Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-05-08

| pie mad admired the case, and It hat
been OH the point Of sale several times
Finally 1t passed into the hands of al
American gentleman staying at the
| Metropole.
Can you tell me his name?" Davit
asked, cor describe HING" N
Well can't, SIR the Junior part
ner said, frankly. IT haven't the slight
est recollection of the gentleman He
! wrote from the Metropole, on the hote
paper. describing the case andfits price
and enclosed the full amount in E1(
notes. and asked to have the case sent
by post to the hotel. When we ascer-
tanned that the notes were all right we
naturally posted the case. as desired
! and there. so far as we are concerned
was an end of the matter"
You don't recollect his name?"
"Oh, yes. The name was John Smith
If there is anything wrong"
David hastily gave the desired as
suraEce. He wanted to arouse no sus-
picion. All the same, he left Lockharts
with plethora of suspicious of his
own. Doubtless the jewellers would be
well and fairly satisfied so long as the
case had been paid for: but from the
standpoint of David's superior know
ledge. the whole transaction fairly
bristled with suspicion.
Not for one moment did Steel believe
in the American at the Metropole.
Somebody stayed there. doubtless, un-
der the name of John Smith, and that
said somebody had paid for the case in
f1O notes. the tracing Of which might
prove task of years. Nor was it the
slightest use to inquire at the Metro
pole, where, practically, everybody is
identified by number and where
scores come and go every day. John
Smith would only have to ask for his
letters and then drop quietly into a sea
of oblivion.
Well. David had got his information.
and a lot of use it was likely to prove
to him. AS he walked thoughtfully
homewards he was debating in his
mind whether or not he might venture
Square, and lay his difficulties before
the people there. At any rate. he re-
Elected. with grim bitterness, they
would know that he was not romano
ing. If nothing turned up in the mean
time he would certainly visit Bruns-
wick Square.
He sat in his own room puzzling the
matter out until his head ached and
the flowers before him reeled in a daz-
zling whirl of color. He looked around
for inspiration, now desperately. as he
frequently did when the warp of his
delicate fancy tangled. The smallest
thing sometimes fed the machine again
"a patch of sunshine, the chip on a
pate, the damaged edge of a frame.
Then his eye fell on the telephone, and
he jumped to his feet.
What fool 1 ami" he exclaimed.
IF I had been plotting this business out
as story should have thought of that
long ago. i. No, don't want
any number. at least in that way. Two
nights ago WIS called up by some
body from London who held the line for
fully half an hour or so. Twelve for
gotten the address of my own CORE
spondent, but II you can ascertain the
number yes, shall be here If
you will ring me up when you have got
it. y. Thanks"
Half an hour passed before the bell
t rilled again. David listened eagerly.
AZ ttIlS Idlt, kIO" ne was SOlUS 10
know the number whence the myste-
rious message came-0017, Kensington,
was the number. David muttered his
thanks and flew to his big telephone d.
fectory. Yes. there. it was-0017, 44G,
Princes Gate. Gilead Gates"
The big volume dropped with a crash
on the floor. David looked down at the
crumpled volume with dim, misty
an azement.
'Gilead Gates!' he murmured. "Quak-
err millionaire ana philsnthl opist. One
Of the most highly esteemed and popu-
lar man in England. And from this
house came the message which had
been the source of all the mischief. And
yet there are critics who say the plots
of my novels are too fantastic!"