Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-07-03
Tie Crimson
. 5s..1 :: o.. ,Blind
By Fred M. Ohite
yHArTER XVIII. Continued,

WAITER ANAIl. tt~Onttnueu.b
"A man who is highly respected. A
man who stands wonderfully high IN
public estimation. There are thousands
and thousands of people who look upon
him as a great and estimabIe creature.
He gives largely in charities. he devotes
a good deal OF his time to the poor. My
uncle, Who is a good man., IL you Ike
declares that Reginald Henson is abso-
lntely indispensable TO him. At the next
election that man is certain to be re-
turned to parliament to represent an
important Northern constituency. III
you told my uncle anything about II he
would laugh at YOU"
II have not the slightest intention OF
approaching your uncle on this matter
at present"
Because you could prove nothing.
Nobody could prove anything" {.
But Ch%ristiania Henson may in
time"
Once more Ruth flashed a startled
look at her companion,
80 you have discovered something
about that?" she whispered.
II have discovered everything about
II. Legally speaking, the young lady is
dead. She died last night, as DR.. Walk
err will testify. She passed away in the
formula presented by me the night that
i met her in the darkness at 2lS, Bruins
wick Square. Now. will o be so good
as to tell me how those girls got hold OF
my synopsls?'
That came about quite naturally.
Your synopsis and proof, in an open en-
velope were accidentally slipped into a
large circular envelope used by a firm
of seed merchants and addressed to
Longdean Grange. sent out. no doubt,
among thousands of others, Chris saw
It and, prompted by curiosity, read IL.
Out of that our little plot was gradually
evolved. You see. I was at school with
those two girls, and they rave few Sc
crets from me. Naturally, l suggested
the scheme, because / saw a great deal
of Reginald Henson. He comes here;
he also comes frequently to our house
in Princes Gate. And yet I am sorry,
from the bottom of my heart, that L
ever touched the thing, for your sake.
The last words were spoken with a
rIance that set David's pulses beating.
lie took Ruth's half-extended hand IN
his, and it was not withdrawn.
Don't worry about me-" he said. Il
shall come out all right in the end.
Still, / shall look eagerly forward to any
assistance that you can afford me. For
instance. what hold has Henson got on
his ~relatives?"
THAT I cannot tell you" Ruth cried.
ssYou must not ask me. But we are act
ing for the best: our great object was
TO keep you out Of danger"
There is no danger TO me II / can
only clear myself" Steel replied. III
o could only tell me where those bank
notes came from! When I think of that
part OF the business / am filled with
shame. And yet, II you only knew how
fond / am of my home. AT the
same time, when / found I was called
upon TO help ladies in distress l should
have refused all offers of reward. VI I
had done 40 I should have had no need
OF your pity. And yet-and yet 1t Is
very sweet TO me"
He pressed the hand In his. and the
pressure was returned. David forgot
ali about his troubles for the time; and
it was very cool and pleasant and quiet
there.
.I am afraid that those notes were
forced upon u.s." she said. Though /
frankly believe that the enemy does not
know what we have learned to do for
you. And as to the cigar case: would
Il not be easy to settle that matter by
asking a few uuestions?"
..My lear young lady. I have done so.
And the more questions I ask the worse
IL is for me. The cigar case. I claimed,
came from Walen's. beyond all ques-
ton. and was purchased by the mystic
rious Individual now In the hospital. I
understood that the cigar case was the
very one / admired at L~ockhart's some
tirne ago. and" &
eff you inquire at Iockharts. you viii
fnd such TO be the case"
David looked up with a puzzled ex-
preston. Ruth spoke so seriously and
with such an air OF firm conviction that
he was absolutely staggered.
S 1 did" he said. and was In
formed I'm the most positive way by the
Junior partner that the case I admired
had been purchased by an American
called Smith, and sent to the Metropole
after he had forwarded dollar notes for
IL. Surely. you don't suppose that a
firm like Lockhart's would be guilty OF
anything
Ruth rose to her feet, her face pale
and resoluta.
This must be looked to-" she said.
"The cigar case sent to you on that
particular night was purchased at
Lockhart's by myself and paid for with
my w money"