Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-10-09
/ r-or..rv,,orv. ana his vouid-bs n.

hGpi" gaSpe0 heritage. ho
Ways looked upon Henson as the soui
of honor and integrity. And ne mas
always been kind TO me-"
"For his own purposes, no DOUBT
You say that he found you a nome
after your misfortunes came upon you.
He came to see you frequently. ana
vet he always harped upon that un.
happy hallucination of yours. Wny!
i Because YOU were the Carfax doctor
| for a time. and at any moment You
| might have given valuable Information
concerning the suicide of Claire Car
fax. Tell Heritage the story OF Prlhoe
Rupert's ring, Steel
David proceeded TO do so al some
| length. Heritage appeared to be deep
~ interested. And, gradually, many
! long-forgotten things cam back "
! him.
II recollect II all perfectly well, ne
said. Miss Carfax and myself were
friends. Like most people Win pad
| ly-ba.anced i~ntellects, she had her
! brilliant moments. Why, she showed
me the ring with a great deal or pr1ce'
but she did not tell me it's history She
was very strange in her manner thai
morning: indeed, warned her father
| that she wanted TO be most carefully
looked after"
'Did she say how she got the ring:~
Steel asked.
Heritage did not answer for a mo-
ment.
"Oh. yes" he said, presently. she
! said H. was a present from a good boy,
and that Reginald Henson had given
IL TO her in an envelope. | met Hen
sen close by, but | didn't mention the
ring"
"And there you have the whole
thing in a nutshell" Bell exclaimed
Nothing Of this came u al the IN
| Guest. because the ring story was
hushed up, and Heritage was not
called, because he had nothing 10 do
with the suicide. But Henson prob
ably saw poor Claire CaTfax show YOU
the ring, and got q bit frightened: and
he kept an eye upon you afterwards
When you broke down he looked after
you. and he took precious good care 20
keep your hallucination always before
your eyes. Whenever he came Z see
you he always did that"
"You are quite right there" Her
itage admitted. He mentioned 1t this
afternoon, when | said / was going 10
take part in the operation on Van
Sneck. He asked me if / thought il
wise to try my nerves SO 500 again
with the electric light"
"And l hope you told him he was
talking nonsense" Bell said, hastily.
There, let US change the subject The
mere mention Of that mans name sti-
fles me"
Morning brought a long letter from
Chris Henson to David, giving him In
detail the result of her recent inter
view with John Rawlins. There was a
postscript to the letter, which David
showed to Bell with a certain mali
cious glee.
"A nasty one for our friend enson,"
he said. "SWhat a sweet surprise ii
will be for that picturesque gentleman
the next time he goes blackmailing TO
Longdean Grange"
Bell chuckled in his turn. The net
was drawing close about Henson.
How is Van Sneck today?" David
asked.
Much better" Bell replied. "I pro-
pose to operate tonight. I'm glad TO
hear that your mother Is going to be
away for a day or two longer"
Heritage appeared To be ready and
eager for the work before him. A
specially powerful electric light had
been rugged up in connection with the
study lamp, and IN operating table inn
provised from the kitchen. More than
once Bel looked eagerly at Heritage,
but the latter stood the scrutiny brave
ly. Once the operation was
fully through, Heritage would never
suffer from Authorizations again.
4 fancy everything is ready now
Bell said, at length. after dinner to-
night and this thing will be done.
Then the story will be told"
Mr.. Reginald Henson to see you,
| sir"
A servant looked I'm with this in
formation and a card on a tray. There
was a slight commotion outside, the
vision OF a partially-wrecked bicycle
on the path and a dusty figure in the
hall with his head in his hand.
"The gentleman has met with an ac-
cident, sir" the parlor maid said.
Henson seemed to be knocked about a
great deal. He vas riding down the
terrace, he said, when suddenly he
ran over a dog, aud"
What sort of a dog?" Bell snapped
out. What color and size?"
Henson was suddenly taken aback
by the ~suddenness Of the question.
lie gasped and stammered. He could
not have told Bell more plainly that
the accident" was an artistic fake.
You must stay here until you feel
all right again" David suggested.
Stay for the night" Bell growled,
soto voce Stay here till tomorrow
morning and hear something from Van
Sneck's lips that win finish his inter.
esting career for some time. Medical
treatment be hanged. A clothes brush
and some soap and water are all the
physic he requires"
Presently Henson professed himself
10 be better. His superficial injuries
ne bore with q manly fortitude quite
worthy Of his high reputation. He
could AFFORD TO smile at them. But he
feared that there was something in.
ternal OF a sufficiently serious nature.
Every time he moved he suffered ex.
quisite agony. He smiled In a faint
! or way. Bell watched him "a a
a watches a mouse, and he could
read a deeper purpose behind that
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