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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 5, 1906)
V I 41 u ' i I -. It wfrwwjVM qft.wwpuwwwywwww. Ho Had ay Ca se jgWtWlw ' htrV' (C NTII! L'EU.) ni.M'TKit xii r. Mil. OKA HAM'S congratulations next morning quite' Over whelmed IIU. "1 never expected such com plete mid speedy success, Mr. Lester," lie said warmly. "You've done splen did work." I pointed out to him tlmt, nfter nil, my success was purely the result of ac cident. Had I been really clever I should have instantly suspected what that sudden seizure on the station plat form meant. I should have hurried iick to the scene and followed Mar-ilgny-as 1 still called him in my -tbonghts-to the hospital on the chance of securing his Hrst address. Instead of which, If chance had not befriended me. I should have been as far as ever from a solution of the mystery. I trembled to think upon what a slender thread my victory had hung. , But my chief would not listen. He declared that a man must be Judged by JjIb achievements and that he Judged tfne by mine. "Let us And out how our friend Is," I said at last, so the hospital was called up. We wore Informed that the pa tient was stronger, but would not be able to leave his bed for two or three days. "The .Tourdalns may tell him of my call," I said. "They'll suspect some thing when I don't return today, yet they may wait for me a day or two lon gerthey have my money and one day Is all I want. It's Just posslblo that they may keep silent altogether. They have nothing to gain by speaking it's plain that they're not in the conspiracy. Anyway, tomorrow I'll be out of reach." Air. Graham nodded. "Yes that's plainly the next step. You must follow them to France but tvhere In I'r-nce will you look for th'u? I didn't think of that before. Why, the search is just beginning! I thought it Impossible to accomplish what you have accomplished, but that deems easy now beside this new prob lem." "Yes," I assented. "Still it may not be so hard as It looks. We must try to find out where the women have 0iie, and I believe Rogers can help us. My theory is that they're from ouo of the towns which the Holladays visited when they were abroad, and Mr. Hol laday must have kept in touch with his oillce, more or less, during that time." My chief sprang up and seized his hat. " "The very thing!" he cried. "There's no luck about that bit of reasoning, Mr. Lester. Come, I'll go with you." "Only," I added as we went down to gether, "I very much fear that tho search will lead to Paris, for Martigny Is undoubtedly a Parisian." "And to llnd a person In Paris" I did not answer. I only shut my teeth together and told myself for tho hundredth time that I must not fail. Itogers had been carrying on the routine wjrk of the business since his employer's death and was supervising the settlement of accounts and the thousand and one details which must be attended to before the business ' could be closed up. We found him In ' the private oillce and stated our errand j without delay. "Yes." he said, "Mr. Holladay kept in touch with the oillce, of course. Let me see What was the date?" "Let us look for the first six months of 1870," I suggested. I He got down the ille covering that period and ran through the letters. "Yes, here they are," he said after a moment. "In January, he writes from Nice, where they seem to have re mained during February and March. About Uie middle of April they started north here's a letter dated Paris, April 1! ami from Paris they went to a place called Ktretat. They remained there through May, Juno and July. That Is all the tune covered by this I ille. Shall I get another?" "No," I answered, "but I wish you'd make an abstract of Mr. Holiaday's whereabouts during the whole time he was abroad and send it to our offlco' not later than this afternoon." "Very well, sir," he said, and wo left the room, i "But why didn't you let him go far-1 ther?" asked Mr. Graham as we left the building. "Because I thluk I've found the place, sir," I answered. "Did you notice tho time they stayed at Etre tat covers the period of Miss Holla day's birth, with which, I'm convinced, these people wero in some way con cerned. We must look up Etretat" A map tt the offlco bowid u that A Mystery Of Two Continents Dy BURTON E. STEVENSON Copyright. 