Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-04-01

terview myself. When / realized
everything, I could have kicked my
self for my stupidity. Why should
have suspected him, however? The
very boldness of his scheme carried
conviction with it! Certainly, MIR.
Gideon Hayle was a foeman worthy
of my steel, and | began to realize
that, with such man to deal with,
the enterprise I had taken in hand
was likely to prove bigger affair
than l had bargained for.
| Having failed in both his attempts !
to get me out of the way, his next
move will be to leave England with
as little delay as possible | said to
myself. eff only knew in what part
of London he was staying, I'd ran
sack it for him, if | had to visit every
house in order to do so. AS it is, he
has thousand different ways of es-
cape, and unless luck favors me l
shall be unable to prevent him from
taking his departure
At that moment there was tap
at the door and my clerk entered the
room.
you. sir
"Show them in l said, and a mo-
ment later the blind man and his
companion were ushered into my
presence.
Codd must have OWNED from the
expression upon my face that l was
not pleased to see them.
You must forgive me for troubling
you again so soon," said Kitwater,
as he dropped into the chair I had
placed for him, but you can under
stand that we are really anxious
, about the affair. Your letter tells
us that you discovered that Hayle
was in London a short time since,
and that he had realized upon some
} of the stones. Is it not possible for
! YOU to discover some trace of his
: wherea bouts?"
II have not been able to do that
: vet" | answered. sit will be of in
terest to you, however, to know that
he called upon me here in this room,
and occupied the chair you are now
sitting in, three days ago"
Kitwater clutched the arm of the
chair in question and his face went
. as white as his beard.
: SIN this room three days ago, and
:, sitting in your presence" he cried,
"Then you know where he is, and
can take us to him?"
81 regret that such thing is out
=, of nv power" l answered. "The
man came into and left this room
: ", bout being hindered by me-"
Nitwater sprang to his feet will
an oath that struck me as COMING
u rather oddly from the lips of mis-
: sionary.
. 81 see it all. You are in League
with him." he cried, his face suffuset
:, with passion. you are siding witt
y him against US. BY God you are, ant
: I'll have you punished for it. Io'
hoodwinked us. you sold us. 9ou'v
: taken our money, and now you'v
>, gone over and are acting for tn
- enemy"
- l opened the drawer of my tabl
and took out the envelope he ha
: given me when he had called. For
- reason of my own had not banke
- the note it contained.
"Excuse me, Mr.. Kitwater," ] sait
speaking as calmly as l could, "bu
y. there seems to be little misundel
u standing. / have not sold you, an
/ have not gone over to the enem,
a. There is the money you gave M
90 and / will not charge you anythin
~ fer the little trouble l have bee
~ put to. That should convince you
- my integrity. Now perhaps you wi
=. leave my office, and let me wash n
~ hands of the whole affair"
w. | noticed that little Codd place
"s his hand upon the others arm.
Travelled down until their hands me
~ / saw that the blind man was ma
~. ing an effort to recover his cor
iS posure, and I felt sure that he 7
~ GREETED ever having lost it. A m
rs ment later Codd came across Il
room to my table, and, taking up
eu, piece of paper, wrote upon it Il
-" following words:
me "Kitwater is sorry, ! am sure. /
aI to forgive him. Remember what
DE- has suffered through Hayle."
ny The simplicity of the MESA
u touched me.
~ "Pray sit down minute, Mr. K
NC water" | said, land let me put N
self right with you. 1t is on
OF natural that you should get angl
Gu if you think L have treated you
you said just now. However. tn
Id does not happen to be the case.
ne can assure you that had [ kno'
ioe who Hayle was, ! should have tax
very good care that he did not lea
Nd this office until you had had an
terview with him. Unfortunate
u however, ! was not aware of
'Ae- identity. | have encountered sol
bold criminals in my time, but l
and not know that ] have ever had
you more daring one than the man W
me treated you SO badly"
] thereupon proceeded to give h
ear a rough outline of Hayle's interv
1he with myself, and his subseque
Neu treatment of me Both men lister