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About The Red Cloud chief. (Red Cloud, Webster Co., Neb.) 1873-1923 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 19, 1906)
""WWtl'Wt i -: . JhjtiXAii i. o A Mystery iDfje Of Two j Continents &&WAfjr BURTON E. STEVENSON J CL U f Copyright. 1903, by (S W Nl W Henry Holt nd Company s$rfhfUtfh'tvv'i (r 1NTINIMU).) chai'tt.k xvi. MAUTICNY wns lying back la hi berth smoking a cigarette, and m I entered ho motioned mo to a heat on tho locker. 'Tt was most kind of you to come," ho said, with Ills old smile. "It was only by accident I learned you weie on hoard," I explained as I sat down. "You're getting better?" "I bellovo so; though thl.s physician Is what you call-an alarmist. Most of thorn are, Indeed. The more desper ate, the Illness the more renowned tho cure! Is It not so? lie has even for bidden me cigarettes, but I prefer to dlu than to do without them. Will you not have one?" "Thank you," I said, selected one and lighted It. "Your cigarettes are not to bo resisted, nut If you are so III why did you attempt the voyage?" "A sudden call of business," he ex plained airily. "Unexpected, but what you call Imperative." "Tho doctor It was ho who mention ed your name to me. It was not on the Bailing list" "No." lie was. looking nt me sharp ly. "I came on hoard at the last mo- He motioned inc to a sent. inent the need was ver' sudden, as I have said. I had not time to engage a stateroom." "That explains It. Well, the doctor iold nit that you were bed fa-d." "Yes; since the voyage began I have not left it." I watched him as he went through tho familiar motion of lighting a sec ond cigarette from the llrst one. In tho half light of the cabin I had not at (irst perceived how ill he looked. "But you, .Mlstalr Lester," he was flaying. "How does It occur that you also are going to France? I did not know you contemplated" "No," I answered calmly, for I had seen that the question was inevitable, and I even welcomed It, since It gave me opportunity to get my guns going. "No; the last time I s.iw you I didn't contemplate it, hut a gjod deal has happened since then. Would you care to hear?" I Oh, how I relished tantalizing him! ' "I should like very exceedingly to hear," ho assured mo and shifted his position a little so that his face was in the shadow. "Tho beams of light through the shutter makes my eycH to hurt," ho added. So he mistrusted himself; so ho was not (hiding the part an easy one either! Tho thought gave mo new courage. "You may remember," I began, "that I told you onco that If I ever wont to work on tho Ilolladay case I'd try first to tlml the murderess. I succeeded In doing It the very first day." "Ah!" ho breathed. "And after the police had failed! That was, Indeed, remarkable. How did you accomplish it?" "By the merest chance; by great good fortune. I was making a search of the French quarter, house by house, when, on Houston street, I came to a restau rant, tho Cafe Jourdaln. A bottle of fluperlour sot .Tourdalu's tongue to wag ging. I protended I wanted a room. IIo dropped a word, tho merest hint, and lu the end I got the whole Btory. It seems there was not only one wom an tliero were two." "Yes?" "YeB, and a man whose name wa Betuny, or Bethune, or something Ulco that. But I didn't pay much attention tQ hlin. Ho doesn't Ogure In the case. He dfdn'fovelfgo away wlUi the wom en. Tho very day I set out on my search he was picked up on the streets somewhere suffering with apoplexy and taken to a hospital, so nearly dead that It was a question whether ho would recover. Bo he's out of It. The JourdaluH told me Unit tho women had sailed for France." "You will pardon me," said my hear er, "but In what way did you make sure that they wero the women you de sired?" "By the younger one's resemblance to Miss Hollnday," I answered, lying with a gllbucss which surprised myself. "The .Tourdnlns maintained Umt a pho tograph of Miss Ilolladay was really one of their lodger." "Ah, yes," lie said. "That was ex ceedingly clever. I should never have thought of that. That Is worthy of M. Lecoq. And so you follow them to France; but surely you have some more definite address than that!" "No," I said. "It seems rather a wild gooso chase, doesn't It? But you could