rever-
ence:
"a nice, quiet gentleman. A man
that liked outdoors and outdoor sports.
Best Of all, he liked to spend his
evenings at home reading"
"Not much like his cousin John,"
she ventured with narrowing eyes.
"No, ma'am, God be praisedi
There's young fool for you, miss,
crazy for the women and his drink
ing"
! 81 understand that he was dependent
| upon Frederick Cavendish."
'He was, miss" valois said disgust
edly, 'for every cent"
''Did they ever quarrel2"
| II never heard them. But I do
know there was no love lost between
was always broke"
|
Miss Donovan suggested, "and they
keep men up late, too"
| Valois laughed lightly. "John only
came home to sleep occasionally" he
said; "and as for the women-one Of
them called on him the day after Mr..
Frederick was killed One Of those
tall blondes with reddish tinge in
her hair. He likes that kind"
Miss Donovan started imperceptibly.
| This was interesting; q woman in
John Cavendish's apartment the day
after his Cousins murder! But who
was she? There were a million car
rot-blondes in Manhattan. Still, the
woman must have had some distin-
gushing mark; her hat, perhaps, or
her Jewels.
did the woman wear any dia-
monds?' she asked.
"No diamonds" valois returned;
"a ruby, though. A ruby set in big
platinum ring. I saw her hand upon
the knob"
Miss DOnOvOn's blood raced fast.
She knew that woman. 1t was Celeste
In Rue. From what Miss Donovan
knew of Miss La Rue, she did not
ordinarily seek men; therefore there
must have been a grave reason for
her presence In John Cayendishs
apartments Immediately after she
learned Of Fredericks death. A thou
sand speculations entered Miss Dono-
vans mind.
How long was she in the apart.
ment?" she demanded sharply.
"Fifteen or twenty minutes, miss
until after the mailman came back"
"Have you told any one else what
you have told me?"
"Only Josette. She's my fiancee.
Miss La Baum is her last name. She
questioned me about losing my job,
and her questions brought things into
my mind that l might never have
thought OF otherwise. And at last I
came to believe that 1t wasn't Mr..
Frederick who was dead at ALL"
Miss Donovan's eyes dilated with
eagerness and amaZement.
"Not Frederick Cavendishl Mr..
ValoiS, tell me-why?"
The others voice fell to whisper.
'Frederick Cavendish, MISS" he said
hollowly, had a scar on his chest
from football he once told me-and
the man we laid out, well, his body was
bit burned, but had no scar on his
chest"
Miss Donovan sprang suddenly to
her feet.
MIR. Valois," she said breathlessly,
you come and tell that story to my
city editor, and he'll see that you get