Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-09-04
The Crimson
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tain papers in a great hurry. Now,
those papers are locked up Ia a drawer
al 219, given over specially to Mr..
Henson. My uncle promptly broke
open the drawer and took out the pa
pers. Besides these documents the
drawer contained a package in n OF
Lockhart's big linen-lined envelopes
a registered letter envelope, in fact.
My uncle had little time to spare, as he
was hound to be back in London to-
night. He suggested that, as the lock
OF the drawer was broker and the en-
,velope, presumably, contained valu-
ables, / had better take care of 1t. Well,
l must admit at once that i steamed
the envelope open. ] shouldn't have
| done II If Lockhart's name had not been
on the flap. In a little case inside /
found a diamond bracelet. which i have
in my pocket, together with a receiptsd
kill for seventy-odd pounds, made out
to me-"
ITO yoa?" David cried. do you
mean to say that
Indeed, I do. The receipt was made
out TO me, and with IL was a little po-
lite note TO the effect that Messrs.
Lockhart a made the exchange Of the
| cigar-case for the diamond bracelet,
and tina they hoped Miss Gates would
End the matter perfectly satisfactory"
David was too astonished to say any,
thing for a moment. The ske!n was too
tangled to be thought out all at once.
Pres entity he began TO see hts a
Under ordinary circumstances, The
charges seems impossible" he said.
Especially seeing that the Juggling
could not have been lone without both
the cases-but I had forgotten how
.asily the cases were changed. / have
IT,! What is the date of the letter."
Ruth slowly unfolded a document she
had taken from her purse.
1.-THE day following what o call
your great adventure" she said.
Henson, or somebody, took the real
case-my case-back to Lockhart's and
changed 1t In my name. I had prevt-
ously been admiring his self-same
bracelet. and they had tried to sell 1t
to me. My dear boy, don't you see this
Is all part of the plot to plunge you
deeper and deeper into trouble. to force
us all to speak to save you? There are
at least fifteen assistants at Lockhart's.
OF course, the ultimate sale OF the CT
gar case to this American could be
proved, seeing the case has got back
into stock again, and st the same time
the incident of the change quite forgot
ten. And when you go n ask ques-
tons at Lockhart's-as you were pref
ty sure to do as Henson knew-you are
told of the sale only to the American.
Depend upon 1t, that American was
was Henson himself. or somebody IN
his pay. David. that man is too cun-
ming, too complex. And some of these
days it IL going to prove his fall"
David nodded, thoughtfully. AnG
yet, without somethingIv ery clever and
intricate In the way ola scheme, Hem
son could not have placed him in his
present fix.
Their is only one thing to be DONE"
he said. You and / must go down to
Lockhart's and make a few inquiries.
with that diamond bracelet and letter
in your possession. you should nave no
difficulty In refreshing their memories.
Will you have some tea?
IT am too excited" Ruth laughed.
! II couldn'e eat or drink anything just
at present. David, what q lovely house
you have"
I'm glad to hear that you are going
to like it." David said, drily.
LOChndIN INLCINSu liGl4 ShoLSAAA1AS
In the usual courtly style. They were
sorry they had no recollection of the
transaction to which madam, referred.
The sale OF the bracelet was clear, be-
cause thai was duly and properly re-
corded on the books. and as, indeed was
the sale Of the gun-metal cigar-case to
an American gentleman at the Metro
pole. If madam said that h had pur-
80 Il mk1II khA
polite assistant was most courteously
| incredulous.
The production OF the letter made a
difference. There was a passing OF
condolences from one plate-glass coun-
ter to another, and presently another
assistant came forward. He profound
W regretted. that there had been a mis-
take, but he remembered the incident
perfectly. II was the day before he
had departed on his usual monthly Wis
II to the firms Paris branch. Madam
had certainly purchased the cigar-case;
but before the sale could be posted in
the ledger madam bad sent q gentle
man to change the case for the dia-
mond bracelet previously admired. The
speaker had attended TO both the sale
and the exchange; in fact, his cab was
waiting for him during the latter Incl
dent.
IT trust there Ia nothing wrong?" he
asked. anxiously.
mot in the least" Ruth FASTENED to
reply. "The whole matter is q kind OF
comedy that I wanted to solve. 1t is a
family Joke, you understand. And who
made the ~exchange?"
"Mr. Gates, madam. A tall gentle
man, dressed in"
THAT is quite sufficient. thank you,"
said Ruth. 81 am sorry to trouble you
over so silly a matter"
The assistant assured madam, with
an ar of painful ~reproach. that moth
ing was accounted a trouble In that es-
adjustment. He bowed his visitor out.
and informed them that II was a lovely
afternoon. a self-evident axiom that
the most disputatious could not well
deny.
"You see nov u inquiries might
have been utterly baf1ed but for this
find OF mine,'' Ruth said, as the two
went along North street. 1--WE shall
find presently that the Metropoie Amer
Scap end RapfuaId Hanson are nna and