The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-18
By Lily TinsleY,
[CoPYRIeHT, 1892, BY TrLLorsoN & soN.I

This man was one OF these, and be speed
lily reduced the Huntingford household tc
something like order.
Mr.. Haviland, between wine and excite
ment, was half beside himself completely
forgetting Sir Lawrenoes repeated assur-
ance that we're anything to happen 70 the
money when once lodged in the house, ne
would himself be responsible, the Rat on
his account suffering a new yang OF remorse
at having carried out his trick, so IL was 70
Royal, as evidently some one 10 authority,
and certainly the most collected OF the
whole crew In the room-ths servants hav-
ing gathered IN and sharing the genera! e1-
cItement-that the policeman appealed Tor
a true statement Of the cause OF bis being
summoned.
~ hardly know the exact facts as l am
only a visitor" replied Royal, with his
most impressively grand air but, so far
as | understand, a large sum OF money was
left 10 this room under this young mans
charge and IL has disappeared.
Here Mr.. Haviland broke in, raving in
coherently, that there had been trick, &C
ousing Leo of being an impostor, and other
wise complicatiug matters.
~ don't quite understand" said the po-
lioeman, turning again TO Royal. IF the
lad is a stranger here, as this gentleman
says, how comes it he was left In charge Of
the money!
''He was supposed TO be unaware OF its
existence here, as well as OF the cupboard.
OF which, though 1t was found looked when
empty. Mr.. Hsviland himself had retained
the key, after fastening it when the money
was placed inside. At all events IL was
secret to every one else in the house, even
myself until this moment" said the willy
Royal, who had enacted the surprised in
quiring friend to the life all through, and
| fastened TO put the coup upon his efforts
| And as for his being left in charge, Mr..
Haviland says he had letter from Sir
| Lawrence, naming him as his secretary,
and Offering him for the duty. | know
nothing of the truth Of the matter, as have
only just arrived here"
"but you know FORESTER" said Mr..
Haviland suspiciously. Royal smiled at the
very direct attack.
Most certainly" he said, courteously,
and without a scrap OF hesitation. showing
that not even this slight link in the chain
had escaped his hold. 81 met Mr.. Forester
abroad once. Beyond that l have no &C
quaintance with him, as l do not expect Sir
Lawrence will need assuring"
Mr. Haviland felt himself abashe ed, and
to hide his confusion said, In tone of help
lessness: We'll, here Is Sir Lawrence's
own handwriting recommending him to
me-" And as he spoke he held out the let
ter
Royal took it quietly enough. and then
started slightly.
Il beg your pardon. MIR. Haviland, this is
not Sir Lawrence's handwriting"
mot Sir Dawrence's handwritingp' re-
peated Mr.. HavilAnd, falling back In utter
amazement, while the policeman quickly
and quietly took possession OF the document,
moving at the same time nearer to Leo, as
the lad noted with sinking heart
mo. merely very indifferent imitation"
replied Royal, producing from his pocket
book Qate of Lord Gaxton, and lost, i. g.,
fOIn Evnrx
days before, a letter of the baronet's to
himself, an invitation indeed, to make
Huntingford House his home whenever he
was in town, on which document he had ex-
pended all the skill which he had been care
full TO withhold from Le)'s unlucky one.
The simple comparison Of the two turned
the waverInR scale necessarily against the
lad, who, more and more impressed with
his trapper's cunning and daring, which
gave no hope for either himself or his little
helpless love, did he dare to oppose it,
could not so much as say word in his de-
Tense.
81, who after VI ard declared he felt just
his life, SO deeply impressed had he been by
Leo's evident suffering, had nothing left to
do but to accept the charge and prepare to
take his prisoner away.
What good angel guardian Of young
love springinR up in two darkened lives,
was 1t whispered to Mr.. Haviaud that iu St
| ice on the thief might bs al very WELL but
the recovery OF his stolen property would
be far betters
To this end he commanded B 81 to search
| his prls )ner. But this that worthy objected
TO- In the first place tho bulk OF the money
was too great for him to have concealed it
about his person, and in the next such a
process was out Of order until he was lodged
| at the station.
This led to the question: "Where, IL not
upon the thief, was the money!"
The shutters over the windows we're
heavy wooden ones. with ponderous iron
bars, the opening and shutting of which
would undoubtedly have been heard In the
dining room. No such noise had been
| heard, Mr.. Haviland was ready to swear:
and as 81 had no objections to keeping
his prisoner while search of the room was
being instituted, i. e., with the kindly hope
that, the money being found, he might be
| let of more easily than other WISE all hands
were pressed into the task. What would
have been the object OF such a hiding of
the treasure, no one was prepared to say.
| The search was accomplished thoroughly
without any result at all. There was one
little incident, however, which made Royal
quake.
The butler. who had displayed remark
| able propensity for looking in all the impos-
sible places, a fact also brought up against
him later on, made vain efforts TO move
the safe, remarking that the money might
have been placed underneath
ITO be sure it might" said the footman.
with laugh, "if there had been ten men in
the room to lift it up, the same as brought
1t in. Might as well expect it to be inside. 4"
The Rat within Rugged the bag closely to
him aud but for his mingled mental and
physical pain could have laughed at the
wisdom Of such a simple joke. He held his
breath a moment later for the butler, evil
IDENTIFY person gifted with some second
sight il he had but known it, seemed to be
particularly attracted by his hiding place.
81 suppose it's looked" he said, leaning
over it and pulling at the door.
But the grip and screws held fast, and
though the butler suggested timidly that the
money might have been slipped in at the
aperture-which, by the by, was far too
small to admit auy light and show up its
| occupant-eYery one felt it was absurd that
the thief should have bestowed it in place
from which he could not possibly have
hoped TO have distracted it later. All that
be got for his pains was snesring iniunc-
ton to get inside and see, and the safe was
finally dismissed from the minds OF all
present.
Now perfectly convinced that the money
was actually upon Leo Forester, Mr. Havi-
land did his utmost to persuade 81 to
I