ndvise me, Mr. Martiguy. Where would It bo best for me to search for them?" He did not answer for n moment, and I took advantage of tho opportunity to select a second cigarette and light It. I dared not remain unoccupied. "That," ho began slowly at last, "seems to mo a most ah! deeflcult affair, Mlstalr Lester to search for three people through all Franco. There seems little hope of success. Yet I should think It most likely that they have gone to Paris." I nodded. "Thnt was my own the ory," I agreed, "but to And them hi Paris seems also impossible." "Not If one uses the police," he said. "But, my dear sir," I protested, "I can't use tho police. Miss Ilolladay at least has committed no crime. She has simply chosen to go away Avlthout informing us." "You will permit mo to say then, Mlstalr Lester," he observed, with Just a touch or Irony, "that I fail to com prehend your anxiety concerning her." I felt that I had made a misstep; that I had need to go carefully. "It is not quite so simple as that," I explained. "The last timo wo saw Miss nollnday she told us that she was ill and intended to go to her country homo for a rest. Instead of going there she sailed for France without Informing nuy one Indeed, doing everything she could to escape detec tion. That conduct seems so eccen tric that we feel In duty hound to in vestigate it; besides, two days before she left she received from us a hun dred thousand dollars In cash." I saw blip move uneasily on his bed. After all this advantage of mine was no smnll one. "Ah," he said softly, ami again, "ah! Yes, that seems peculiar, yet per haps If you had waited for a letter" "Suppose we had waited and there had been no letter suppose, in conse quence of waiting, we should bo too late?" "Too late? Too late for what, Mls talr Lester? What is It you fear for her?" "I don't know," I nuswend, "but something something. At least, we could not assume the responsibility of delay." "No," he agreed, "perhaps not. You are doubtless quite right to investi gate. I wish you success. I wish that I myself might aid you, thero Is so much of Interest in the case to me, but I fear that to bo impossible." And he breathed a sigh, which was doubtless genuine enough. "Will you go to Paris?" I asked. "Oh, no; not at once. At Havre I shall meet my agent and transact my nffalrs with him. Then I shall seek somo place of quiet along tho coast." I "Yes," I said to mysolf, with leaping heart, "Etretat!" But I dared not speak tho word. "I shall wrlto to you," ho added, "when I have settled. Where do you stay at Paris?" "Wo haven't decided yet," I said. I "Wo?" ho repeated. "Didn't I tell you? Mr. Royce, our junior partner, Is with mo." "It Is no matter where you stay," he said. "I shall wrlto to you at the poste rcstante. I should like both you and your friend to be my guests before you return to Amer-rlc'." Thero was n courtesy, a cordiality In his tone which almost disarmed me. Such a finished scoundrel! "We shall be glad to accept," I an- ., knowing In my heart that tho Invitation would never bo made. I was ready to go. I had accom plished nil I could hope to accomplish, If I had not already disarmed his sus picious, I could never do bo. tt MM mm m JmSiol mllM&i -flBT'iMpfr f HJtiKa tAjU !Hl SJIKm fp7i rir!aQi!vi& lMi' Laces, Embroideries, Insertions at Dress Goods Fancy Worsted, u good tiling for Children's school drosses, at 15 and 25c Henriettas, .'18 inches wldo, at 30, 50 and 75c Cashmeres, at 15, 30, 50c and $1 Ladies' Cloth, 59 inches wido, SI and $1.15 Brillantines, 38 in. wido, in 'white, black and colors, at 50c Baby Clothes A full lino of ready-mado Baby Clothes, such as Cloaks, Jackets, Drossos, Skirts, Vests, Stocking and Bootees. Hoods, Scarfs, Fascinators, Mufflers and Eibbons l MHOUSE, Dry Goods & Notions "I am (frlng you," I said, starling up. "No," he protested, "no." Hut his1 voice was almost Inaudible. , "I will go," I said. "Vou must par don 1110. I hope you will soon bo bet ter," and I closed the door behind mo with his murmured thanks lu my cars. It was not till after dinner that I found opportunity to relate to Miss Kemball the details of my talk with Mnrtlgny. "Why did you change your mlud?" she asked. "Tho adventure templed mo. Those are your own words. I thought