The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-09-25


lice and his clients. Suppose Mr.
Merritt here, had done some wrong?'
"A great effort of imagination" Lit
! timer murmured, gently.
/ Had done something wrong, and an
| enemy or quondam friend wants 70
put him away | believe that is the
correct expression. In that case, ne
does not go to the police himself, be
cause he is usually of modest and re
firing disposition. No; he usually
| puts down a few particulars in the
way of letter, and sends it to Reuben
| Taylor, under cover, to certain adj
dress. Is not that quite correct, Mr..
Merritt"
Right" Merritt said, hoarsely.
Some day we shall find out who Tay-
Tor is, and"
Never mind that. Do you know
! that the night before your friend, Mr..
Henson, left the castle he placed In the
| postbag letter addressed to Reuben
! Taylor? In view of what have read
recently in the paper alluded TO, the
name struck me as strange. Now, Mr..
| Merritt, is IL possible that letter has
! anything to do with your
Merritt did not appear to hear the
| question. His eyes were fixed on
| space; there was a sanguine clenching
/ of his fists, as IL they had been about
the throat of a foe.
"If had him here!" he murmured.
| "If only had him here! He's given
me away. After all that have done
| for him. he's given me away"
His listeners said nothing; they fully
| appreciated the situation. Merritts
| presence at the castle was both dan
| gerous and hazardous for Henson.
"If you went away to-day you might
be safer" Chris suggested.
AYE, I might" Merritt said, with a
cunning grin in his eyes, eff / had a
hundred pounds"
Chris glanced significantly at Litti-
mer, who nodded and took up the par
able.
you shall have the money" he said,
and you shall go as soon as you have
answered Miss Lees questions"
Merritt proclaimed himself eager to
say anything. But Merritt's informa-
ton proved to be a great deal less than
she had anticipated.
81 stole the picture" Merritt con-
! sessed. II was brought down here on
, purpose. Henson sent to London, and
said he had a job for me. 1t was to get
a picture from Dr. Bell. didn't ask
any questions, but set to work at
once"
Did you know what the picture
was?" Chris asked.
'Bless you, yes; 1t was Rembrandt
engraving. Why, 1t was who, in the
| first place, stole the first Rembrandt
from his lordship, yonder, in Amster-
dam. l got into his lordships's sit
ting room by climbing down spout,
and took the picture"
"But the other belonged to Van
Sneck," said Chris.
ct did; and Van Sneck had to leave
Amsterdam hurriedly, being wanted by
the police. Henson told me that Van
| Sneck had second copy of the Grim
son Blind and had To burgle that, as
well: and had to get into DIR. Bell 8
room and put the second copy in his
portmanteau. Why? Ask somebody
wiser than me. Il was all some deep
game of Henson's, only you may be
pretty sure he didn't tell me what the
game was. / got my money and re-
| turned to London, and, till pretty re
| Gently, saw no more of Henson"
"But you came into the game again, .
said Littimer
"Quite lately, you lordship. I went
down TO Brighton. was told as Eel
had got hold of the second Rembrandt
| owing to Henson's carelessness, and
that he was pretty certain to bring ii
here. He did bring 1t here, and tried
| to stop him on the way, and he half
| killed me-"
"Those half-measures are so unsat
| isfactory," Littimer smiled.
| Merritt grinned. He fully appreci
| ated the humor of the remark
"That attack and the way II was
brought about were suggested by Hen,
SON." he went on IF IL failed, l was
| to come UP to the castle here without
| delay and tell Henson so. / came, and
| he covered my movements while
| pinched the picture. I had been told
that the thing was fastened to the wall
but pair of steel pliers made no
odds to that. took the picture home
and two days later 1t vanished. And
that's all know about It."
Lame and impotent conclusion
said Littimer.
"wait moment" Chris cried. "You
found the diamond star, which YOU
pawned-"
"At your request, miss. Don't 60
for to say as you've forgotten that"
81 have forgotten nothing" Chris
said with smile. 81 want to know
about the cigar-case."
Merritt looked blankly at the speak
er. Evidently this was strange ground
! to him.
| IL don't know anything about that.
he said. What sort of a cigar-case?'
"Gun-metal set with diamonds. The
| same case, or a similar one, to that
| purchased by Van Sneck from Walen's
in Brighton. Come, rack your brains
a bit Did you ever see anything OF
Van Sneck about the time OF the acct
dent? You know where he ISL"
Eyes. He's in the county hospital
at Brighton. He was found in Mr.
Steers house, nearly dead. It's com
ing back to me now. A gun-metal CT
gar case set in diamonds. That would
be dull thing with sparkling stones
all over it. OF course! Why, | saw
! 1t in Van Sneck's hands the day he
was assaulted. recollect asking him
where he got 1t from, and he said that
II was a present from Henson. He
was going off TO meet Henson then by
the corner of Brunswick Square"
did you see Van Sneck again that