1903, by Henry Holt and Company I I It was a little Ashing hamlet and sea side resort on the shore of tho English channel not far north of Havre. "My theory Is," I said, "that when the time of her confinement approach ed Mr. Holladay brought his wife to Paris to secure the services of an ex perlenced physician perhaps, or per naps a nurse or linen, or ull of them. That done, they proceeded to Etretat, which they may have visited before and knew for n quiet place with a bracing atmosphere ami good ollmnte Just such n place as they would nat urally desire. Here Uie daughter was born, and here, 1 am convinced, we shall find tho key to the mystery, though I'm very far from guessing whnt that key Is. But I have a premo nitionyou may smile If you wish that I'll find the clew I'm seeking nt Etretat The name has somehow struck on answering chord in me." The wordB, as I recnll them now, seem more than a Httlo foolish and A map showed us that tt was on the hhorc of tho English channel. self assured; yet, in light of the result well, at any rate, my chief showed no disposition to smile, but sat for some moments in deep thought. "I don't doubt that you're right, Mr. Lester," ho said at last. "At any rate I'm ready to trust your experience, since I have absolutely none In this kind of work. I don't need to say tlmt I have every confidence in you. I'll have a letter of credit prepared at once, so that you may not want for money. Shall we say live thousand to start with?" I stammered that I was certain that would be more than enough, but he silenced me with a gesture. "You'll find foreign travel more ex pensive than you think." he said. "It may be. too, that you'll llnd that money will help you materially with your in vestigations. I want you to have all you may need don't spare it. When you need more don't hesitate to draw on us." I thanked him and was about to take my leave, for I had some packing to do and some private business to nr rangA when a message came from Dr. Jenkliison. Mr. Graham smiled aH he read It. "Hoyce Is Letter," lie said; "much better. lie's asking for you, and Jen kinson seems to think you'd better go to him, especially If you can bring good news," "Just the thing!" I cried. "I must go to bid him goodby, In any event." And half an hour later I was admitted to our Junior's room. lie was lying back in a big chair and seemed pale and weak, but he Hushed up when he saw me and held out his hand eagerly. "I couldn't wait any longer, Lester," he began, "It seems nn age since I've seen you. I'd have sent for you be fore this, but I knew that you were working." "Yes," I smiled; "I was working." "Sit down and tell me about It," ho commanded. "All about It every de tail." The door opened as he spoke, and Dr. Jenklnsou came In. "Doctor," I queried, "how far Is It safe to Indulge this sick man? Ho wants me to tell him a story" "Is it a good story?" asked the doc tor. "Why, yes; fairly good." "Then tell It. May I stay?" "Certainly," said Mr. Itoyco and I to gether, and the doctor drew' up a chair. -rfv Ifh P LVUi So 1 recounted, as brlelly as I could, the events of the past two days and the happy accident which had given me the address 1 sought. Mr. Hoyoo's face was beaming when 1 ended. "And you start for France tomor row?" lie asked. "Tomorrow morning. The bont salla nt 10 o'clock." "Well, I'm going with you!" ho cried. "Why," I stammered, startled by his vehemence, "are you strong enough? I'd bo mighty glad to have you. but do you think you ought? How about It, doctor?" Jeuklnson was smiling with half shut eyes. "It's not a bad Idea," he said. "Ho needs rest and quiet more than any thing else, and he's bound to get n week of that on the water, which Is more than he'll do here. I can't keep that brain of his still, wherever he is. He'd worry here, and with you he'll be contented. Besides," he added, "ho ought to be along, for I believe tho ex pedition is going to be successful!" I believed so, too, but I recognized In Jenklnson's words that line optimism which had done so much to make him the great doctor ho was. I shook our Junior's hand again In the Joy of hav ing him with me. As for him, ho seem ed quite transformed, and Jenklnsou gazed nt him with a look of quiet pleasure. "You'll have to