The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-05-15

Il
women who would gladly have shared
the lot of Hatherly Bell
For there was strength I'm that per-
| fectly-moulded face. as we'll as beauty.
| IL was the face of a man possessed Of
marvellous intellectual powers, and
none the less attractive. because, while
| the skin was as fair as a woman's, and
| the eyes as clear as a child's. the wavy
hair was absolutely white. The face OF
| a man who had suffered fiercely and
| long. A face hiding a great sorrow.
Time was when Bell had promised TO
stand In the front rank OF operative
physicians. In brain troubles and ment-
al disorders he had distinguished him
self. He had a marvellous faculty for
| psychological research: indeed. he had
| gone so far as to declare that insanity
was merely a disease. and capable OF
cure, the same as any other ordinary
malady. "If Bell goes on, as he has
started" great German specialist
once declared, The will inevitably prove
to be the greatest benefactor to man
kind since the beginning OF the world"
Bell was to be the man OF his time.
And then, suddenly. he had faded
out, as star drops fiom the zenith.
There had been dark Tumors Of a ter
rible scandal. prosecution burked by
strong personal influence, mysterious
paragraphs in tho papers, and the dis.
appearance Of the name OF Hatherlv
Bell from the ranks or great medical
jGrists. Nobody seemed TO know any
tn ng about II. but Bell was ignored BY
all except few old friencs, and hence
forth he devoted his attention to Grim
inology and the evolution OF crime II
was Bells boast that he could take
dozen men at hap-hazard and give you
their Vices and virtues point blank. He
had a marvellous gift that way.
A few people stuck to him. Gilead
Gates among the number. The million
aire philanthropist had need of some
one TO pick the sheep from the goats,
and Bell made no mistakes. David
Steel had been able to do the specialist
some slight service year or two be-
fore. and Bell had been pleased to mag
Nifty this into a great favor.
You are fast walker" David said.
presently.
That's because I'm thinking fast"
Bell replied. "St:rl. you are in great
trouble?"
1T needs no brilliant effort on your
part to see that" said David. bitterly
Besides, you relrd a great deal just
now when you-you-"
Listened" said Bell, (coolly. "Ot
course had no intention of playing the
eavesdropper: and 1 had no idea who
the Mr.. Steel was who wanted to see
Miss Gates. They come, day by day.
my dear fellow. CARRIED in the garb OF
Pal; Mall or PettIcoat Lane, as the case
may be. but they all come for money.
Sometimes II is shilling; sometimes
E100. But dnid not gather from your
chat with Miss Gates what your trou-
bic really was"
Perhaps not: but Miss Gates knew
perfectly we'll"
Bell patted his companion approving |
~.
1T is a pleasure to help a lucid-mind- !
ed man like yourself" he said. "You
go straight to the root OF the sore, and |
cut all the superfluous matter away. I |
was deeply interested in the conversation |
which I overheard just now. You are |
In great trouble, and that trouble Is
Connected with 219 Brunswick Square, |
house where you have never been be-
fore"
MY dear chap, was in that dining |
room two nights ago. Nothing will con-
vince me to the"
There you are wrong. because I am |
going to convince you TO the contrary. |
You may smile and shake your head, |
but before an hour has passed am go
ing to convince you, beyond all ques-
ton, that you were never inside No. |
219."
Brave words" David muttered. |
still, an hour is not a long time to |
wait"
mo. But you must enlighten me, IL /
am 70 assist you. am, profoundly |
interested. You come to the house of |
my friend on a desperate errand. Miss |
Gates is perfect stranger to you. and |
yet the mere discovery Of her identity |
fills her with the most painful agita-
ton. Therefore, though you have new |
er been in 219 before, you are pretty |
certain and I am pretty certain, that |
Ruth Gates knows a deal about the |
thing that Is touching you. On the I,
contrary. know nothing on that head. |
Won't you let me into the secret"
"Tll tell you part" Steel replied. |
And I'll put IL pithily. For mere ar
gument we assume that I am selected |
to assist a damsel in distl ess who lives |
at No. 21s Brunswick Square. We will |
assume that the conversation leading |
up to the fiattering selection took place |
over a telephone. As a matter of fact. |
1t did take place over a telephone. The |
thing was involved with so much secre- |
cy that naturally kesitated. I was |
offered Ell. 600 for my services; also. I |
was reminded by my unseen messen- |
ger that was In dire need OF that mon |
ey."
And were your"
"My dear fellow, don't fancy that I |
should have hesitated at burglary TO |
get IL And all had to do was 70 meet |
a lady secretly, in the dead OF night az |
No PIG. and tell her how to get out OF |
a certain difficulty. II all resolved 1T
self around the synopsis OF proposed |
new story OF mine. But had better go |
into details"
David proceeded TO do so. Bell. with |
his arm crooked through that OF his |
companion, followed the story with an |
intelligent and fattering interest
Very strange and very fascinating" |
ne said, presently. ''In think II out |
presently. Nobody could possibly think |
OF anything but their toes In Western !
Road. Go on
Now I am coming to the point I |
had the money. I had the lovely cigar |
case. and, subsequently had that bat !
tered and bleeding specimen OF human |
ity dumped down, in the most amazing |