The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-10-23

never seen before, The dust and dirt
had absolutely vanished; 1t might have
been the home of any ordinary wealthy
and refined people. And all Lady Litti.
mers rags and patches had disappear.
ed. She was dressed in somewhat old
fashioned style, but handsomely and
well. She sat beside Littimer with a
smile on her face. But the cloud
seemed to have rolled from her mind ;
her eyes were clear, II little fright.
ened. From the glance that passed be.
tween Littimer and herself 1t was easy
to see that the misunderstanding was
no more.
'You are surprised to see me here?"
said Littimer.
Henson stammered something and
shrank towards the door. Littimer
ordered him back again. He came,
with a sinking, logged air; he avoid
ed the smiling contempt in Ends
eyes.
MY presence appears to be super
fiuous," he said, bitterly.
"And mine appears to be surprise"
l.
glad to see me, my heir ard successor?
Why, II some of your future constitu-
ents could see you now they might be
justified in imagining that You had
done something wrong. Look at your
self"
Littimer indicated long gilt mirror
on the opposite wall. Henson glanced
at it, involuntarily, and dropped his
eyes. Could that abject, white-faced
sneak be himself? Was that the man
whose fine presence and tender smile
had charmed thousands? 1t seemed
impossible.
What have I done?" he asked
What have you not done?" Litti-
mer Numbered. ''In the first place,
you did your best to ruin Hatherley
Bells life. You robbed me of picture
to do so, and your friend. Merritt
tried to rob me again. But have both
those pictures now. You did that be-
cause you were afraid of Bell-afraid
lest he should see through your base
motives. And you succeeded for a
time, for the coast was clear. And
then you proceeded to rob me of my
son, by one of the most contemplate
tricks ever played by one man upon
another. 1t was you who stole the
money and the ring; you who brought
about all that sorrow and trouble by
means of forgery. But there are
other people on your track as well as
myself. You were at your last gasp.
You were coming to see me to sell the
ring for large sum, to take you out of
the country, and then you discovered
that you hadn't really got the ring"
"What-what are you talking
about?" Henson asked, feebly.
"Scoundrel! Littimer cried "In-
nocent and pure to the last. know
all about Van Sneck and those forger-
les of Prince Rupert's ring. And I
know how Van Sneck was nearly done
TO death in Mr.. Steels house; and
know why-good heavens! 1t seems
impossible that / could have been de-
ceived all these years by such Shiny,
treacherous scoundrel. And | might
have gone on still but for a woman"
"A lady detective!" Henson sneered.
Miss Lee"
Littimer smiled. II was good, after
all, to defeat and hoodwink the rascal.
miss Chris Henson" he said. 1T
never occurred to you that Miss Chris
and Miss Lee were one and the same
person? You never guessed. And
she played with you as il you had been
a child. How beautifully she exposed
you over those pictures. All, you
should have seen your face when you
saw the stolen Rembrandt back again
in its place. And, after that, you were
mad enough to think that | trusted
you. My dear, what shall do with
this pretty fellow"
Lady Littimer shook her head, doubt
fully. 1t was plain that the presence
of Henson disturbed her. There was
just suggestion of the old madness
in her eyes.
Send him away" she said. Let
him 60"
Send him away, by all means" Lit
timer went on. but letting him go is
another matter. IL we do, the police
will pick him up on other charges.
There is a certain consolation in know
ing that his evil career is likely to be
shortened by some years. But shall
have no mercy. Scotland Yard shall
know everything"
There was a cold ring in Littlmer's
NOlCt tudl JOiu IlcHoOu VI HIS ueI6Tmlu-
alton to carry out his threat. The 9TH
er trouble he might wriggle out of, but
this one was terribly real. 1t was time
to try Cancellation.
''It will be terrible scandal for the
family, my lord" he whined.
Littimer rose to his feet. A sudden
anger 1ared into his eyes. He was a
smaller man than Henson, but the lat
ter cowed before him.
you dog!" he cried. what great
er scandal than that OF the past few
years? Does not all the world know
that there is, or has been, some heavy
cloud over the family honor? Lord
and Lady Littimer have parted. and
her ladyship has gone away. That is
only part of what the gossips have
said. And in these domestic differ
ences 1t is always the woman who suf-
fers. Everybody always says that the
woman has done something wrong.
For years my wife has been under this
stigma. II she had chosen to keep be-