The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-08-07
CHAPTER xxxII.
How the scheme worked ont.

/ enough eneTBy leIJ 10 De aStOnlShel'
even. Her mind Travelled quickly over
the events of the past hour. and she be-
| gan to see the way clear. But how had
somebody or other managed to remove
the picture? Chris examined the spot
on the wall where the Rembrandt had
been with the eye of a detective.
That part OF the mystery was ex-
planned In a moment. A sharp, cutting
instrument. probably a pair Of steel
pliers with a lever attachment had
been applied to the head OF the four
stays, and the fat heads had been
punched of as clean as II they had been
string. After that 1t was merely ne
cessary to remove the frame. and a
child could have done the rest.
How clever I am" she told herself
bitterly. I'm like the astute people
who put Chubb locks on Russia leather
jewel cases that anybody could rip
opan with a six-penny knife. And in
my conceit deemed the Rembrandt In
be absolutely safe. Now what-what is
the game7"
IL was much easier TO ask the ques-
ton than to answer IL. But there were
some facts sufficiently obvious to Chris.
In the first place. she knew that Regi-
nald Henson was at the bottom OF the
whole thing: she knew that he had
traded on the fact that she had taken a
fancy to the terrace as an after-dinner
lounge; indeed. she had told him so
earlier in the day. He had traded on
the knowledge that he could prove an
alihi 40 a aYntr of 81
The fact that he was in danger owing
TO slip on the edge Of the cliff was all
nonsense. He had not been In any dan
ger at all; he had seen Chris there. and
he had made all that parade with an
eye to the future. AS a matter of
course, he was down there settling mat
ters with his accomplice OF the MANNED
thumb, Who had chosen the cliff way Of
getting INTO the castle as the swiftest
and the surest from detection.
Yes: 1t was pretty obvious that the
man with the thumb had stolen the
print, and that by this time he was far
away with his possession. While Chris
was helping Henson the latter's accom-
plice slipped into the castle and effected
the burglary. Chris fiicked out the light
In the alcove as a servant came along
1t was not policy for any of the domes-
tics to be too wise. Chris forced a
smile to her face as the maid came
along.
Allen" she asked, "are there any
owls about here?"
Never a one as I know. miss" the
maid responded, confidently. "rve
Leen here for eleven years, and never
heard of such thing. clifford. the
head keeper, couldn't sleep at nights II
he thought as there was such thing
on the estate. Have you heard one,
miss?"
'I was evidently mistaken" Chris
said. "Of course you would know
best"
So the cry OF the owl had been a sig
nal of success. Chris sat In the gloom
there, resolved to see the comedy
played through. The events of the
night were not yet over.
'T'd give something TO know what
has taken place in the dining ROOM"
Chris murmure1.
She was going to know before long.
The lights were being extinguished all
over the house. Henson came up to
bed heavily, as one who Is utterly worn
out. At the same time he looked per-
fectly satisfied with himself He might
have been a vigilant officer who had
settled all his plans and was going to
seek a well-earned rest the enemy
came on TO his destruction. In sooth
Henson was utterly worn out. He had
taxed his strength to the uttermost.
but ne was free to rest now.
Meanwhile, the conference In the din
ing-room proceeded. Lord Littimsr had
received his guest with frigid polite-
ness, to which Bell had responded with
an equally cold courtesy. Littimer
laid his cigar aside and looked Bell
steadily In the face.
ct have granted your request against
my better Judgment" ne said. 1T am
not sanguine that the least possible
good can come OF II. But have quite
grown out OF all my illusions: I have
seen the impossible proved too often.
win you take anything?"
II hope to do so presently" Bell SAID,
pointedly; "but not yet. In the first
instance I have to prove to you that
have not stolen your Rembrandt"
Indeed? / should like to know how
you propose to do that"
II shall prove 1t at once. You were
under the impression that you pos
sessed the only copy OF the Crimson
Blind in existence. When you lost
yours and copy OF the picture was
found In my possession. you were per-
fectly justified In believing that 1 was
the thief"
IT did take that extreme view of the
matter" Littimer said, drily.
Under the circumstances, should
have done the same thing. But you
were absolutely wrong, because there
were two copies OF the picture. Yours
was stolen by an enemy of mine who
had the most urgent reasons for dis
crediting me in your eyes, and the
other was concealed amongst my be-
longings. II was no loss 10 the thief,
because subsequently the stolen one
my own being restored to you-could
have been exposed and disposed OF as
a new find. Your print Is in the house?'
''It hangs in the gallery at the pres
ent moment"
VERY good. Then. my lord. what do
you scy TO this?"
Bell took the roll OF paper from his
pocket and gravely fiattened Il out on
the table before him, so that the full
rays OF the electric light should fall
upon II. Littimer was a fine study of
open-mouthed surprise. He could only
stand there gaping, touching the
stained paper with his fingers and
y,ra. tbfpp hon xilv