Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-08-14

the terrace after dinner. By bit Of
good luck I found the accomplice and
himself together in the day; in fact,
forced Reginalds hand, so that he had
to introduce me to the man"
I'm which case you would know him
again?'
"Of course. Presently I am going to
show you n little more of the comedy.
Well, I was on the terrace pretty late
when I heard dear Reginald down the
cliff calling for assistance. He pre-
tended that he had slipped down the
cliff and could not get UP again. BY
the aid of a rope that. fortunately, hap
pened to be close at hand, I saved our
dear friends life. 1 have learned from
one of the gardeners just now that
Reginald placed the rope there himself
"a most effective touch. you must adj
nit"
VERY" Bell said. drily. "But 1 quite
fail to see why"
II am coming to that. Don't you see
that if anything happened. Reginald
could prove that he was not near the
house at the time? But just before
that I saw his accomplice come I'D the
cliff; indeed, he passed quite close to
me on his way to the house Reginald
quite overlooked this fact in his heed
for his own safety. When I had eff
fected my gallant rescue heard an
owl boot. Now, there are no owls
about here
II guessed what it meant-it was
signal of success Then I went back
-, -
gone. The stays had been cut away
At first I was dreadfully upset; but
the more thought of it the more sure
I was that it was all for the best"
But you might have raised an alarm
and caught the thief, who"
Who would have been promptly dis
claimed by Reginald. Let me tell you.
sir. that 1 have the thief and the lost
Rembrandt in the hollow of my hands
Before the day is out I shall make
good my boast. And there's the break
fast BELL
1t looked quite natural. some time
later, for the three conspirators to be
lounging about the gallery when Hen
son emerged from his bed room. He
appeared bright and smiling, and most
of the bandages had been removed
from his throat. All the same, he was
not pleased to see Bell there; he gazed
uneasily at the doctor and from him to
Littimer.
You know, Bell" the latter said,
carelessly. Fact is, there's been a
great mistake"
Bell offered his hand heartily. 1t
cost him huge effort. but the Shiny
scoundrel had to be fought with his
own weapons. Henson shook his hand
with the air of man extending a large
and generous need Of forgiveness. He
sought in vain to read Bells eyes, but
there was a steady, almost boyish
smile in them.
Il indeed rejoice" he said unctious-
ly I" indeed -rejoice-rejoice!"
He repeated the last word helpless
ly; he seemed to have lost all his back
bone and lapsed into fabby, jellifed
mass Of quivering white humanity.
His vacant, ishy eyes were fixed upon
the Rembrandt in kind of dull, sleepy
terror
I'm not Welt" he gasped. "Not so
strong as imagined. I'll-I'll go and
lie down again. Later on I shall want
a dog-cart to drive me to Moreton
Wells. II
He paused again, looked at the pic
ture, and passed heavily to his room.
Littimer smiled.
"Splendid." he said. "It was worth
thousands just to see his face"
"All the same" Chris said, quietly;
"all the same, that man is not to leave
for Moreton Wells till I've had clear
hours start of him. DR.. Bell, will you
accompany me?"