The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-09-04


| full of flowers and jumped to HIS feet
ivan Snecj<. for million!" he cried.
MY head TO a cocoanut on IT,"
The same. They managed TO get the
poor fellow into the house before Will
Jams brought Henson from the lodge,
and he's In the stables now, in a rath-
err excited condition. Now. quite agree
with Miss Henson that Henson must be
kept In ignorance OF the fact: also. that
Van Sneck must be got away without
any delay To inform the hospital au-
thorities would be TO spoil everything
and play into Henson's hands. But he
must be got away tonight"
Right you are. Well. go and fetch
him. Et apres?"
eft apres he will stay here. He shall
stay here. and you shall say that II Is
dangerous to remove him. Cross shall
be told, and Marley shall be tsld. and
the public shall be discreetly kept in
ignorance for the present I'll go over
there at once. as there is no time TO be
lost. Miss Henson suggests that /
should come, and she tells me that
Williams will wait at the lodge gates
for me. But you are going to stay
here"
ooh. indeedl But why am I going to
stay here?"
Because, my dear friend. can easI-
" manage the business single-handed.
ard because you must run no risk of
meeting Henson yonder. You are not
now supposed to know where the fam
lily are, nor are you supposed to take
the faintast interest In them. Stay
rfah Ia fill
I return. 49,. Are you there? l will
te at Lon ydean as soon as possible and
bring Van Sneck here. No: / won't
ring off: you had better do that. I
shall be over in less than an hour"
David hung up the receiver and pro-
ceeded to don short covert coat and
cap. In the breast pocket Of the coat
he placed a revolver.
"Just as well to be on the safe side"
ne said. Though I am not likely to be
4 Dubbed with the man with the thumb
again. SIN, Henson may have other
biackguards; he may even know where
Van Sneck is at the present moment,
for all know to the contrary"
II feel -ather guilty, letting you go
alone" Bell said.
mot a bit of it," said David. cheer
fully. Smoke your cigar, and If you
need any supper. ring for it. You can
safely leave matters in my hands. Van
Sneck shall stay here until he is fit, and
then you shall operate upon him. AZ
ter that he ought to be as clay In the
hands OF the potter. So long"
And David went OF, gaily enough.
He kept to the cliffs for the first part
of the distance. and then struck off
across the fields in the direction of
1,ongdean. The place was perfectly
quiet, the village was AL in darkness
as he approached the lodge gates Of
the Grange. Beyond the drive and be-
tween the thick, sad frs that shielded
the house he could see the crimson
lights cleaning here and there. He
could catch the rumble and scratch in
the bushes, and ever and again a dog
whined. The big gate was closed IS
David peeped in. searching for his
guide.
williams" he whispered: will
lams. where are your"
But no reply came. The silence was
full OF strange. rushing noises. the rush
of blood in David's head. He called.
again and again. but no reply came.
Then he heard the rush and fret OF
many feet, the cry of a pack of hounds.
a melancholy cry. with sombre Joy In
Il. He saw a light cleaning. fitfully,
In the belt of frs.
''No help mo help for t." David
muttered. II must chance my luck. I
never saw a dog yet that was afraid
of. Well, here goes!"
He scrambled over the wall and drop
ped on the moist. clammy earth on the
other side. He fumbled forward a few
steps. and then stopped suddenly,
brought up all standing by the weird
scene which was being solemnly en-
acted under his astonished eyes.