The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-10-23
5yFred M. Ohte
CHAPTER LIy.
where Is the Rings

Van Sneck looked up with some
signs of confusion. He had not ex.
pected question of that kind. There
was just the suggestion of cunning on
his face
"A ring?" he murmured, vaguely.
"a ring? What ring?"
"Now, look here" David said, stern
w "You are more or less in our pow
er, you know, but we are not disposed
10 be hard on you as long as you are
ouite candid with us. Henson required
something that he believed to be In
your possession; indeed, you have as
good as said you had 1t with you. Hen
son lured you into my house to Get that
more than anything else. That he
would have killed you, even after ne
got II, firmly believe. But that Is not
the point. Now, was not Henson look
ing for Prince Rupert's ring that you
got from him by means of trick?
Van Sneck dropped his hands help
lessly on the bed.
Gentlemen" he whined. you are too
much for me. The marvellous accura-
cy Of your knowledge is positively
overwhelming. It was the ring Hen
son was after"
"The one you stole from him years
agol But what did you know about
itP"
Van Sneck smiled.
There Is no living man who knows
more about those things than do" he
said "It's passion and a study with
me- And, some seven years ago, in
Holland, Henson gave me the descrip-
ton of a ring he wanted me to copy.
Henson never told me what the ring
was, called but | knew Ii was the
Prince Rupert ring. l made a copy,
and Henson was pleased with it. Some
time later he came to me with the
original, and asked for another copy.
I meant to be honest, but my love for
those things got the better of me. /
made him two copies, the one good. the
other an exact fac smile Of the Prince
Rupert. These handed over to Hen
son, and he went away perfectly salts
fed that he had good copy and the
original. | chuckled to myself, feeling
pretty sure that me would never find
out"
"But he did find out?" David said
"Only lately. Probably he took IL to
an expert for valuation or perhaps for
sale. Lately his idea was to offer the
ring to Lord Littimer for huge sum
of money; but when he discovered he
had been done, he knew that Lord Lit
timer would not be so deceived. Also,
he had pretty good idea that should
keep the ring about me. You see.
dared not sell an historic gem like
that. And, as usual, Henson was per-
fectly right"
"Then you had the ring in your peck
ct the night you came here?" asked
Steel, with a commendable effort at
calmness. did Henson get it?'
mo, he didn't" Van Sneck chuck
led. "Come what might, I had made
up my mind that he should never see
that ring again. You see, was fright
ened and confused, and was not prop
erly sober, and / did something with
the ring, though to save my life, l can
not say what did. Do you know. DIR.
Bell, / have lost my sense of smeIl?"
Steel wriggled impatiently about on
his chair. The interruption was exas-
perating. Bell, however, seemed to
tzhO u dAhOA CAI wow Vi tAO AaLtCi
together.
"Quite naturally" he said. "The
blow on your head held all your senses
suspended for time After the opera
tion should not have been surprised
to have found you halfblind and stone
deaf into the bargain. But one thing
is certain--your smell will come back
to you. II may remain in allegiance for
few days. II may return in a few mo-
ments"
What on earth has that to do with
our interview" David asked
II fancy great DEAL" Bell said.
"The sense of smell has a great deal
to do with memory. Doesn't the scent
of flowers bring back vivid recollec-
tions of things sometimes for years
forgotten? Van Sneck was going TO
say the air was heavy with the fra
GRANGE of some particular blossom
when he was struck down by Henson
in the conservatory"
'Very clever man. DR.. Bell" Van
SnecR said, admiringly. "He seems to
see right through your mind and out at
the other side. To a great extent, |
recollect all that happened that event
full night. And just at the very last |
seem to smell something powerful.
That smell came TO my nostrils just
like flash and then had gone again.
Gentlemen, II could havo big. long
scent at that flower I could tell you
what | did with the ring"
Sounds rather complex" David
said
Not q bit OF II" Bell retorted. "Our
friend Is talking sound common sense,
and our friend is going to rest now till
late in the afternoon, when we'll put
him into an arm chair, with some pill
lows, and let him sit In the conserv-
atory. Associating with former sur
roundings frequently works wonders.
Van Sneck, you can go to sleep"
Van Sneck closed his eyes obedient-
ly. He was somewhat tired with the
interview. But, on the whole, Bell de-
cided that he was doing very well in
deed. And there was very little to be
done for the present. The two men
smoked their cigars peacefully.
We have got to the end" Bell said.
fancy so. David murmured. "But
we cant save the scandal. don't see
how Reginald Henson Is going to Re.
out Of the mess without a prosecutor. .
ANY further speculation as To the IN.