The Argosy, October 1906 — page 134: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

TT said. “She is’ better,” ‘gone to America to see her parents.” — “Ah? Rather a- sees start, eit note?” “My wife is ee nk explained. “They do things on the jump.’ was = “Yes, yes,’ he assented, laughing. goo 4 Hat is-truc.” I gave Alexander the address by a which a letter would reach. Josephine. I __- remained, after he had gone, for a chat >with the banker: -- M. Martin was cordiality itself. ~~ had accomplished the Sale of the estate — of De Watines without annoying Jo- been left for the young lady. me I had no idea whether I had paid too eS much or too little. I did not really care. I must show some interest, and two days were spent with Alexander previous to the arrival of the money in looking over ss My .new estate. = As a matter of fact I fell in love with = it. The chateau was- large and well __ built. There was a very old portion, aS full of historic interest, as a few holes made by cannon-balls could testify. 22 The new part was. modern and com- fortable. The chdteau stood in a pretty park, and behind the stables stretched farmland, gardens, hothouses — every- a thing that goes to make a complete gen- a 7 tleman’s estate. Fe “Now that I have become the suc- ship of Watines and the Paris house,” -. JT remarked to M. Martin, “I feel what I may call, or at least think, a warranta- ble curiosity in what appealed to me be- fore only as a matter of public interest. * Who and what is Mz. Kaufmann, the -__ prother-in-law’of the man who was mur- dered in America? ”’ ° _. ° M. Martin crossed one leg over the _____ other and leaned back in his chair. : = ‘You have asked something. I would = answer you if I could. None of us know very much about ,.M. Kaufmann except that he is the brother-i -in-law of De Watines. - On the strength of this we took him up. : “He owed De Watines a large sum of money—in fact the money I loaned on = _ the mortgages to De Watines went to eo Kaufmann as a loan without security. a ae 2s = —— rater $3 She has 3 ‘He eS -sephine, he had received the full amount of his loan, and a goodly residue had gone on his own hook.’ SaSsOr of M. de Watines in the owner- © ze ee never ek any business, a but lived apparently by his wits. Upon the urgent pleading of De Watines, who | was one of my best friends, I sent Kauf- ae mann to Saigon, in Cambodia, to open a bank there. He got into all sorts of trouble, and finally had to return, leav- ing some debts for me to pay, and bring- ing with him a rascally native whom no- body liked. ee x “This Bai Rak is called by Alesandes = and others a Malay, because the name is more familiar, although Cambodia is a French possession and the Malay Penin- sula is not. But the various peoples of the Asiatic coast are sufficiently akin so that one name is as good as another.” “This Bai Rak is missing,” I - ‘marked. “He disappeared about the : = same time De “Watines was killed.” = +» -“T have often thought of it- I have wondered if Bai Rak -knew anything about the murder. If Bai Rak does, then so does. Kaufmann.” a Possibly not. Bai. Ra Tt sgh have = ul id \ Ty ‘“Scarcely. You see nobody ew: he was gone until months had elapsed.” ““How do you account for that??? _ 3 ‘“T do not attempt the impossible. It © — might be that Kaufmann kept quiet until he thought there was reason for making a stir.” ‘“And did he make a stir?” “He certainly tried to find some trace of his servant.” 7 “Then, in your opinion, Kaufeshe’ S anxiety might have begun only when he had reason to believe Bai Rak was not going to return with the treasure he had stolen? ”’ cs Something: like that, ey a ‘said M. Mar- \ _ tin. i Palen “ I next vitited “the secret police ‘with oe an introduction to the commissaire. eee ~“T am desirous of keeping this very = quiet,” I-told him. “I wish to learn | something of one Bai Rak, a native of — Saigon, Cambodia, who disappeared last" October.” Zee “You are rather late with your inquir- anes ies,’ was the response. ‘“M. Kaufmann __ had us upset looking for him some time =e ago. Shall we go over itagainP” = = _“ What can you fet me know?” Roe cé Wait. bie) Pacers — . He rang a bell An assistant entered = eae Soa = " rhe