Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1901-01-19

when | had seen him in the morning
good new clothes, well cut, a gloss
hat, a gardenia and the shiniest or
shoes with big bows.
We'll now?" / asked as l onereu
him a chair.
IT'S this way" he replied. my
people have calculated that you might
ike to secure their services
"One moment. pray. Who and what
are you ~people?"
~"Saraband e. Sons. You have surely
heard Of thcm-the great firm OF pm
vate detectives. / was with Allan I1hk-
crton myself for years, and he reck-
oned I was one OF his smartest pupils
What on earth should l do with a
private detectivc?" l cried, win d
great laugh.
II may venture to remind you that
you have just succeeded TO a vast Tor
tune. The heirship Of the McFauSht
property must be worth several mil
ions to you, and-and-so ~Sarabands
desired me to call
is il part OF a rich man't duty or
business TO keep a private detectives
l was still laughing, but | found no
response OF the p~ortentously solemn
face Of my visitor.
That's as may be, Captain Wood.
Some do and come don't. Those VINO
didn't nave come TO wish they had;
so might you"
And what would happen IL l were
so foolish as 10 refuse the ooliglnS
offer Of your p~eople?'" ! asked smil-
ingly.
Il beg of you TO be serious. Mr..
Wood. Take Us or leave US, but m
ploy some one. DO not, for heavens
sake. attempt to u alone
He spoke with such evident earnest
ness and good faith that l began TO Zee!
a little uncomfortable.
do you imply that l need protection.
that am in any dangeT-any personal.
danger-that unless I am taken care or
l shall fall g. victim to somewhat
shall l say-somc plot?'
AN that and more. ! cannot It this
stage be more explicit in my warn
ings. 1t would be giving away our
business. But there are ample grounds
for what | say. | indicated something
Of the sort Of thing when / spoke to
you this mcrning. There are those who
grudge you your newly acquired Tor
tune, who deny your right TO II or
even the testatOr's right 10 ii. They
are ready to employ any means-se-
cret, i]nsidious, even Tio,ent means-to
wrest it from you. Let me tell you, sir,
that even now, at this moment, YOU
may lie, l believe you are, IN Imminent
peril-you and your life
But this is q matte" for the police
/ cried hc;ly, cpringing to my feet.
Your police cannot help you IN this.
It IS too private ard particular, and
they are Of little good til after the
event. what you want is prevention,
anticipation. You must meet guile
with guile, plot with counterpart, al
a w suppusing there Is time.
Where is the hurry
tN1r. 49,. ,,,. =, E,a,N,. chat a,sat-u.
thing was Planned sometime since"
why, the news is lot Il day old yet"
1T has long been expected that the
Mcknight millions would come TO
England, but the name Of the real heir
was only disclosed a week ago. Every
thing Yves ready. and the campaign
was to directly it was
known who should be attacked
| looked at this hea~vy-featured, slow
speaking Yankee, wondering whether
he was in earnest or only thought me a
fool. / knew, of course, that had now
become fair gam for the b!ackmailers,
and | was inclined TO imagine that Mr..
~Suuyzer's so,icitude was only a trans
parent attempt TO eXtort money.
And what would it cost me TO Sc
cure the good offices of Messrs. sara
land & sons" / asked, seeing en-
lightenmeut as 10 his probable de-
mands.
"Our charges, sir, are no more than
out of pocket expenses and a small re-
tanning fee, say five and twenty dollars
a week. After that a pro rata pre-
MUM, according 10 the risks
Risks? / do not understand
The peri.s, sir. from which you are
saved, whether by premonition, guard
ianship or actual rescue. We have a
....l,.4a1 r..1a Ghnll lao hnNAr fn
leave the 'skedool' with you. Here
are some Of the items: Divorce pro-
ceedings, either side; sequestration.
false charges, wounding, loss of limb,
death
Murder. in short?" l still spoke in
n nippant tone. What is the rate Of
insurance against that"
His face did not relax, and he an
swered graNeiy.
From 10000 UP to any sum, ac-
cording to the nearness Of the risk"
Wei, | will think over our oblig-
ing offer. Possibly, if | find | cannot
taxi care Of myself, | nay come to you.
For the present / shall trust to Scot
land Yard and my " cndeavors."
you are wrong sir, entirely wrong,
believe that" said my visitor darkly
as he rose to take his leave. You are
in c~onsiderabl danger, sir, n it Will
increase hourly. And you have given
points against you. The chief aim Of
these big 'bunco steerers' is, Of course,
10 pouch your dollars, but 1t is known
that you are concerned with the diff
f~erenCcs between our two great Coun-
tries. 1t is supposed that you hold
important military information, state
secrets that might be got out Of you,
squeezed out of you, if they put you
in a tight place. You may decline our
offer. That is our OWL affair. But,
sir, let me COnjure you to carry a six
shooter on all occasions. Go nowhere
well, to no strange or unusual places
alone
Il trust it is not quite so bad as all
that, Mr.. Snuyzer. Still. l am grateful,
and | shall certainly remember you If,
if
You survive? Yes, sir, but do not
leave IL too late. You have been
marked down, captain, and they will
strike at you, somehow, soon: today,
tomorrow. at any time. They contend
that the Mcknight millions were ac-
CURED by spoliation and sharp prac-
tice."
rs there any truth in that" / broke
in hurriedly.
BILLY Mcknight was a smart man,
and struck some close things. but he
was no more entitled to state prison
than those he fought with III Wall
street. Any stick is good enough to
beat a dog with, and your enemies
will talk tall about s~urrenderlng III
gotten gains because IT is n good show
card. | do not think you need lie awake
wondering whether o should make
restitution to the widow and the faith
erless-anyway, not till IFS forced upon
you. as 1t may be-"
And Won IN m eo Va mo from that ~
Q worse. We think you will be well
advised to consider our offer. II we
can be OF any service to you. remem-
Der u telephone number Is PSF, 1853, and
! shall reply personally or by proxy az
any time, day or night. You have also
my address, 20 Norfolk street, Strand,
reside there, on the premises. ] shall