The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-04-24
By Fred M. Uhite


great power and save for the hall and
dining room, the rest of the house lay
In utter darkness. The cyle bell let off
an approving staecato from behind the
blankety fog as Steel pulled UP.
There was nothing abnormal about
the house, nothing that struck the adj
venturer's eye beyond the extraordin-
airy vividness Of the crimson blind. The
two side windows of the big bay were
evidently suffered, but the large CEN
ter cleaned like a flood of scarlet over
laid with a silken sheen. Far across
the pavement the ruby track struck
into the heart OF the fog.
Vivid note" steel murmured. Il
shall remember that impression.
He was destined never TO forget IL;
but II was only one note In the gamut
of adventure now. VITA firm step he
walked up the marble flight and turned
the handle. 1t felt dirty and rusty TO
his touch. Evidently the servants were
neglectful, or they were employed by
people who had small regard for out
ward appearances.
The door opened noiselessly and Steel
closed IL behind him. A Morrish Ian
tern cast a brilliant flood of light upon
crimson carpet, a chair and an empty
oak umbrella stand. Beyond this there
was no atom of furniture in the hail.
IL was impossibia TO see beyond the
dining room door. for heavy red vel
vet curtain was drawn across. Davids
first impression was the amazing still
ness OF the place. IL gave him queer
feeling that murder had been commit
ted there, and everybody had fed, leav-
ing the corpse behind. AS David
la Ii In throat
the cough so, led strangely hollow.
He passed into the dining room and
looked eagerly about him. The room
was handsomely furnished, If little
conventional big mahogany table In
the center, rows of mahogany chairs,
upholstered in red morocco, fine modern
prints. most of them artists proofs. on
the walls. A big marble clock. fianked
Lw a pair of vases on the sideboard.
The red distemper had faded to pale
pink in places.
.Tottenham Court Road" Steel
smiled to himself. Modern. solid, ex-
pensive, but decidedly inartistic. Gin
ger Jars. fourteen guineas pair worth
about as many pence Moneyed people.
solid and respectable, of the middle
class. What brings them playing at
mystery like this?"
The room was brilliantly lighted both
from overhead and from the walls ON
the shining desert of the dining taDle
Law a small, nat parcel. addressed 10
David steel. ESQ The novelist tore OF
the cover and disclosed heap Oh
cracking white papers beneath Rap
idly he fiuttered the crisp sheets over
seyenty-five Bank of England notes TOT
E10 each.
II was the balance of the loan-the
price paid for Steel's presence. All ne
had to do now was TO place the money
In his pocket ami walk out of the mouse
few stems and ne would be free. with
nobody to say him nay. 1t was tempt
alton. but Steel fought Ii down. he
slipped the precious notes into Ms
pocket and buttoned his coat tigntly
over them. He had no fear OF the COM
ing day now.
And yet" he murmured, what OF
the price shall have TO pay for TINS
Well. II was worth a ransom. Ana
so long as there was nothing dishonor-
able attached to II. Steel was prepared
to redeem his pledge. He knew per
fectIy well. from bitter experience, that
the poor man pays usurious rates ior
fortunes favors. And he was not WIN
out a strange sense OF gratitude. II
Click. click. click! The three electric
switches were snapped OFF almost ST.
muItaneously outside, and the dining
room was plunged into pitchy darkness
steel instantly caught up chair. lie
was no coward but he was a noVeHsl'
with a novelist's imagination AS ne
stood there. the sweetest, most muslcai
laugh in the world broke on his ear.
He caught the swish Of silken drapery
and the subtle scent that suggested the
fragrance OF a woman's hair. IL was
vague underlined. yet soothing.
pray be seated. Mr.. Steel" the sil-
very voice said. believe me, had there
been any other way, l would not have
given you all this trouble. You fouha
the marcel addressed TO you? 1t is an
earnest OF good faith. Is not that a
correct English expressionY"
David murmured that 1t was. But
what did the speaker mean? she asked
the question like a student of the Eng
Iish language. and yet her accent ana
phrasing were perfect. She laughed
again. noiselessly, and once more steer
caught the subtle. enhancing perfume
IT make no further apology for drag :
cling YOU here at this time the sweet
voice Halu. we kttW NliuN sOu
the habit OF sitting up late at night,
hence the telephone message. You VIII
perhaps wonder now we came to know
so much of your private affairs. Rest
assured that we learned nothing IN
Brighten. Presently you may gather
why / am so deeply interested In you; l
have been so for the past fortnight.
You see we were not quite certain that
YOU would come to our assistance un-
less we could find some means OF CO.
ercing you. Then we go to one of =
smartest inquiry agents in the worlo
and say Tell us all about David Steel
without delay. Money is no object In
less than a week we know all about
Beckstein, We leave matters until the
last moment. II you only knew how
revolving 1t all vast
$50 your tone seems to imply. ma
DAM" Steel said. dryly.
"Oh, but truly. You were in great
trouble and we found a way 70 get you
out OF IT. But your trouble is nothing
as compared with mine-which bring,
me to business. A fortnight ago las,
monday you posted to Mr.. vanstone
ssitor OF the Picadilly Magazine. tn