pack," I said. "Will you need my help?" "No; nurse can do It, with tho doctor hero to help us out," he laughed. "You have your own packing to do and odds and ends to look after. Besides, nei ther of us will need much luggage. Don't forget to reserve the other berth in that stateroom for me." "No," I said and rose. "I'll come for you In the morning." "All right; I'll be ready." The doctor followed mo out to give mo a wotil of caution. Mr. Itoyco wbb still far from well; he must not over exert himself; he must be kept cheer ful and hopeful, If possible; above all, he was uot to worry; quiet and sea air would do the rest. I hurried back to the ofllec to make my final report to Mr. Graham and to get the abstract which Itogers had promised to have ready and which was awaiting mo on my desk. Our worthy senior was genuinely pleased when he learned that his Junior was going with me, though our absence would mean a vast deal of extra work for himself. The canvass of the city stables had been completed without result, but I suspected now that Martigny himself had hired the carriage and had per haps even ncted as driver. Such an easy and obvious way to bailie our pursuit would hardly have escaped hlni, I finished up some odds and ends of work which I had left undone and finally bade Mr. Graham goodby and started for my rooms. My packing was soon finished, and I sat down for a final smoke and review of the situa tion. There was one development of the day before which quite bullied me. I had proved Unit there were indeed two women, and I believed them to bo mother and dnughter, but I could not in the least understand why the young er one had so completely broken down nfter tho departure of the elder with Miss Holladay. I looked at this point from every side, but could find no rea sonable explanation of it. It might be, Indeed, that the younger one was beginning already to repent her share in the conspiracy. There could be no question that It was she who had struck down Holladay In ids oillce, that she had even refused to go farther In the plot, and that her companions had found it necessary to restrain her, but this seemed to me too exceedingly im probable to believe, and as I went over the ground again I found myself be ginning more and more to doubt the truth of Godfrey's theory, though I could formulate none to take its place. I became lost in a maze of conjecture, and at last I gave it up and went to bed. j I called for Mr. Hoyce, as we had i agreed, and together we drove down to Morton street. He, too, had limited ' his baggage to a single small trunk, i Wo secured a deck hand to take them Into our stateroom, and, after seeing I them disposed of, went out on deck to ' watch the last preparations for depnr- ture. Tho pier was In that state of burly burly which may bo witnessed only nt the sailing of a trnnsatlanUc liner. The Inst of 'the freight was being got aboard with frantic haste; tho boat and pier were crowded with people who had come to bid their friends goodby; two tugs were pulling noisily alongside, ready to pull ub out Into the stream. My companion ap peared quite strong and seemed to enjoy the bustle and hubbub as much as I did. He flushed with pleasure as he caught sight of our senior pushing his way toward us, "Why, this Is kind of you, sir!" ho cried, grasping his hand. "I know what the work of the office must be with both of us deserting you this way." "Tut, tut!" sAud Mr. Graham smiled nt us. "You deserve a vacation, don't you? I couldn't let you go without telling you goodby. Besides," bo add ed, "I learned Just this morning that two very dear friends of mine are tak ing this boat Mrs. Kemball and her daughttr-Hh widow of Jim Kemball, vou know." Mr. Itoyco nodded. I, too, recalled the name. Jim Kcmbnll had been one of the best men at the Now York bar twenty jears before and must Inevi tably have made n great nnmo for him self but for his untimely death. 