Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-05-08

pie had admired the case, and n had
been on the point OF sale several times,
Finally IL passed INTO the hands Of an
American gentleman staying at the
Metropole.
Can you tell me his name7" David
asked. cor describe him."
well ] can't. sir" the junior part
ner said. frankly. II haven't the slight
est recollection OF the gentleman. He
wrote from the Metropole. on the hotel
paper, describing the case and its price,
and enclosed the fun amount in ffo
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?"
ooh. yes. The name was John Smith.
II there is anything wrong"
David hastily gave the desired as
uraIce He wanted to arouse no sus-
picion. All the same. he left Lockhart's
with a plethora Of suspicious OF his
own. Doubtless the jewelers. 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
I'm 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
f10 notes. the tracing OF which might
prove a task Of years. Nor was IL the
slightest use to inquire at the Metro
pole. where. practically, everybody IL
Identified by a number and where
scores come and go every day. John
Smith would only Ia TO ask for his
letters and then drop quietly into a sea
or oblivion.
Wen, David had got his Information.
and a lot Of use ii was likely TO prove
to him. As he walked thoughtfully
hogrewards he was debating in his
mind whether or not he might venture
10 call at or write 70 219 Brunswick
Square. and lay his difficulties before
the people there. At any rate. he re-
1ected, with grim bitterness. they
would know hat he was not romans
ing. IL nothing turned up in the mean-
time he would certainly visit Bruins
wick Square.
He sat in his w room puzzling the
matter out until his head ached and
the flowers before him reeled In q daz-
zling whiri OF color. He looked around
Cor 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 y fell on the telephone. and
he Jumped TO his feet.
What a fool I ami" he exclaimed.
IF I had been plotting this business out
as a story / should have thought of that
long ago. No, I don't want
any number. 1T least in that way. Two
nights ago I was callei 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 corre-
spondent. but liz you al ascertain the
number yes. I shall be here IL
you win ring me MP when you have got
it. Thanks"
Half an hour passed before the bell
{ rilled again. David listened eagerly.
AT any rate. know he was going 10
know the number whence the mystic
rious message came-H0l7, Kensington.
was the number. David muttered his
thanks and few to his big telephone d.
rectory. Yes. there II was-001T, 446.
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-
er millionaire AMI phils 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!"