Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-10-23
71sCrjins0n
By Fred M. Dhde AIfnT

ness; she had discarded her disguise,
and stood confessed before all the
world, like the beautiful creature that
she was.
What does it all mean?" David
asked. What will Longdean village
say?"
What does Longdean village know?"
Chris retorted. They are vaguely
aware that somebody was taken away
from the house a short time ago to be
buried: but that is all their know
ledge. And there is no more need for
| disguise. Lord Littimer says. He
knows pretty we'll everything. He has
been very restless and uneasy for the
past day or two, and yesterday he left,
saying that he had business in Lon
don. Early to-day l had a character
istic telegram from him saying that he
was at Longdean and that was neces-
| sary to his comfort there. l was to
come. clotherd in my right mind, and
was to bring Mr.. Steel and Dr. Bell
along"
1T can't be managed" said Bell.
'Weve got Van Sneck here"
And l had forgotten all about him. ~
said Chris. Was the operation sue
cessful?"
Bell told his budget of good news
| down to the story of the ring and the
mysterious manner in which it had dis
appeared again. David had followed
Ruth into the conservatory. where she
stood with her dainty head buried over
rose.
She looked up. with a warm, shy
smile on her face.
Il hope YOU are satisfied" she said
You are safe now
Il was never very much alarmed
dearest" Steel said. "If this thing had
never happened l might never have
met you. And as soon as this bust
ness is definitely settled l shall come
and see your uncle. am very impa.
tient man. Ruth"
And you shall see my uncle when
you please, dear" she said. "You will
find him quite as charming as you say
your mother is. What will she say?"
"Sayo That you are the dearest and
| sweetest girl in the world. and that
am a lucky fellow. But you are not
going off already?"
Indeed, we must. We have a cab at
the door. And am going to brave the
horrors of Longdean Grange and spend
the night there. Only l fancy that the
horrors have gone forever. l shall be
very disappointed if you don't come to-
morrow"
Behind friendly palm David bent
and kissed the shy lips, with VOW
that he would see Longdean Grange on
the morrow. Then Chris caught up
Ruth with whirl, and they were gone.
1t was after ten that Bell and Steel
managed to convey Van Sneck to the
conservatory. The place was filled
with brightness and scent and color
and the afterglow of the sunshine. The
artistic eye of the Dutchman lighted
up with genuine pleasure.
They say you islanders are crude
and cold and have no sense of the beau
tiful.' he said. But there are no
houses anywhere to compare with
those of the better-class Englishman.
look at those colors blending"
Hang those colors!" said Bell, Wig
orously. Steel, there is nothing like
moisture to bring out the full fragrance
of flowers. Turn on your hose, and
give your plants a good watering"
It's the proper time" David replied.
Turn on the tap for me-
A cooling stream played on the flow
ers: plants dropped their heads, filled
with the diamond moisture. Then the
air seemed laden with the mingled
scent.
81 can smell the soil!" Van sneck
cried. How good it is to smell any,
thing again. And l can just catch
,, suggestion of the perfume of some
thing familiar What's that red bloom ."
He pointed to a creeper growing up
| the wall. David broke off a spray.
That's a kind of Japanese passion
| flower" he said. ut has a lovely. full
| favored scent, like mixture of vio-
lets and almonds. Smell it,
Van Sneck placed the wet, dripping
spray to his nose. Just for an instant
| 1T conveyed nothing to him. Then he
rose, with half-triumphat cry.
STEADY there!" said Bell. "You
mustn't get up, you know. l see Won
are excited. Has it come back to YOU
again." ~ ~
That's the scent" Van Sneck cried
The air was full of that as fell back
wards. And Henson stood over me
exactly by that cracked tile where Mr..
Steel now is. Give me moment. and
| shall be able to tell 20 ueverything
Oh. yes; the first time slipped on
purpose. l told you stumbled. But
that was ruse. And as 1 fell I took
the ring from my waistcoat pocket.
] Let me have another sniff at that
| bloom. Yes; I've got it now, quite
clear!"
"You know where the ring ISL" d.
vid asked, eagerly.
Well, not quite that. l took it from
my waistcoat pocket and pitched it
away from me. l saw it fall on a pot
covered with moss, but l can't say
which pot Or in which corner I only
know that | threw it over nv Shout
DER and that it dropped into the thick
moss that lies on the top of all the
pots. laughed to myself as it fell
and rejoiced to see that Henson knew
nothing of it,"
And it is still there?" Bell demand
| ed.
Van Sneck nodded, solemnly.
81 swear it," he said prince Ru.
pert's ring is in this conservatory"
| CHAPTER Nv.
Kicked Out