1 had heard u hundred stories of him. "Well, I want you to meet them," continued Mr. Graham, looking about in all directions. "Ah, hero they nrol" And ho dragged his partner away to ward the bow of tho boat. I saw him bowing before a gray haired little ludy and a younger and taller one whose back waa toward me. They laughed together for n moment, then tho last bell rang and the ship's officers began to clear tho boat. I turned back to tho pier, but was brought round an Instant later by Mr. Graham's voice, "My dear Lester," he cried, ' "I thought we'd lost you. I want to In troduce you to Mrs. Kemball and her daughter, who are to be your fellow voyagers. Mr. Lester's a very in genious young man," he added. "Mako him amuse you!" And ho hastened nwuy to catch the gang plank before It should be pulled in. I bowed to Mrs. Kemball, Uilnklng to myself that I hall never seen a sweet er, pleosanter face. Then I found my self looking Into a pair of blue eyes, that fairly took my breath away. "We'll not, neglect Mr. Graham's ad vice," said a merry voice. "So pro paro for your fute, Mr. Lcstcrl" There was o hoarse shouting at tho gangway behind me, and the eyes look ed pnst me, over my shoulder. "See," she said, "there's one poor fel low who has Just mado it." I turned and looked toward the gang plank. One end had been cast loose, but two deck hands were assisting nn oUier man to mount It. He seemed wenk and helpless, and they supported him on elUier side. An Involuntary cry rose to my lips as I looked at hhn, but I choked it back. For it was Martigny, risen from his bed to follow us! CIIAPTBU XIV. IWATOHHD him with a kind of fascination until liu disappeared through tho door of tho cabin. I could guess what It had cost hlra to drag himself from his bed, what agony of apprehension must have been upon him to mnke him take the risk. Tho Jourdains, puzzled at my not re turning, unable to keep silence, sus pecting, perhaps, some plot against themselves, had doubtless gone to the hospital and told him of my appear ancethere hnd been no way for me to guard against Uiat. Ho had easily guessed the rest. He had only to con sult the passenger list to assure him self that Mr. Itoyco and I wero aboard. Ami he was following us, hoping what? What could a man In his con dition hope to accomplish? What need was there for us to fear him 7 And yet there was something about him some thing in the atmosphere of tho man that almost terrified me. I came back to earth to find tlmt Itoyco and Mrs. Kemball had drifted away together and that my companion was regarding me from under hnlf closed lids with a little smile of amusement. "So you're awake again, Mr. Les ter?" she asked. "Do you often suffer attacks of that sort?" "Pardon me," I stammered. "The fact Is, I-I" "You looked quite dismayed," she continued relentlessly. "You seemed positively horror stricken. I saw noth ing formidable about him." "No, you don't know him!" I retort- "I want to introduce you to Mrs. Kern ball and her daughter." ed and stopped, lest I should say too much. "I think we'd better sit down," sho snfd, smiling. "Your knees seem to ba still somewhat shaky." So we sought a sent near the stern, where wo could watch tho city sink gradually away In tho distance as tho grent boat glided sraooUily out IntQ tho bay.. I confess I was worrlc'd. I had no! thought for a moment that Martigny would have the temerity to board tho saute boat with us -yet 11 was not m wonderful after all, since he could noC guess that I suspected him, that I knew him and Itethuue to be the samo person. That was my great advantage. In nny event we were In no danger from him. He was probably following us only that he might warn his confed erates, should we seem likely to dis cover them. Certainly they were in no present danger of discovery, and per haps might never be. But his following us, his disregard of the grnvo danger to himself, gave mo a now mensuro of his savage dotormluntlon to bnlllo us. I found myself more and more begin' nlng to fear him. Should I inform Mr, Koyco of this new development? I asked myself, Then I remembered tho doctor's words, Ho must have rest nnd quiet during tho coining week. "I trust that I'm not In the way, Mr. Lester?" Inquired n low, provoking voice at my side, and I awoke to the fact that I had again been guilty of forgetting my companion. "Miss Kemball," I began desperately, "let me confess that I'm lu an exceed ingly vexatious situation. Tho fact that I can't ask advice makes ItworBe." "You can't ask even Mr. Hoyce?" Bko queried, with raised brows. "Ho least of, all. You hoc, bo's Just recovering from n severo nervouu breakdown." "I see," bIio nodded. I glanced at her again at tho open, candid eyes, the forceful mouth and chin and I took n sudden resolution. "Miss Kemball," I said, "I'm going to ask your hull that 1b, If I may." "Of course you may," - "Well, then, that man who camo on board last Is tho Inveterate enemy of both Mr. Itoyco and myself. Wc'ro trying to unearth a particularly atro cious piece of villainy In which he's concerned. 