Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-08-21

beautiful old place by themselves. so
that they could talk freely Chris
crumbled her bread and slipped her
| soup with an air of deep abstraction.
"a great idea is forming itself in my
mind" she said.
What, another one?" Bell smiled.
els it the air OF the place. or what:
Really, there is a brilliancy about you
that is striking"
Chris laughed. She was full of the
JOY Of life to-day.
ut is the freedom" she said. eft
you only knew what 1t is to feel free
after the dull. aching. monotonous
misery Of the last few years. To be
constantly on the treadmill. to be in
| the grasp Of a ritiless scoundrel. At
| first YOU fight against it passionately
| with longing to do something, and
| gradually You give way to despair.
| And now the weight is off my Shout
| ders and am flee to act. Fancy the
reward of finding Reginald Henson
| out.'
Reginald Henson is the blight upon
| your house In what way?"
"Ah, cannot tell you. 1t Is a Sc
cret that we never discuss. even among
ourselves. But he has the power over
us. he has blighted all our lives. But
| if l could get hold OF a certain thing
the power would be broken. That Is
what am after. what I am working
| for. And it is in connection with my
endeavor that the new idea came to
me-"
Cant you give me some general idea
of it?" Bell asked.
''Well, want to make Merritt my
friend. I want him to imagine that I
am as much of an adventures as he is
an adventurer. I want to let him see
that could send him to prison.
so you can, by telling the police of
the loss of your star"
"And getting Merritt arrested and
sent to gaol. where couldn't make use
Of him. No, no. The thing is pretty
vague in my mind at present. have
to work it out as one would story; as
David Steel would work it out, for in
stance. All"
CHS clapped her hands rapturously,
and little cry of delight escaped her.
THE very thing." she exclaimed.
IF could lay all the facts before Mr..
Steel, and get him to plan out all the
details! His fertile imagination would
see way out at once. But he Is far
away, and there is no time to be lost.
Is there no way of getting at him?"
Chris appealed, almost imploringly,
to her companion. She made a pretty
picture, with the old oak engravings
behind her. Bell smiled as he helped
himself to asparagus.
"Why not adopt the same method
by which YOU originally introduced
yourself to the distinguished novel;
ist'' he asked. "Why not use Litti-
mer's telephone?"
Chris pushed her plate away, impetu-
ously.
Il am too excited to eat any more"
she said. Il am filled with new idea.
Of course. I could use the telephone to
speak to Mr.. Steel, and to Enid, as
we'll. If the scheme works out as I
anticipate I shall have to hold a long
conversation with Enid, dangerous
thing SO long as Reginald Henson is
about"
I'll keep Henson out Of the way.
The best thing is to wait until every
body has gone to bed tonight, and call
Steel up then. You will be certain to
get him after eleven, and there will be
no chance of your being cut off at that
hour of the night in consequence of
somebody else wanting the line. The
same remark applies to your sister,"
Chris nodded, radiantly.
Thrice blessed telephone" she said.
II can get in all I want without COM
uniting myself to paper or moving
from the spot where my presence is
urgently needed We will give Mr.
Steel a pleasant surprise tonight, and
this time I shall get him into no trou-
BILE"
The luncheon was finished at length,
and an intimation sent to Merritt that
his friends were waiting for him at the
Lion. AS his powerful figure was seen
entering the big Norman porch Hen
son came down the street driving a
dog-cart at a dangerous rate of speed.
"Our man is going to have his trou
BILE for his pains" Bell chuckled. HE
has come to interview Merritt. How
pleased he will be to see Merritt at din
ner time
Merritt shambled in awkwardly, OBJ
viously suppressing desire to touch
his fo"elock There was a sheepish
grin on his face, suppressed triumph
in his eye. He had been recently
shaved and his hair cut; but, despite
these improvements, and despite his
clerical garb. he was not exactly the
class of man to meet in dark lane
after sunset.
Chris, however, showed nothing Of
this in her greeting. Long before Lit
timer Castle was reached she had sue
ceeded in putting Merritt quite at his
ease. He talked of himself and his
past exploits, he boosted Of his cum
ming. 1t was only now and again that
ne pulled himself up and piously refer
red to the new life that he was now
leading. Bell was studying him care
fully; he read the others mind like an
open book. When the wagonette final
ly pulled up before the castle, Littimer
strolled up and stood there regarding
Merritt quietly.
SO this is the gentleman you were
going to bring to dinner?" he said,
grimly. II have seen him before, in
the company Of our dear Reginald.
| also"
Chris shot Littimer an imploring
glance. Merritt grinned, in friendly
fashion. Bell, in his tactful way, pi-
loted the strange guest to the library