per haps I might bo able to throw Mar tiguy off tho track-." "And do you think you succeeded?" "I don't know," I answered doubt fully. "IIo may have seen clear through me." "Oh, I don't bellovo him superhu man! I believe you succeeded." "We shall know tomorrow." "Yes, and you must keep up the de ception till the last moment. Remem ber, ho will he watching you." ' "I'll do my best," I said. "And don't make mountains out of molehills. You see, you've been dis trusting yourself needlessly. One mustn't bo too timid." "Do you think I'm too timid?" I de manded. Hut she saw the light In my eyes, I suppose, for ho drew uway, almost Im perceptibly. "Only In some things," she retorted. Tho eveulng passed and tho last day came. We sighted land soon after breakfast, the high white cliffs of Capo La Hague. I was standing nt tho rail beside Miss Kemball. of our Imminent goodby, when sho turned to me suddenly. "Don't forgot Martlgny," she cau tioned. "Wouldn't you better see hlra again?" "I thought I'd wait till we landed," I saidj. "thenjl. can .help him off the 0) i ft 1 Your wife and your daughter need new Dresses. We have the goods to make them look as well or better than your neighbor's wife or daughter. Our . Dress Goods are of the latest patterns and the PRICKS RIGHT. If you are in doubt as to what is suit able we will aid you in making a selection. Butte rick Patterns Gloves Children's Golf Gloves in wool at 25c Ladies Golf Gloves in wool at 25 aud SOc Ludies' Golf Gloves silk Hnish, 25 Htul SOc Handkerchiefs Plain whito Handkerchiefs at ru. With hemstitched hem and row of drawn work in confer, 5o each. Hemstitched horn with throe rows of open work in center, 10o each. Homstitchod horn with embroid ered center, land'jriu each. Larger ones at 35 and 50c. Children's Picture Ildkfs. nt 5o. Tho latest novelties In Side and Back Combs. Wc found our way blocked by a unl formed official, boat and see him well ifway from the station. He's too HI to bo very lively on his feet." "Yes, and bo careful. He mustn't suspect Etretat. And now we must say goodby." "Indeed not!" I protested. "See, thero go your mother and Hoyco. They're evidently expecting us to fol low. We'll huvo to help you with your baggage." "Our baggage goes through to Paris." "At least, I must take you to tho train." "You aro risking everything!" one crled. "We can say goodby hero as I fl gery r T) -. -A'TSMf I W ft I' 1 Reduced Prices Collars Ladis' Turnover Collars at 12, 15 and 25c Silk embroidered wash collars, in all black, all whito and assorted colors, at 20 tO 60C Laco Collars, in all black and nil white, at 25 and 50c Handbags Patent Leather Handbags at 25c Leather Handbags, wiih coin purse inside, from 50c to $1.50 A good Handbag with two out- sido pockets and two center pock ets ut GJo, 75o, 81.00 and 81.50. S well as on the platform." "I don't think so," I said. "1 have already said goodby to all my other friends." "Hut I refuse to be treated Just llko all the others," and I started with her down the gnng plnnk. She looked at mo from the corner of her eyes. "Do you know," she said deliberate ly, "I am beginning to fear that you aro obstinate." "I'm not at all obstlnnte," I object ed. "I'm simply contending for my rights." "Your rights?" "My rigid to he with you as long as I can, for one." "Aro there others?" "Many others. Shnll I enumerato them?" "No," she said, "we haven't time. Hero is niothor." They wero to tnko the company's special train to Paris, which was wait ing on the wharf 200 feet away, and wo slowly pushed our way toward It In the clamor and hurry and confusion whojly Latin thero was no chance for Intelligent converse. Suddenly wo found our way blocked by a uniformed otll clal, who demanded to nee our tickets. "You can't come any farther, I'm afraid," said Mrs. Kemball, turning to us. "We'll have to Bay goodby." And sho held out her hand. "Bu; we'll soon sco you both again In Paris. You have the address?" "Oh, yes!" I assured her. "Very well, then, wo shall look for you." And she shook hands with both of us. For an Instant I felt another littlo hand In mine, n pair of bluo eyes amll. ed up at mo In a way "Goodby, Mr. Lester," said a voice. "I Bhall bo all Impatience till wo meet agaln,"j (To be Continued ) . 1 v u U I sy.yiUrgg