The Mission of Poubalov — page 119: what you’re looking at

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

A NEW DEPARTURE. 115 a to help in the abduction, may confess ~omething. Therefore he tried to dog Billings’ steps last night, and whether he succeeded I do not know.’”’ ) | 4 . Much of this was Greek to Louise, and she said so, add- ing: ‘‘What I do understand is that you feel now as if it would be necessary to go to New York.”’ “Tthink so. We will see.” ‘*Clara,’’ said Louise, ‘‘you will not think that 1 have suspected Ivan of faithlessness, I am sure; but it has Seemed to me that unless he returned soon, you would have to go to Lizzie White. You cannot leave any possible explanation unsought. I could not conjecture that she and Poubalovy might be concerned together as you have, but I did feel as if you ought to look her up.”’ _ *T am glad you think so,’’ responded Clara, ‘‘for I was | afraid you would eppose my going.’’ At the station Clara readily found the Mr. O’Brien to whom Billings had referred for corroboration of a part of his story. _ **¥Yes’m,”’ he said in reply to her questions, ‘‘I know the Billings you speak of. I saw him here last Monday. Has he been up to anything crooked?”’ _ “T don’t know, said Clara; ‘it may help to settle that if you will tell me what were the circumstances of his call _here.”’ O’Brien hesitated. ““T don’t want to get. tangled up in any police business, ’”’ he declared; ‘‘ Billings was said to be the man who drove the gent that skipped on his wedding day early this i _ week. 4 ‘““Yes,’’ said Clara; ‘‘I am Miss Hilman, and 1 was to be married to the gentleman.”’ “Sho!’? exclaimed O’Brien, sympathetically, ‘‘that must have been a pretty tough blow,’’ and he scratched his head thoughtfully. _ “My inquiry,’’ continued Clara, ‘‘has nothing to do with (C(O in the police. They have abandoned the investigetiou, Tbe