Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-09-18
CHA PIER XIV.
On the Trail.

AT the same moment Williams came
softly in. There was a grin of satisfac-
ton on his face.
''The brute is fast asleep" he said.
eve just been In his room. He left
the lamp burning, and there is a lump
on one side of his head as big as an os-
tsich egg But he didn't mean to go TO
sleep; he hasn't taken off n OF his
clothes. On the whole. sir, wouldn't 1t
be better to wake our man up and get
HIM away%"
David was of the same opinion. Van
Sneck was lying on the bed. looking va
cantly about him. He seemed older
and more worn. perhaps. because his
beard n moustache were growing
ragged and dirty on his face. He
pressed his hand to his head in q con-
fused kind Of way.
II tell you / can't find It." he said:
s'the thing slipped out OF my hand-a
small thing like that easily might.
Whats the good making a fuss about a
ring not worth E2e? Search my pock-
cts, IL you like. What a murderous
looking log you are when you're out OF
temper
All this In a vague, rambling way. IN
a sllghtly-foreign accent. Steel touched
him on the shoulder.
Wont you come back with me TO
Brighton" he said.
Certainly" was the ready response;
'.you look a good sort of chap. I'll go
anywhere you please. Not that I've
got a penny of money left. What a
spree 1t has been. Who are your"
MY name Is Steel. / am David Steel,
tie novelist"
A Notwithstanding look came over
Van Sneck's face.
II got your letter. he said. 'And I
came. 1t was after I had had that row
with Henson. Henson is a bigger
scoundrel han i am. though you may
not think it."
II accept your statement implicitly"
David said. drily.
'fyvell, he Is. And I got your letter.
And I called. -. And % nearly killed
re. n I dropped 1t down in the cor
ner OF the conservatory"
Dropped what?" David asked, sharp
ly.
Nothing said Van Sneck. What
do you mean by talking about dron-
ping things? I never dropped anything
in my life. / make others do that, Ell,
Ell! But / cant remember anything.
1t just back to me and then there
IS a wheel goes round in my head.
Who are your"
David gave the matter up as hopeless.
This was, emphatically, a case for Bell.
Once let him get Van Sneck back to
brighton and Bell could do the rest.
Wed better GO" he said to Enid.
1--WE are merely wasting time here"
II suppose So" Enid said. thoughtful
W. "All the same. / should greatly
like to know what it is that u friend,
Van Sneck, dropped"
1t was a long and tedious journey
back to Brighton again, fol the patient
seemed TO tire easily, and evinced a
marked prediction for sitting by the
roadside and singing. II was very late
before David reached his house. Bell
beamed bis satisfaction. Var Sneck,
with a half-gleam Of recognition of his
surroundings, and with a statement
that he had been there before. lapsed
into silence. Bell produced a small
pnlal IN a cnemlSIS ana
poured the contents into a glass. With
a curt command to drink, he passed the
glass over to Van Sneck.
The latter drank the small dose, and
Bell carried him more or less to a small
ground-fioor bed room behind the din
ing room. There he speedily undressed
his patient and got him into bed. Van
Sneck was practically fast asleep be-
fore his head had touched the pillow.
II went out n got Ia dose with a
view to eventualities.'' Bell explained.
.I know pretty well what is the matter
with Van Sneck, and / propose 10 OPP
crate upon him, with the help OF Herr
tage. / have put him In my bed and
locked the door. / shall sleep in the big
arm chair"
David flung himself into a big deck
lounge ana lighted a cigarette.
my word that this has been a bit Of
Business" he said. Pour me out a lit
tie whisky in one OF the long glasses
ard ill 1t up with soda. . oh, thas's
better. ] never felt so thirsty In my
life. I got Van sneck away without