Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-06-12
The Crin1Son
BY FRED M. 0hde A/ln1
BY Fred M. &>hite
CHAPTER xI1-(continued1

CHAPTER xII-(Continued)
"Another one" Bell replied. "Oblige
me by opening yonder parcel. There
you see is the print that purchased to-
day for 60. This. this, my friend is the
print that was stolen from l4ittmer'S
lodgings in Amsterdam. If YOU look
closely a it, You vii! see four dull, red
SLOTS in the left-hand corner. They
are supposed to be blood-spots from a
cut finger of the artist. / am prepared
to swear that this is the Very print
frame and all, that was purchased in
Amsterdam from that shady seoundrel'
Van Sneck."
But Littc1er is credited With having
one in his collection" David urged.
He has one in his collection Bell
said, coolly. And. moreover. he is
firmly under the impression that he is
at present the happy rossessor of his
own lost treasure. And up to this very
day Was under exactly the same delu-
sion. Now 1 know that there must
have been two copies Of the plate, and
that this knowledge was used to ruin
me-"
But" Steel murmured, II don't ex-
actly see"
Il am coming to that. We hunted
high and low, for the picture. but no
where could it b. found. The affair
created a profound impression in AM
sterdam. a day or two later Van Gull
den Went back to his duty on the Bel
gian frontier, and business called me
home. packed my solitary portman-
teau and departed. When 1 arrived at
the frontier 1 opened my luggage for
ha nff 10 xphn1a
tents was turned out without ceremony.
On the bottom was a roll of paper on
stick that I quite failed to recognize.
An inquisitive customs house officer
opened it. and Immediately called the
proved to be Won Gulden. He came up
to me, very gravely, with the paper in
his hand.
MAY I inquire how this came
among your lugg lge? he asked.
II could say nothing. 1 was dumb.
For there lay the Rembrandt. The red
spots had been smudged out Of the cor
ner. but there the picture was.
We'll, 1 lost my head then. accused
Won Gulden of all kinds of disgraceful
things. And he behaved like gentle
mamie made me ashamed of myself.
But he kept the picture, and returned it
to Littmer, and I was ruined. Lord
L!ttmer declined to pros cute, but he
would not see me and he would hear of
no explanation. Indeed, had none to
offer. Enid refused to see me. also, or
reply to my letters. The story Of my
big gambling debt, and its liquidation
got about, Steel, and I was ruined.
Some enemy had done this thing, and
from that day to this I have been a
marked man."
But how on earth was it done?" Steel
cried.
For the present can only surmise,' -
Bell replied. ivan Sneck was slip
perry dog. OF course he had found two
OF those plates. He kept the one back,
SO as to sell the other at fancy price.
Ny enemy discovered this. and Van
Sneck's sudden fight was his opportu-
nifty. He could afford to get rid of me
at an apparently dear rate. He stole
Littmer's picture-in fact, he must have
done so, or should not have it at this
moment. Then he smudged out some
imaginary spots on the other, and hid
It in my baggage, knowing that it
would be found. Also, he knew that it
would be returned to Littmer, and that
the stolen plate could be laid aside, and
produced at some remote date as an
original find. The find has been mine,
and it will go hard if I can't get to the
bottom of this mystery now. It IS
strange that your mysterious trouble
and mine should be bound up so closely
together but in the end it will simplify
matters for the very reason that we
are both on the hunt for the same
man."
(Which man we have got to find,
Bell"
"Granted. We will bait for him as
one does for a willy old trout. The fly
shall be the Rembrandt, and you see
h, will rise to it in time. But beyond
this I have made one or two important
discoveries to-day. We are going to the
house of the strange lady who owns 21S
and 219 Brunswick Square, and I shall
be greatly mistaken if she does not
prove to be an old acquaintance of
mine. There will be danger
''You propose to go tonight"
IT propose to go at once" Bell said.
ozark hours are always best for dark
business. Now, which is the nearest
way to Longdean Granger
$50 the House Of the Silent Sorrow,
as they call it, is TO be our destination!
must confess that the place has ever
held strange fascination for me. We
will go over the golf links and benin
Ovingdean village. 1t is rare spot TO,
a tragedy"
Bell rose and lighted cigar.
"Co.ne along" he said. "Poke that
Rembrandt behind your books, with its
fac, to the wall. 1 would not lose that
for anything, now. No, on second
thoughts, / find l shall have to take it
with me-"
David closed the door carefully be-
hind him. and the TWO stepped out into
the night.
CHAPTER XIII.
.'GOOd Dog"
Two dancing eyes Of fame were
streaming UP the lane towards the
girls, long shadow slanted across the
white pathway, the steady flick of hoofs
drew nearer. Then the hoofs ceased
their shifting of the dust and a mans