Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-05-01
getting dark az David let himself into
Downend Terrace with his latch-key.

How good IL was to be back again!
The eye OF the artist rested fondly on
the beautiful things around. And. but
for the sport or chance, the whinn or
fate, those had all passed from him by
this time. Tt was good to look across
the dining table over Venetian glass, TO
see the pools OF light cast by the a
ed electric, to note the feathery fall or
flowers, and to see that placid, gentle
face in its frame of white hair opposite
him. Mrs. Steel's simple, unaffected
pride In her son was not the least graft
flying rart of David's success.
you have not suffered from the
shock. mother" he asked.
well no." Mrs steel confessed, plac-
idly. You see, i never had what peo-
pie call nerves, my dear And, after all,
I saw nothing. Still, I am very sorry
for that poor young a and I have
SEM to inquire after him several times"
He is no worse, or / should have
heard Of it."
mo-: and no better. And Inspector
Marley has been here to see you twice
to-day"
David pitied himself as much as a
man could pity himself considering his
surroundings. IT was rather annoying
that this should ave happened at a
time when he was so busy. And Mar
ley would have all sorts of questions TO
ask at all sorts of announcement sea-
sons.
Steel passed into his study presently
and lighted a cigarette. Despite his de-
termination to put the events of yester-
day from his mind. he found himself
constantly returning TO them. What a
! CrNlnnd1H Irn ranNfn otNm,y kAa rrny11
make! And what a fascinating mys-
terry could be woven round that gun
metal cigar case!
By the way, where was the cigar
case? On the whole, it would be just
as well to lock the cigar case away till
he could discover some reasonable ex-
cuse for it's possession. His mother
would be pretty sure to ask where it
came from, and David could not pre-
varicatc, SO far as h was concerned.
But the cigar case was not to be found,
and David vas forced to the conclusion
that he ad left 1t in Mossa's Office.
A little annoyed with himself, he took
up the evening Argus. There was half
a column devoted to the strange case at
Downend Terrace, and just over 1t a
little advertisement to the effect that a
1 sun y SAeoA NoSS h"N oNSh ASNhNf
! and was I'm the hands of the police
! awaiting an owner.
David slipped from the house and
caught a bus in st. Georges Road.
At the police station he learned that
Inspector Marley was still on the prem
Uses. Marley came forward gravely.
He bad a few questions TO ask, but
nothing TO tell.
And now perhaps you can give me
some information David said. "You
are advertising in to-night's Argus a
gun metal cigar case set with dia-
monds."
"Ah," Marley said, eagerly, car you
tell us anything about it?"
Nothing beyond the fact that I.hope
to satisfy you that the case is mine"
Marley stared, open-morthed at Da-
vid for a moment, n then relapsed in
to his sapless official name He might
have been a detective cross-examining
a suspected criminal.
why this mystery" David asked.
1T nave lost a gun metal cigar case set
with diamonds, and / see a similar art
icle is noted as found by the police. i
lost 1t this morning. and I shrewdly
suspect that I left IL behind me at the
office of Mr.. Mossa."
THE case was sent here by Mr.. Mcssa
himself" Marley admitted.
Then. of course 1t is mine. I had
TO give Mr.. Mossa my opinion OF him
this morning, and, by way OF splitting
me. he sent that case here, hoping, per-
hars, that / should not recover It. You
know the case, Marley-it was lying on
the floor of my conservatory that
night"
1T did notice a gun metal case there"
Marley replied.
"As a matter OF fact, you called my
attention to 1t, and asked IL 1t was
mine.''
And you said at first that 1t wasn't,
sir
"Weil, you must maxi, allowances for
my then frame OF mind" David
laughed. ST rather gather. from your
! manner. that somebody else has been
after the case; IL thu is so, you are
right to be reticent. Still, it is in your
hands. TO settle the matter on the spot.
All you have to do is to open the case,
n If you fail to find my initials, sd.
S." scratched in the left-hand top cor
ner, then I nave lost my property, and
the other fellow has found his"
In the same reticent fashion, Marley
1 PiOSCCdNo W uhAOSh q SdAC III lHS "
ner, and from thence he produced what
appeared to be the identical aus OF all
this talk. He pulled the electric table
lamp over TO him and proceeded to ex-
anime the inside carefully. 4,
You are quite right" he said. at
length. Your initials are here"
Not strange, seeing that / scratched
them there last night" said David. dri-
w s'yVten7 oh n was after Won left
my house last night"
And 1t has been some time In your
possession. sir?"
"Oh, confound II. no. IT was-well. II
was a present from a friend for a little
service rendered. So far as I under
stand, It was purchased at Lockhart's,
in North street. No. TIL be hanged IL /
answer any more Of your questions,
Marley. I'll be your III Sally as far
as you are officially concerned. But. as
70 wonder case. Your queries are dis