Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-01-12

high. Roy usually waited patiently
outside, but today / encouraged him
TO enter at my heels.
CHAPTER II.
At the Intelligence Office.
AS / left the bank, where / had been
most cordially received, with my SOW
ereign purse full and the nice crisp
notes for f251 carefully put by In my
p~ocketbood, l began'at last to believe in
my fortune. There is a solid, unmis-
taxable reality In the chink Of good
gold, while h supple civility of the
great fnanciers, who had so lately
looked black at my overdrawn account.
proved how completely my position
was changed.
The mornings adventures and sur
prises a occupied much time, n II
was now getting late; past noon, In
fact. We members OF the intelligence"
made IT a point Of honor to be In good
time at the of1ce-an hour or more
earlier than this. II had hardly oc-
Cured to me that / need not go to the
office at all. You see, / had been
some thirteen years under discipline
and not many hours an archmillionaire.
BESIDES, there Is such q thing as esprit
de corps. l was a public servant, en-
gagged In responsible work. and I could
not, would not, have neglected It will
ingly; no, not for the wealth OF the
Indies.
So l stepped briskly down the steps
below the Duke OF York's column and
crossed the park at my very best pace.
For all that, / was overtaken neal
Birdcage walk by some one who hailed
me without coming too close.
"One word, sir, l pray, In your own
best interests. But, sakes alive, keep
back that hound. He Is a fine beast.
no doubt. but I'd rather have him
farther away
Quiet, Roy! Ny dog will not harm
YOU" / said civilly. But at this mo-
ment / am very much pressed
IF you will allow me to walk with
you a few yards, no more, l reckon I
could make It plain to you hat l have
a good excus for intruding upon your
valuable time"
The park was as open to him as to
me, and when he ranged himself along
side ! made no objections. / confess I,
too, was curious to hear what he had
to say.
You have enemies, SIR" he began
abruptly, and he looked SC comical as
he said this that ! was rude enough to
laugh. He vas a broad shouldered,
square-faced. weather beaten looking
man, with q ford complexion and a
bulgy nose. irreproachably dressed in
the very height OF fashion. But he had
rather the air OF a second-class trag-
edian, with his long, black. curly hair
and his voice so deep and so solemn
as he conJured me to be serious.
II reckon this Is no laughing matter,
captain. lea your enemies will soon
Ak hat. They mean mischief"
A.
and seemed very much in earnest, yet
l could hardly take II seriously.
Such a threat scarcely affects me.
You see, It is my business to risk my
life. The queen has sometimes enc
mics, and hers are mine"
These l speak OF are altogether
your own, captain-people who grudge
you our new wealth."
You have heard them"
Heard" he cried. with great scorn.
There Is nothing l do not know about
you, captain. How did o enjoy the
summer on the Cuyuni river, and were
the maps O got at Angostura very
useful TO your
Hush, man, hush! Who and what
are you? What the mischief are you
driving att"
BY this time we had entered Queen
Anne's gate and were at the door OF
the office.
lis this your bureau?" he now asked.
May l go inside with you only for one
moment? The matter is urgent. 1t az
fects you very closely. Your danger
is Imminent. They are bound, these
enemies, to d. you an ~injury-a terri
BILE injury"
"Oh well, then, it must keep" 1
said petulantly. II cannot give you
any more time now; / am expected
here. | suppose Sir Charles has ar
riyed?" asked Of the office messen-
ger, old Sergeant Major Peachey.
Yes, sir, he has been here these
hours. He came-on his bicycle-soon
after 8 a. m. and he has asked for
you, l think, twice"
There, your business mus keep,
Mr.
"Snuyzer. 1 bow to your decision,
but II you will permit me, / will call
in Charges street this evening at
IF you must come, come about 5.
Good day. and / passed into the Of
flee.
/ shared my room at the 'intelli-
gence" with a colleague, Swete Thorn
hill, Of the artillery, a lively youth out
OF hours, but who stuck to his work
manfully-more so than any Of us, and
we were by no means Idle men.
Thought you were dead" he said
shortly, and without looking up from
his papers; wonder you took the trou-
BILE to come at ALL"
II was detained by something spec
ial. Important business. Anyhow, It's
no affair Of yours" / answered, rather
nettled.
Yes 1t is, when II throws me out OF
my stride. / wish you'd make up your
mind either to come or stay away al
together. There has been a regular
hue and cry for you all the morning,
and I've been disturbed abominably.
have those calculations Of the compar-
alive penetration Of the new projectiles
in hand, and they take some doing"
We'll, keep your hair on. I don't
want to disturb you. But who Is It.
anyhow"
THE BOSS chief himself, Collingham,
Sir Charles. He has sent three times
for you, and came in twice. Wanted
you fer something pressing. Now, ]
believe, he Is doing the. job himself
Wise man. Do 1t a blamed sight bet
ter than you or any man Jack of U.S.
At this moment an office messenger
came in with a huge bundle of papers
which he placed before me on my desk
They were enveloped In the usual
Rraan Jacket" which meant extrsme