Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-06-02

.1le IHieN Ilel arms aUOuL my neck
and, pressing her face against my
| aceast, sobbed
/ CHAPTER MI.
( Braces door was unlocked. He tc
/ all appearance was sound asleep with
! his face to the wall l shook him, and
as he turned over, said:
/ Get up: the Hesper is lost"
I Lost! as tow?" lie asked. sittin.
] Up.
Stolen, taken from me-
where's Israeli"
I told him of Van Hoeck's terrible
IIesentiment, and the circumstances
under which he had left the house.
I'VE will find him, pardner," said
! the Judge, in his slow sententious
manner, which was queerly at vari.
ance with his speed in hurrying into
! his clothes. 1--WE will find him, and
see ii his prescntiments will go so far
as to explain what's become OF the
diamond. Let up what has happened.
pardner. Reel it off. am all awake"
| narrated briefly the events OF the
night, while he completed dressing.
Lola, standing by this window, listen
ed in silence. There was Just
enough light to reveal the mischiev-
Gus exultation that sparkled in her
eyes.
:'Here's Il Vigilance Committee Job,
II ever there was one said the Judge,
hastily laciug his boot. II amt light
"a on anything so much like Californey
since the good Old days. Now, sir, il
you air ready, we'll hunt up Israel.
ne prophet. He's got to tel! us some
thing more about this than we know
on"
1t was striking five when we Quilted
the house. The judge left ME to look
about the garden and its vicinity for
Van Hrecl;; he hmselfstruck out for the
wood, taking Lola with him. The girl
would have stayed with me, but her
father had her hand in his, and there
was 10 getting away from that grip.
After exploring the garden, | took
the path that led to the lodge, rs be.
ing the one that Van Hoeck frequent.
~ walked in when alone. The lodge
keeper was not up, but, Passing
through the open wicket into the
road, came upon laborer, trudgins
along to his work with pick upor
his shoulder, and tin flask in his
hand.
1t then was hali-past five, OF per
haps little later.
"Have you passed o. blind gentle
man Oh the road?" I asked.
II amt passed 'im," he answered
"out az I come by the cross roads j
see some 'un, as looked gen lemar
like, kind 'er iumbling lis way along
he road do WI by Harley bottom"
knew the cross roads; they were
nearly two miles distant: 1t was in
compr ehensible to me how Van Hoeck
had strayed 80 far from the Abbey;
but the laborer's description left little
DOM for doubt that it WAS Van Hook
he had seen, and l started at once in
the direction indicated.
could not see Van Hoec:, from the
crossroads, but, on tuning the ange
of the lane at the foot OF tine hill, / per.
ceived him feeling the way with pain.
full slowness. and on the side OF the
hedgerow, q hundred yards in ad.
vance. Hearing my step he
turned, and, recognizing it.
came to meet me. He seemed to for
get the danger OF making false step,
and advanced with eager quick
ness,-his whole body partakine
the expression of anxiety i'm
printed on his features
els it you, Thorne?" he called.
eyes, / replied.
what has happened?"
l waited until got up to him, then
putting my hand on his shoulder,
said
81 have bad news for you, Van
Hoeck.'
He trembied violently under ny
band, and opened his lips to speak,
but no sound came; his condition
was pitiable, and to keep him no
longer in suspense, I said,-
from me-"
"Who has taken it," he asked, in &
thick, husky voice.
IL can not say. could not see the
man who robbed me-;
He was silent for time, and then
his feelings found expression at first
IN execration, then in incoherent SEN
fences, broken up with words of Dutch
where the English tongue failed to give
sufficient force to his anger and NOR
LITIGATION. He assailed me with every
kind of invective, accused me of COW
aidice, of completely in robbing him,
OF know not what baseness and
heartlessness.-indeed, it seemed as
though the blow had deprived him OF
reason for the moment. At length,
when his passion was somewhat ex-
hausted, he said,-
"And what is your deferse?"
took his arm, and, as led him up
the hill toward the crossroads, went
over the story once more. When I
was telling him how Lola had come
to my rescue, he stopped me.
''That is lie' he said; for she has
been with me.
Impossible" l exclaimed.
Impossible according to youf
story, but it is the truth for all
that. got off the path, and could
not find my way back. She led me to
a road-God knows where! and left