The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-05-15
The Crin1son
| By Fred M. lOnhe HHn1


ploring gesture. and the red lips wer
quivering. end her eyes were full o
tears. David's warm heart vent on
to her; he forgot all his own troubles
and dangers in his sympathy for tn,
young creature In distress.
Pray say no more about IT." h,
cried. He caught the outstretched hanC
In his and pressed IL to his lips. e.
don't wish to hurry you; in fact, hast,
is dangerous. And there ample time
Nor am going TO press you. Still. be,
fore long you may find some way q
give me clue without sacrificing a jot
OF your fine loyalty lowell, others
would not distress you for the world
Miss Gates. Don't you think that this
has been the most extraordinary inter.
view?''
The tears trembled like diamonds or
the girls long lashes and a smile
flashed over her face The sudden
transformation was wonderfully fas-
cinating.
What you might call an impossible
interview" she laughed. "And all the
more impossible because II was quite
impossible that you shorld ever have
been here before"
When was in this room. two nights
ago" David protested, IL saw"
Did you see me, for instance? II
not, you couldn't have been here!"
A small, mis-shapen figure, with the
face of Byron-Apollo on the bust OF
Satyr-came In from behind the fold
ing doors OF the back dining room. car
rying some letters in his hand. The
strangers pleasing eyes were fixed In
quiringly upon Steel
Bell" the latter cried: "Hatherly
Bell you have been listening?'
The little man with the god-like head
admitted the fact. coolly. He had been
writing letters in the back room, and
escape had been impossible for him.
Funny enough, / was going to look
-. up to-day" he said. "You did me
a great service once, and I am longing
TO repay you. l came down here to
give my friend, Gates the benefit of
my advice and assistance over a large
scheme he has just
evolved. And, writing letters yonder
on that subject I heard your extraor-
binary conversation. Can / help you,
Steel?"
MY dear fellow" David cried, "if
you offered me every intellect in Eu-
rope ] should not choose one of lhem
so gladly as yours!"
Then let us shake hands on the
bargain. And now am going to stag
ger you; 1 heard you state positively
that two nights ago you were in this
very room"
II am prepared TO testify the fact on
oath, anywhere, my dear Bell"
Very well; will you be good enough
to state the hour?'
Certainly. / was here from 1 O'Clock
say between / and g."
And was here, also. From IL
o'clock until was in this very room,
working out some calculations at this
very table by the aid OF my reading
lamp, no other light being in the room.
even in the house, so far as I know. 1t
is one OF my fads-as fools call them
to work in a large, dark room with one
brilliant light only. Therefore, you
could not possibly have been In the
house, TO say nothing of this room, on
the night in question"
David nodded feebly. There was no
combating Bells statement.
II presume that this Is No. 21s?" he
asked.
Certainly II Is" Miss Gates replied.
I'VE are all agreed about that"
Because read the number over the
fanllght," Steel went on. And I came
here by arrangement. And there was
everything as I see II now. Bell. you
must either cure me of this delusion,
or you must prove, logically, to me
that 1 have made a mistake. So far as
am concerned, am like a child
struggling with the alphabet"
Wen start now" said Bell. "Come
along"
Steel rose. none too willingly. He
would fain have fingered with Ruth.
She held out her kand; there was a
-,arm, glad smile on her face.
May you be successful" she whis-
pered "Come and see me again, be-
cause shall be very, very anxious TO
know. And am not without guilt--if
you only knewl"
And I may come again." David
said, eagerly.
A further smile and a warm pressure
OF the hand were the only reply. Pres
emily Steel was standing outside in the
IOdd viii Den. the tdtleT WIS glance
ing DIT the house on either side of 219.
The higher house was let: the one
nearest the sea-21s-was empty. A bill
in the window gave the information
that the property was in the hands OF
Messrs. Wallace e. Brown, Station
Quadrant. where keys could be OBJ
tanned.
We'll make start straightaway,"
said Bell. Come along"
Where are you going TO at that
pace?" Steel asked.
Going TO interview Messrs. Wallace
& Brown. At the present moment am
a gentleman who is In search of pla ,e
OF residence, and have a weakness for
Brunswick Square In particular espe-
cially for No. 21s. Unless am greatly
mistaken. 1 am going TO show you
thing that will startle even the most
callous novelist"
CHAPTER VIII.
Hatherly He'll.