Breeding was a part of Ruyler's religion, as component in his code as

honor, patriotism, loyalty, or the obligation of the strong to protect

the weak. Far better the bend sinister in his own class than a legitimate

parent of the type of 'Gene Bisbee or D.V. Bimmer. Ruyler was a "good

mixer" when business required that particular form of diplomacy, and the

familiarities of Jake Spaulding left his nerves unscathed, but in bone

and brain cells he was of the intensely respectable aristocracy of

Manhattan Island and he never forgot it. He had surrendered to a girl of

no position without a struggle, and made her his wife, but it is doubtful

if he would even have fallen in love with her if she had been underbred

in appearance or manner. He had never regretted his marriage for a

moment, not even since this avalanche of mystery and portending scandal

had descended upon him; if possible he loved his troubled young wife more

than ever--with a sudden instinct that worse was to come he vowed that

nothing should ever make him love her less.

When he arrived at his house he found two notes on the hall table

addressed to himself. The first was from Helene and read: "Polly telephoned that she would send her car for me to go down to the

Fairmont and dance. I cannot sleep so I am going. She cannot sleep

either! Forgive me if I was cross, but I am terribly worried for her.

Don't wait up for me. Helene."

He read this note with a frown but without surprise. It was to be

expected that she would seek excitement until her present fears were

allayed and her persecutors silenced.

He determined to order Spaulding to have her shadowed constantly for at

least a fortnight and note made of every person in whose company she

appeared to be at all uneasy, whether they were of her own set or not. It

would also be worth while to have Madame Delano's rooms watched, for it

was possible that she would summon Helene there to meet Bisbee or others

of his ilk.

Then he picked up the other note. It was from Spaulding, and as he read

it all his finespun theories vanished and once more he was adrift on an

uncharted sea without a landmark in sight.

"Dear Sir," began the detective, who was always formal on paper. "I've

just got the information required from Holbrook Centre. We didn't half

believe there was such a place, if you remember? Well there is, and

according to the parish register Marie Jeanne Perrin was married to James

Delano on July 25th, 1891. She was there, visiting some French

relations--they went back soon after--and he had left there when he was

about sixteen and had only come back that once to see his mother, who was

dying. Nothing seems to have been known about him in his home town except

a sort of rumor that he was a bad lot and lived somewheres in California.

Can you beat it? But don't think I'm stumped. I'm working on a new line

and I'm not going to say another word until I've got somewheres.




readonlinefreebook.com Copyright 2016 - 2024