1 have reason to bollevo him capable of anything and n very fiend of cleverness. I don't know what ho may plot against us, but I'm ccrtnln he'll plot something. Mr. Hoyce doesn't even know him by sight and shouldn't be worried, but unless he's forewarned' he may walk right Into danger. I want you to help me keep an eyo on him to lieli me keep hi in out of danger. Will yon help moV" "Why, certainly 1" she cried. "So we're to have a mystery Just we twol" "Just wo two," I assented. She looked ot me doubtfully. (To bo Continued ) NOTICE OF SPECIAL LECTI QfiT" Electric Light Bond Prontsltlon. Notlceisherebyglven to tho electors of tlia city of Itcd Cloud, in Webster county, Nebras ka, pursuant to a lOJuliulon adopted by tlio Mnvor nnd Council of wild city, nt nn adjourn ed regulnr meeting thereof. Pccembor 7, 100ft, and bnsod upon tho petition of moro than ton resUlt tit freeholders from ench ward of Hnld city, tlmt nn election In culled nnd will he held In snfd rity. at'tho usual voting placet) thureln, to wit: In tho first ward, at tho V. ,t M. Hank llutltlltiK nml Iti tho second ward nt tho Fire men'H hnll, on the 9lh dny of Jnnunrv, 1000, be tween tho hours of 8. o'clock A. M., nnd 7 o'clock P. M of mild dny, nt which tho following prop osition Ih Nubuilttcd to bo voted upon: Shnll tho Mnynr nnd City Council of tho city of ltcd Cloud, Xcbrntikn, bo authorized to Issu the coupon boa cuomliinted electric light bondHof mid City oMicri Cloud, in the amount of Ten Thousand pollnrs, In tho do. uomtuHllun of llvo hundred dollars each, pay able to heiiror nnd to become duo twenty years n'tor tho dnto thereof, but piijnbln nny time tifter the expiration of live )cnrn, at tho option of said city, nnd bcnrlng not to exceed five per ceutniitiunl Interest, uii.l to bo dated the day of their IhHiiMico. Iutertst nnd principal of said bondH to be payablo at th fiscal ngency of tho state of NcbrBBkn, lu New York city. Snld bondH to bo Fold for not less thnn pur value, .vlth iiccrned intcrett, nnd tho proceeds thereof to bo used by wild city for tho construction nnd estab.lhhlng of n system of electric lights In nml for wild city, nud shall the mnyor nnd council of snld city nnnuiillv levy tho noceshiirv tax upon nil the tnxablo property within wild city, lu addition to nil other tnxes to pny tho interest on wild bonds as the wime becomes duo and to funiliih n NltikltiK mud for the payment of tho principal of wild bonds, nud nn annual tax of not to exceed two mills on the dollar of tho nm-ssed valuation of said city, for tho purpose of malntnluliiK, operating and extending said HyMcn: of electric lights. The form of the ballot to bu used at biilil elec tion shall boas follows: (Vote for One) FOR electric light bonds and tnxes. . AGAINST electric light bonds and taxes And to bo voted and marked bv maklm- a cross in the space provided in tho usual manner as provided by law. Should a majority of tho ballots enst nt such election b In favor of said proposition, then th Mayor ami Council of -said city will authorized to Itsue nnd negotlnto said bonda according t) tho conditions and for the nnmn,. speclllert In tho foregoing proposition, and al nscontempinicd Dy tho provisions of sections Stm to 8508, Inclusive., of Cobboy'a Annotated atatute-j of 1003, and It shall bo tho duty of tho Mayor und Clerk of wild City when so author ized, and by order of tho City Council, (,ir sign Btid attest said bonds, and afflx thoretptliu seal of said city. Tho proceed! or tho w(uV of eald bonds shall be paid to tho tre'agunSVVif sard city of Red Cloud and kept byJUm In a separate fund, apart from other mobejs, to bo known aa tho lighting fund, and paid out only upon tho order of the Council and warrant drawn against the same', for tho suld purpose specllUd and n other. Dated this December 3U, 1005. Altt: Ily tho Mayor. L, II. Fort, O, T. Dickkmboh. (Sal) City Clerk. jAat