The Bienville Democrat. [volume] (Arcadia, Bienville Parish, La.) 1912-1980, 1921-05-12

IN IL, 1 Stid. but tHe tHifikthS pdit
is all right. Have you heard any
thing from Mr.. Norcross YETI"
"NOt a word. We have been hop.
ing that you could tell us something
when you should recover sufficiently |
to talk. Can't you, Jimmie?"
Remembering what Maisie Ann had |
told me just before went off the
hooks, I thought l might tell her a
lot if l dared to. But that wouldn't
do. SO | just said:
81 told Maisie Ann all l knew about
Mr.. NOrcrOSs. He left the office some
little time before | did-with Mr.. Rip
ley. | didn't know where they were
going
They went to the hotel" she helped
out. "Mr. Ripley says they sat In the
lobby until after ten o'clock, and then
Mr.. Norcross went up to his rooms"
OF course, I knew that Mr.. Ripley
knew all about the Hatch ruction;
but if he hadn't told her, / wasn't 60
ing to tell her.
There was some trouble in con-
nection with Mr.. Hatch that evening,
wasn't there?" she asked.
Hatch had some trouble-yes. But
I guess the boss didn't have any," |
replied.
"Tell me about It," she commanded;
and | told her just as little as could;
how Hatch had had an interview with
the boss earlier in the evening, while
l was away.
1T wasn't a quarrel?' she suggested.
"Why should they quarrel" |
asked.
She shook her head. "YOu are spar
ring with me, Jimmie, in some mis-
taken idea of being loyal to Mr.. Nor
cross. You needn't, you know. Mr..
NorcrOss has told me all about his
plans; he has even been generous
enough to say that helped him make
them. That is why cannot under
stand why he should do as he has
done-or at least as everybody be-
lieves he has done"
| saw how 1t was. She was trying
to find some explanation that would
clear the boss and perhaps implicate
the Hatch crowd. I couldn't tell her
the real reason why he had run away
Maise Ann, had been right as right
about that; we must keep it to oul
two selves. But l tried to let hel
down easy.
"Mr. Van Britt has told you about
those two kilograms that came aftel
Mr.. Norcross left the office" said
still covering up the fact that the tele
grams hadn't been delivered-that the!
were probably in the pocket Of m!
coat right now, wherever that was
"They were enough to make any maj
throw up his hands and quit, l SHOULD
, say"
"No," she insisted, looking M
straight in the eyes. "You are no
, telling the truth now, Jimmie. Yo'
know Mr.. Norcross better than an
of us, and you know that 1t isn't tn
least little bit like him to walk on
and leave everything to go to wreck
Have you ever known Of his doln
anything like that before?'
+ l had to admit that I hadn't; thai
on the other hand, it was the yer
thing you'd least expect him to d(
a But at the same time l had to han
: on to my sham belief that it was tn
y thing he had done: either that, Q
tell her the truth.
= Every man reaches his limit, som
q time" l protested. "What was M
a Norcross to do, I'd like to know; wit
Mr.. Chadwick getting scared out, an
Mr. Dunton threatening to fire him.
"The thing he wouldn't do woul
be to 60 off and leave all Of h
- friends, Mr.. Van Britt and Mr. no
. mack, and all the rest, to fight 1t OF
y. alone. You know that as well as
~ ~ do, Jimmie Dodds"
10 IF you won't take my theory, yc
u must have one of your own'"1 sale
IL not knowing what else to say.
~ 81 have" she flashed back, ar
'e want you to hurry and get we'll
y that you can help me trace 1t out"
Me" l queried.
K "Yes, you. The others are all
10 stupid! even Mr.. Van Britt and NJ
IL Il, Ripley. They insist that Mr.. Norcro
III went east to see and talk with NJ