Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-08-14
BY Fred M. G)hhe
CHAPTER xxxn. continued,

to the iron frame. Look at them,
she said. 1t was my suggestion that
the stays should be attached to the
frame to prevent anything like this
robbery. l made the stays secure my
s"f. And what happened to justify my
prudence? Why, the very same night
somebody came here after the picture. "
"II@nson." Littimer cried. "-Ah. But
h. could have come openly"
1t is not in the nature of the man
TO do things openly" Chris went on.
Il know more about the man than you
imagine, but that You are to keep 10
yourself. He comes here in the dead of
the night and he gets into the house
throu@h an upstair window. A man of
his bulk, if YOU please. And he comes
here h"t-foot ana br-athless at a time
when Z" :nn>on prudence should have
kept hiiM in bed. Why? Because he
know '..at Dr.. Bell has the other Rem
brand, aud will com. to prove it, and
because he knows hat if he can steal
the Iittimer Rembrandt he can preci-
pitate the very impasse that he has
brought about. But he could not steal
thu picture because it was fast
You are a Very clever young lady,
1ittime- said drly. You will tell me
rcxt that YOU expected Henson to try
1his thing on
Il did" Chris said, coolly Il had a
Telegram to warn me So
Littimar smiled All this mystery
aud cleverness was after his own heart.
He lighted his cigarette and rendered
his case n the friendliest possible man
ner to Bell. .......
eco on" he said, II am deeply inter-
ted'
Il prefer not to go into details"
Chris resumed. "All 1 ask you to do
IS to be entirely guided by me when you
have heard my story I have admitted
to you that knew when Henson was
coming, and Why l am interested. Be-
cause it happens that Reginald Henson
has greatly injured someone I cared
50. deeply. Well, I fastened up the
Ticture-he came. He sneaked in like
Hhe thief that he was, because his ac-
ccmplice and tool had failed to save
tlim the trouble Lord Littimer, I will
not pain you by saying who Henson's
accomplice is"
I.ittimer nodded gloomily.
Not that blame that accomplice;
he could not help himself. All, when
the whole truth comes to be told, what
a black business it will be. Well, Hen
son came to steal the picture, and 1
caught him in the act. If you had
seen his fat, greasy, crestfallen face!
Then he pretended that it was all done
for a jest and as a warning to Lord
dittimer. And Lord Littimer, the most
cynical Of men, allowed it to pass
II couldn't see what he had to gain"
hittimer pleaded. II don't now, as
matter Of fact
Neither will you, for the present"
said Chris. Still, you will be so good
las to assume the same hospitality and
courtesy toward Henson as you extend
at present.
81 daresav can manage it," said
h-ittimer, cynically. Il used to be
society man once"
Henson did not deceive me for
moment" Chris went on. "He was
bound to have the picture, and, being
aoaf'cd one way, he tried another.
Look here, Lord Littimer. Let me as
sumo for moment that DR.. Bell came
down here to steal your picture get
irrl Of the frame, and palm off your
own engraving for another. Now, in
She name of common sense let me ask
you a simple question. Could DR.. Bell
have possibly known that the frame of
tho Rembrandt was fastened securely
Flc the wall, and that had attached it
quite recently? And could he, in the
short time at his disposal, have pro-
lcured the necessary tools to cut away
the stays? Again. DR.. Bell can prove.
L suppose. exactly what time he left
London to-day. No: we must look
Farther for the thief
"There is something else. also. We
have to look for" said DR.. Bell. "And
,that is the frame. You say it was Of
iron. and. consequently, heavy. The
thief would discard the frame and roll
up the print
THAT is brilliant suggestion" said
Chris. eagerly. "And if we only had
that is the frame. You say-it was Of
doubts at rest entirely. I happen to
know that the real thief came and
went by the cliff under the terrace. If
the frame was thrown into the gorse,
There it"
might stay for ages" Littimer ex
claimed "By Jove. I'm just in the
mood to carry this business stage or
two farther before ] go to bed. Bell,
there are two or three cycle-lamps in
the gun-room. You used to be a pref
Wy fearless climber. What do you say
to hunt round for an sour or two,
while the house is quet?'
Bell assented, eagerly. Chris waited
with what patience she could command
till daylight began to show family and
redly in the east. Then she heard the
sound Of voices on the outside, and Lit
timer and Bell staggered in, carrying
the frame, between them.
Got it," -Lttimer exclaimed, with
the trium phant exultation of a school
boy who has successfully looted a rare
birds nest. I'VE found it halfway
down the cliff. hidden in a patch of
samphire. And it doesn't seem to be
any the worse for the adventure. Now,
Mrs Wisaacre, seeing that we have the
frame, perhaps you will fulfill your
promise of convincing me. once and for
all, that yonder Rembrandt cannot
possibly belong to- me?"
II am going to do So" Chris said,
quietly. "You told me you had to cut
the margin Of your print by an inch or
so round to fit the quaint old frame
So far as ] can see. the print before you
is intact. Now, if it is too large for
the frame"