Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1902-08-14
7 will follow as casually. later on"

A little later Henson emerged from
his room. dressed. evidently, for n
Journey. He looked flabby and wor-
ried: there was an expression very
like fear in his eyes. The corridor was
deserted as he passed the place where
the Rembrandt hung. He paused be-
fore the picture in hesitating, fascin'
ated way. His feet seemed to pull up
before it involuntarily.
"What does it mean?" he muttered.
what in the name Of fate has hap
pened? Is it possible that Merritt
could have played me trick like that;
he would never have dared. Besides
he has too much to gain by following
my instructions. I fancy"
Henson slipped up to the picture as
a sudden idea came to him. If the pic
ture had not been removed at all the
stays would still be intact. And if
they were intact. Merritt was likely to
have a bad quarter of an hour later on.
1t would be proof that
But the stays were not intact. The
heads had been shaved off with some
cutting instrument: and half of the
stays cleaned like silver in the morn
ing light. And yet the Rembrandt
WAS lneEt. Ite illole 1ASliSVl N"NAS
upon it the more he was puzzled. He
began to wonder whether some deep
trap was being laid for him.
But, no: he mad seen no signs of 1T.
In some way or another Bell had man
aged to ingratiate himself with Littl-
mer again, but not necessarily for long.
Henson told himself. with a vicious
grin. Nor was Littimer the kind of
1T, 20
strain his feelings. If he had got to
the bottom of the whole business he
wou Id have had Henson kicked out Of
the house without delay.
But Littimer suspected nothing. His
greeting just now showed that Bell
suspected nothing. because he had
shaken hands in the heartiest manner
possible And as for Miss Lee, She
was no more than a smart Yankee
girl. and absolutely an outsider.
Still, it was dreadfully puzzling. And
it was not nice to be puzzled at a time
when the arch-cons pirator ought to
know every move of the game. There
fore, it became necessary to go into
Moreton Wells and see Merritt without
delay. AS Henson crossed the hall the
cheerful voice of Littimer hailed him.
Reginald, ne Sdlu, WANT yOu1
assistance and advice"
With a muttered curse, Henson en-
tered the library. Littimer was seat
ed at a table with a cigarette in his
mouth his brows drawn over a mass
of papers.
"Sit down and have a cigar" he said.
"The fact is, I am setting my affairs in
order-1 am going to make a fresh will.
If you hadn't come down tonight I
should probably have sent for you.
Now. take my bank book and check
those figures
"shall we be long?" Henson asked,
anxiously.
Littimer tartly hoped that that Hen
son could spare him an hour. 1t was
not usual, he said, for a testator to be
refused assistance from the chief ben
efactor under his will. Henson apollo
gized with a sickly smile. He had inn
porSant business of a philanthropic
kind in 1Moreton Wells. but he had no
doubt that it could wait for an hour.
And then, for the best part of the
morning he sat, Tuning politely, while
Littimer Chartered in the most amiaDle
fashion. Henson had rarely seen him
in better mood. 1t was quite obvious
that he suspected nothing. Meanwhile
Chris and Bell were bowling along to-
wards Moreton Wells They sat we'll
back in the roomy wagonette, so that
the servants could not hear them.
Chris regarded Bell with a brilliant
smile on her face.
Confess" she said, "confess that
you are consumed with curiosity"
eft would be just as we'll to ac>
knowledge it at once" Bell admitted |
'In the happy old days, your sister
Enid always said that you We're the |
clever and audacious one of the family.
She said you would do or dare any
thing"
II used to imagine so,',, Chris said,
more quietly. "But the life of the last
few years tried ones nerves terribly.
Still. the change has done me deal of
good-the change and the knowledge
that Reginald Henson regards me as
dead. But you want to know how I
am going to get the Rembrandt"
That is what is consuming me at
present." Bell said
We'll, we are going TO see the man
who has it," Chris explained, coolly. IT
have his address in Moreton Wells at
the present moment, and for the rest
he is called the Rev. James Merritt.
Between ourselves, he is no more a
reverend than you are.'
And if the gentleman is shy, or
refuses to see us?"
"Then he will be arrested on a
charge of theft"
My dear young lady, before you can
get a warrant for that kind of thing
you have to prove the theft, you have
to swear an information to the effect |
that you believe the property is in the
possession OF the thief, and that is not |
easy"
There is nothing easier. I am pre-
pared to swear that cheerfully."
That you actually know that the
property is in the possession of the
thief"
Certainly do. saw him put it in
his pocket
Bell looked at the speaker with |
blank surprise. If such was the fact,
then Chris's present statement was
exactly opposed to all that she had
said before. She sat opposite to Bell,
with a little CLEAN of mischief in her
lovely eyes.