Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1901-01-03

| an early Gaie was 0xEu TOT our pah-
quet. and / was glad to escape, AFTER
some ten minutes desultory small talk,
even from the witchery Of Nora's eyes
and Nora's voice, to tell Anguish OF the
discoveries I had made.
Before I said anything TO him, how
ever. I went to a box in which / kept
a collection of odds and ends, such as
the rough outlines of sketches that
were to be filled in, little pieces OF
! sculpture that I had done. n so FORTH
and from amongst them / took out the
model of a hand.
/ sent for Anguish and Travers to
come to the den"
Look at this model" I said, placing
ii on the table, and the next time you
see D'Orville compare his hand with
it. / did this Immediately after what
happened in Mr.. Travers's room, and
I worked it UP from the sketch | made
| while the image Of the hand that was
pulling the gas-cord was fresh in my
mind. To-day I saw D'Orville's hand
in much the same position, n / rec
ognised the likeness at once. There
is no installing h prominent thumb
joint and the extreme length OF the
first bones Of the fingers. I never saw
any other like il.
Now pay attention to another fact
that 1 must mention. On the night
when Dr.. James was murdered my
father picked up a handkerchief that
close beside his body, and this piece
of linen and lace was scented with hell
trope. D'Orville's mother had. to-day,
a handkerchief that ave out exactly
the same odor, and h p~layfully re-
marked that her son was always steal
ing her handkerchief because he was
so fond of the scent. This may be only
a coincidence, but, taken in c~onjunc-
ton with my recognition Of h hand,
I don't think it is"
Anguish sat placidly watching the
model and muttering something
about the man who dug a pit and fell
into it himself, and Hugh vas for
rushing off and having D'Orville ar
rested then and there.
Matters are working beautifully.
Mr.. Travers," said Anguish; don't
hurry them. You must remember that
in all probability there are others con-
cerned in this awful conspiracy, and
although slang doesn't seem proper
when one is arrayed in this garb, L
must put it that, if you viii only hold
on, we shan bag the lot. Look at Mr..
Tremayne. He's getting to be quite
a man OF nerve, though I daresay IL
gave him a twinge to shake the hand
tina so nearly finished off his friend.
Now, about the dinner party. Did you
ask them?"
Yes, and they're all coming next
Tuesday. This is Thursday, so that
we've plenty of time to get ONE peo-
pie to meet them. There's the doctor,
and his wife and daughter, and d..
and Mrs. Galloway from the rectory.
The more we ave the better"
All! quite So" said Anguish. But
couldn't you ask someone except the
rector? Wed better not have two Rich
monds in the field. and my Church his
tory won't stand a very severe test.
Who is the old colonel that called the
other day? Cans we have him and his
pretty daughter"
And so the party was made up, and
everyone invited sent an acceptance,
and as nothing of Importance happen
ed in the meantime I should come at
to the Tuesday evening.
Before u guests arrived we had
some advice from Anguish.
Whatever happens said he, "you
must neither of you betray any know
ledge of the Ragged Thirteen. You may
be put to the test, and in the most in
ocent fashion; but if you are, and If
D'Orville sees anything suspicious,
then we ma look out for most un-
pleasant squalls. I remember going TO
a dinner party once, and my host ask
ed TO be careful not to mention hang
ing or poisoning, as there would be
people present to whom these would
be tender subjects. Do you know. be-
fore the soup had disappeared we were
in ull swing on thos very topicsl 1t is'
almost a certainty that D'Orville
doesn't that we suspect him. You new
er got a sight of his face when you
grappled with him, and you would new
err have known anything about the
cards or the newspaper cuttings If it
had not been for an accident. He
thinks he knows all about you, but
that you know nothing of him, and
have no idea of the meaning of the
pasteboards that he n his gang
leave behind them"
uoh I Hall like the IDEA OF sitting
down with such a man." said Hugh.
And what's more, / can't see any
thing in it,"
That is right" said Anguish. 1--WE
want to understand him thoroughly.
We are certain that he has a deuce of
a temper. Something may put him
out, and in that case we might pick
up useful information. Besides, we
want to put him off his guard com
pletely, and so you must both lay your
selves not to do the honors OF the
house as If you were entertaining a
duke. II | were you. Tremayne, I
should take the mother in to dinner,
and get her to preside at one end Of
the table. Then IL any telegraphy
goes on between her and her precious
son, we shal have a better chance of
seeing 1T. A glance hat only lasts the
tenth Of a second will often tell you
more than an hours talk"
1t was indeed a heterogeneous party
that assembled in the drawing-room of
THE DELI to do justice to the dinner
that had taxed the of the es-
adjustment to the uttermost.
1t was as though we We're about to