The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-09-11

Nothing" Steel said. "Ie is utterly
and hopelessly puzzled over the whole
business. And Bell has managed to
convince him that he is not suspected al
al. That business over the Rembrandt
was really a brilliant piece OF comedy
But what has Henson found out?"
That Chris is not dead. He has seen
Walker and the undertaken, But he
does not know yet that Bell was in tho
house that eyentful night. which Is a
blessing. As a matter of fact, Reginald
has not been quite the same man since
Rollo nearly killed him that exciting
evening. His nerves seem TO be greatly
shaken"
THAT is because the rascal feels the
net closing round him." Steel said. Tt
was a fine stroke on your sisters part
To win over that fellow Merritt to her
eide. supplied the details per tele-
rhone, but the plot was really Miss
Chris. How on earth should we have
managed without the telephone over
this business"
II am at loss to say" Enid smiled.
But tell me about that plot. I am
quite in the dark about that side OF the
matter"
David proceeded to explain his own
and Chris ingenious scheme for getting
Merritt into their power. Enid followed
the story with vast enjoyment, tenn
pered with the fact that Henson was SO
near.
II should never have thought of that"
she said. sshttf fFhf.iG al cp
clever. But. tell me. what was Henson
doing in the garden just now? Will
Jams says he has been ill-treating my
aunt; but that seems hardly possible,
even in Reginald
ut was over a ring that Mrs. Henson
had" David explained. She was run
ming away with 1t, and Henson was try
ing to get IL back. You see"
"A ring" Enid gasped. Did you
happen to see it? Oh. If it was only
But he would not be so silly as that. A
ring is the cause of all the troubles. Did
you see Ii ,"
II not only saw II. but have 1t in my
possession David replied.
Enid turned up the fiaring little lamp
with shaking hand. Quite unstrung,
she held out her fingers for the ring.
1T is just possible" she said. hoarse-
ly, that YOU possess the key of the sit
cation. If that ring is what hope 1t is
we can turIble Henson into the dust to-
morrow. We can drive him out of the
country, and he will never, never trou-
bic us again. How did you get it?r
Mrs. Henson dropped it and picked
1t up"
please let me see it?" Enid said.
pleadingly. Let me be put out of my
misery
David handed the ring over; Enid re-
garded 1t long and searchingly. With
a little sigh of regret, she passed IL back
to David once more"
You had better keep it," she said.
"At any rate, IL Is likely to be valuable
evidence for us later on. But it is not
the ring hoped to see. 1t is a clever
copy, but the black pearls are not so
fine, and the engraving inside is not so
worn as 1t used to be on the original.
1t is evidently copy that Henson has
had made to tease my aunt with. 10
offer her at some future date in return
for the large sums of money that she
gave him. No; the original of that
ring is popularity supposed to be at the
bottom of the North Sea. If such had
been the case-seeing that Henson had
never handel it before the great TRACE
dy came-the original must be in ex-
istence."
Because the ring must have been
copied from it," Enid said. 1T is a
very faithful copy indeed, and could
not have been made from mere direc-
ton take the engraving inside, for
instance. The engraving forms the
cipher of the house of Littimer. IL
Hensen has the real ring, II We can
find 1t, the tragedy goes out of our
lives for ever"
II should like to hear the story" said
Steel.
Enid paused and lowered the lamp
as a step was heard outside. But it
was only Williams.
Mr.. Henson is in his bed IN STILL"
he said. IT have just taken hilI the CT
gars. He's got a lump on his head 's
big as a billiard ball Thinks he hit II
against a bench. And my lady have
locked herself in her room and refused
to see anybody"
go and look at your patient" Enid
commanded.
williams disappeared. to return pres
entity with the information that Van
Sneck was still fast asleep and lying
very peacefully.
Looks like waiting till morning, II
do" he said. And now I'll go back
and keep my eye on that ere distin-
guisbed philanthropist."
Williams disappeared, and Enid turned
up the lamp again. Her face was pale
and resolute. She motioned David to-
wards a chair.
I'm tell you the story" she said u
am going to confide in you the saddest
and strangest tale that ever appealed
TO an imaginative novelist"
CHAPTER Xiv.