Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-09-25

farther ON the way. 1nat ciso
Won saw in Van Snecks possessiol,
nassed to Mr.. Henson. BY him, or Ds
somebody in his employ, IL was sup
stituted for a precisely similar ase IN
tended for a present to Mr.. steer. IL
substitution has caused Mr.. steer a
great deal Of trouble"
"Seaing As Van Sneck was found,
half.dead, in Mr.. Steel's house ana
seeing as he claimed the cigarcase'
what could be proved to De van
Speck's, I'm not surprised" Merrlte
grinned.
"Then you know all about it?'
Don't know anything about it.
he growled, doggedly. Il guessed that:
When YOU said as the one case had
been substituted for the other, II dont
want a regiment Of schoolmasters 10
see where the pea lies. What you've
got to do now is to find Mr.. Steeis
case"
az have already found it, as limited
To Won. It is at Rutter's in Moreton
Wells. 1t was sold to them by the
gentleman who had given up smoking.
| want you to go into Moreton "ells
with me to-day and see II you can get
at the gentleman's identity.
Mr.. Merritt demurred. 1t was all
very well for Chris, he pointed out IN
his picturesque language. n had her
little lot of fish to fry, but, at the same
time, he had to draw his money and
be away before the police were down
upon him. If Miss Lee liked TO start
at once"
"T am ready at any moment Chris
said. "In any case, you Will have 10
g OTTO Moreton Wells, and | can give
you a little more information on the
way"
"You had better go along, Frank"
Littimer suggested. under his reath
81 %fervently hope now that the a Is
not far distant when you a return
together: but for the present your
presence is dangerous. We must give
that rascal, Henson, no cause for sus-
picion."
you are quite right" Frank replied.
"And I'd like to shake hands now,
dad"
Littimer put out his hand without a
word. The cool, cynical man OF the
world would have found 1t difficult to
utter a syllable just then. When he
looked up he was smiling.
GO along" he said. You're a lucky
fellow. That girls one in a million"
The dog-cart, driven by Chris,
brought herself and her companion in
to Moreton Wells in an hour. Frank
had struck off across country in the
direction of the nearest station. The
appearance of himself in Moreton
Wells on the front Of a dog-cart from
the castle would have caused a nine
days wonder.
Now, what l want to impress upon
you is this" said Chris. "Mr. Steel's
cigar-case was stolen, and n belong
ing to Van Sneck substituted for it.
The stolen one was returned to the
shop from which it was purchased al
most Immediately, so soon, indeed,
that the transaction was even
entered on the books. We are pretty
certain that Reginald Henson did that,
and W. know that he Is at the bottom
OF the mystery. But, to prevent any
thing happening, and to prevent our
getting the case back again, Henson
had to go farther. The case must be
beyond our reach. Therefore, | de-
cline to believe that it was a mere CO.
incidence that took a stranger into
Lockhart's directly after Henson had
been there to look at acIne gun-metal
cigar-cases set in diamonds. The
stranger purchased the case, and asked
for 1t to be sent to the Metropole to
John Smith With the hundreds of
letters and visitors there, it would be
almost impossible to trace the case or
the man." -
'Lockhart's might help you"
"They have, as tar as they can. The
cigar-case was sold to a tall American.
Beyond that it Is impossible to 60"
A meaning smile dawned on Mer-
ritt's face.
They might have taken more To-
tice of the gentleman at Rutter's," he
said, being a smaller shop. I'm going
to admire that ase and pretend it be-
longed to a friend Of mine"
{ Il want you to try and buy 1t for
me-" Chris said, quietly.
Rutter's was reached at length, and,
after some preliminaries, the cigar
case was approached. Merritt took 1t
up, with a well-feigned cir of astonish-
ment.
why, this must have belonged to
my old friend, B" he exclaimed.
TITS not new?"
mo, SIR" the assistant explained.
I'VE purchased 1t from a gentleman
who stayed for a day or two here at
the Lion, a friend of Mr.. Reginald Hen
SON."
"a tall manf' said Merritt, tentat.
lively. Long, thin beard and slightly
marked with smallpox? Gave the
name of Rawlins?"
That's the gentleman, sir. Perhaps
you may like to purchase the case?"
The purchase was made in due
course, and together Chris and her
queer companion left the shop.
"Rawlins is an American swindler
OF the smartest type" said Merritt.
III you get him In q corner ask him
what he and Henson were doing in
America, some two years ago. Raw
Inns Is In this little game for certain.
But you ought to trace him by means
OF the Lion people. Oh, lori"
Merritt slipped back into an entry as
a little, clean-shaven man passed along
The street. His eyes had a dark look
OF fear In them.