The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-06-12
The crin1s0n
>, =, .: ..'~: BGnd
By Fred M. Nhite



Another one" Bell replied. "Oblige
me by opening yonder parcel. There
you see is the print that purchased to-
day for G5, This. this. my friend is the
print that was stolen from I.ittmer's
lodgings in Amsterdam. III you look
closely at IL, you win see four dun. red
SPOTS In the left-hand corner. They
are supposed TO be blood-spots from a
cut finger of the artist. / am prepared
10 swear that this is the very print,
frame and all. that was pu chased in
Amsterdam from that shady scoundrel.
Ven Sneck"
But Littmer is credited with having
one in his collection" David urged.
He has one in his collection" Bell
said, cooly. And, moreover, he is
firmly under the impression that he is
at present the happy possessor of his
own lost treasure. And up to this very
day I was under exactly the same delu-
sion. Now / know that there must
have been two copies OF the plate, and
that this knowledge was used to ruin
me-"
But" Steel murmured. IT don't ex-
actly see"
II am coming to that. We hunted
high and low, for the picture, but no.
where could 1t b. found. The affair
created a profound impression in AM
sterdam. A day or two later Van Gull
den went back to his duty on the Bel
gian frontier. and business called me
home. ] packed my solitary portman-
teau and departed. When / arrived at
the frontier / opened my luggage for
the customs officer, and the whole con-
tents was turned out without ceremony.
On the bottom was roll of paper on a
stick that / quite failed to recognize.
An inquisitive Gus toms house officer
opened 1t. and Immediately called the
lieutenant In charge. Strange to say, he
proved to be Won Gulden. He came up
TO me, very gravely, with the paper in
his hand.
May I inquire how this came
among your lugg lge?' he asked.
III could say nothing. was dumb.
For there lay the Rembrandt. The red
spots had been smudged out of the cor
ner, but there the picture was
well, l lost my head then. I accused
Won Gulden OF all kinds of disgraceful
things. And he behaved like a gentle
mamie made me ashamed OF myself.
But he kept the picture, and returned IL
10 Littmer. and / was rulne1. Lord
Littmer declined to pros cute, but he
would not see me and he would hear of
no explanation. Indeed, 1 had none to
offer. Enid refused to see me. also, or
reply to my letters. The story of my
big gambling debt, and its liquidation
got about. Steel, and I was ruined
Some enemy had done this thing. and
from that day TO this l have been a
marked man."
But how on earth was II done?" Steel
cried.
For the present can only surmise,"
Bell replied. 'Van Sneck was a slip
perry dog. or course he had found two
OF those plates He kept the one back,
so as to sell the other at a fancy price
My enemy discovered this. and Van
Sneck's sudden fiisht was his opportu-
nifty. He could afford to get rid of me
at an apparently dear rate. He stole
Littmer's picture--in fact, he must have
done so. or should not have 1t at this
moment. Then he smudged out some
imaginary spots on the other, and hid
1t in my baggage, knowing that II
would be found. Also. he knew that II
would be returned to Littmer, and that
the stolen plate could be laid aside, and
produced at some remote date as an
original find. The find has been mine,
and IL viii go hard IL can't get to the
bottom of this mystery now. 1t is
strange that your mysterious trouble
and mine should be bound up so closely
together. but I'm the end II will simplify
matters. for the very reason that we
are both on the hunt for the same
man."
(which man we have got to find,
Bell"
Granted. We will bait for him as
one does for willy old trout. The fly
shall be the Rembrandt, and you see
NJ will rise to II in time. But beyond
this / have made one or two important
discoveries to-day. We are going to the
house OF the strange lady who owns 21S
and 2i9 Brunswick Square. and shall
be greatly mistaken IL she does not
prove to be an old acquaintance of
mine. There win be danger"
"You propose to go to-night?'
II propose TO go at once" Bell said
Ozark hours are always best for dark
business. Now, which Is the nearest
way to Longdean Granger"
$50 the House OF the Silent Sorrow.
as they call It, is 70 be our destination
must confess that the place has ever
held strange fascination for me- We
VIII go over the golf links and behind
Oving6ean village. 1t is rare spot for
q tragedy"
Bell rose and lighted cigar.
Come along he said. Poke that
Rembrandt behind your books. with its
face to the wall. / would not lose that
for anything, now. No, on second
thoughts, find / shall have TO take it
with me-"
David closed the door carefully be-
hind him, and the two stepped out into
the night.