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(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
