The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1902-05-10

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pie mad admired the case, and 1t had
been on the point Of sale several times.
Finally 1t passed into the hands OF an
American gentleman staying at the
Metropole.
& "Can you tell me his name?" David
asked. cor describe him?"
We'll, I 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 it's price,
and enclosed the full amoun in &10
notes, and asked to have the case sent
by post to the hotel. When we ascer-
tained that the notes were all right we
naturally posted the case. as desired,
and there. 80 far as we are concerned,
was an end Of the matter"
"You don't ~recollect his Nance"
"Oh, yes. The name was John Smith.
If there is anything wrong,
David hastily gave the desired as
surance. He wanted to arouse no sus-
with a plethora of suspicious of his
Doubtless the jewelers. would be
we'll 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
in 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
G10 notes, the tracing of which might
prove a task Of years. Nor was 1t the
slightest use to inquire at the Metro
pole, where. practically. everybody is
identified by a number and where
score come and go every day. John
Smith would only have to ask for his
letters and then drop quietly into a sea
of oblivion.
Well, David had got his information,
and a lot of use 1t was likely to prove
to him. /. AS he walked thoughtfully
homewards he was debating in his
mind whether or not he might venture
call at or write to 219 Brunswick
Square, and lay his difficulties before
the people there. At any rate, he re-
aected, with grim bitterness, they
would know that he was not romano
ing. If 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 a daz-,
zling whirl Of color. He looked around
for inspiration, now desperately, as he
fro quently did when the warp of his
delicate fancy. tangled. The smallest
thing sometimes fed the machine again
patch Of sunshine, the chip on a
pate, the damaged edge of a frame.
Then his eye 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 I should have thought of that
long ago.. =. +. . No, I don't want
any number, at least in that way. Two
nights g I was called up by some
body from London who held the line for
fully half an hour or so. Twelve for
gotten the address of my w corre-
%spondent, but II you can ascertain the
number yes, I shall be here If
you will ring me up when you have got
it. . /. Thanks"
Half an hour passed before the bell
t rilled again. David listened eagerly.
At any. rate, know he was going Ito
know the number w~tence4the mystic
rinus message came-O0I7, Kensington,
was the number. David muttered his
thanks and flew to his big telephone d.
rectory. Yes, there it was-0O17, 446,
Princes Gate, Gilead Gates"
The big volume dropped with a crash
the floor. David looked down at the
crun1pled volume with dim. misty
ar azement. i9
.Gilead Gates!" he murmured. "Quak-
er millionaire ana philsnth1op ist. One
# the most highly and popu-
lar man in England. And from this
house came the message which had
been the sourc of all the mischief. And
yet there are critics who say the plots
Of my novels are too %fantastic!"