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

before ycu From that case you pro-
duce notes sufficient to discharge your
debt-Bank of England notes, the num-
bers of which, I need hardly say, are in
my possession. The money is produced
from the case yonder, which case we
know was sold to the injured man by
Mr.. Wallen.' r. J
Marley made a long and significant
pause. Steel nodded.
''There seems to be no way out Of 1t"
he said.
ST can see one," Marley suggested
"Of course. It would simplify matters
enormously If you merely told me, in
confidence, whence came those notes.
You see, as 1 have the numbers. I could
verify your statement beyond question,
and wv Nf
Marley paused again and shrugged
his shoulders. Despite his cold, official
manner, he was obviously prompted by
a'desire to serve his companion. And
yet. simple as the suggestion seemed, It
was the very asst thing with which
Steel could comply. q
The novelist turned the matter over
rapidly in his mind. His quick percep-
lions flashed along the whole logical
line instantaneously. He was like a
man who suddenly sees a midnight
landscape by the glare of a dazzling
fash of light.
81 am sorry" he said, slowly, every
sorry to disappoint you. Were u stu
atoms reversed, I should take up your
position exactly. But is SO happens
that I cannot, dare not, tell you where
I got those notes from. So far as / am
11ooo,po1 k11xv m ~ a. 1,orncfI0y infn INV
hands in payment for special services
rendered. It was part of my contract
that I should reveal the secret to no.
body. If I told you the story, you
would decline to believe It: o would
say that It was a brilliant effort of q
novelist's Imagination to get out of q
dangerous position"
"I don't know that I should" Marley
replied. II nave long since ceased to
wonder at anything that happens in or
is connected with Brighton"
"All the same, I can't tell you, Mar
ley" Steel said, as he rose. "My lips
are absolutely sealed. The point is:
what ire you going to do"
For the present. nothing" Marley
replied. $50 long as the man in h
hospital remains unconscious, I can do
more than pursue what B~eaconsiield
called "a policy of mastery inactivity.
I have told you a good deal more than l
had any right to do, but I did so in the
hope that you coulo assist me Perhaps
in a day or two you will think better of
it. Meanwhile!
meanwhile I am in a tight place.
Yes, I see that perfectly well. 1t is
just possible that I may scheme some
way out of the diflculty, and, If So I
shall be only tor pleased to let you
know. Goodnight, Marley, and many
to you"
But with all his ingenuity and fer
tility of Imagination David could see no
out of the trouble. He sat up far
into the night scheming; there was no
flavor in his tobacco; his pictures and
flowers. his silver and china, Jared
upon him. He wished, with all his
heart, that he had let everything go. 1t
need only have been a temporary mat
ter, and there were other Cellini tank
ards and intaglios, and line engravings
in the world for the nan with moneyin
his purse.
He could see no way out of 1t at all.
Was it not possible that the whole
thing had been deliberately planned so
as to land him and his brains into the
hands of some clever gang Of swind-
lers? Had he been tricked and fooled
so that he might become the tool Of 9TH
ers? It seemed hard to think so. when
he recalled the sweet voice in the dark
ness and its passionate plea for help.
And yet the very cigar case that he had
been told was the one he admired at
Lockhart's had proved beyond question
to be one purchased from Walen's!
If he decided to violate his promise
and tell the whole story, nobody would
believe him. The thing was altogether
too wild and improbable for that. And
yet, he reflected. things almost as iin-
possible happen In Brighton every day.
And what proof had he to offer? III
& Well, there was one thing certain. AT
least three-quarters Of those bank, notes
the portion he had collected at the
house with the crimson blind-couldl not
possibly be traced to the injured q
And, again, it was no fsult. Of Steel's
that Marley had obtained possession of
the numbers of the notes. II the de-
tecttve chose to ferret out facts for him
self no blame could attach to Steel. II
these people had only chosen to leave
out Of the question that COMPOUNDED
cigar case! &sSS as
Dayid's train Of thought was broken
as an idea came to him. It was not %
long since he had q fac-simile cigar;case5
In his hand at Lockhartss. in North
street. Somebody connected with the
mystery must have seer him adnniring
1T. and reluctantly declining the purs-
chase, because the voice from the $tele..
rhornS<nyd thi,, <,o% fho 90 90 uyo0 81