The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1902-09-18


clever" Chris replied. coolly. "And yet
nobody is ever quite so clever as he
imagines himself to be. Do you ever
make bad mistakes Lord Littimer?'h
Sometimes" Littimer said, with a
touch of cynical humor. For Instance,
Z married, some years ago That was
bad. Then l had a son. which was
worse
AT one time you were fond OF your
family?"
We'll upon my word, you are the
only creature / ever met who has had
the audacity to ask me that question.
Yes; I was very fond of my wife and
| son. and, God help me, / am fond OF
them still don't know why talk TO
you like this"
Il do" Chris said, gently. 1T Is be-
cause, unconsciously, you yearn for
sympathy. And you fancy you are in
no way to blame; you imagine that you
acted in the only way consistent with
your position and dignity. You fancied
that your son was vulgar thief. And
/ am under the impression that Lady
Littimer had money"
she had a large fortune" Littimer
said family. Miss Lee. do you know
that / have a great mind to box your
ears?"
Chris laughed unsteadily. She was
horribly frightened. though she did not
show It. She had been waiting for days
TO catch Littimer in this mood. And
she did not feel disposed to go back
now. The task must be accomplished
some time.
Lady Littimer was very rith," she
went on, and she was DEVOTED to
Frank, your son. Now, IL he had want
ed a large sum of money very badly.
and had gone to his mother. she would
nave given II TO him without tile slight
est hesitation"
What fond mother Wouldn't"
Il am obliged to you for tonceding
the point. Your son wanted money,
and ne robbed you, when he could have
had anything for the asking from his
mother"
Sounds logical" Littimer said flip
PANTY. who had the money!
THE same man who stole Pnnce Ru-
pert's ring-Reginald Henson.
Littimer dropped his cigarstte and
sat upright in his chair. He vas keen
and alert enough now. There were
traces of agitation on his face.
THAT is a serious accusation" he
said.
mo more serious than your accusa-
ton against your son." Chris retorte I.
"Well, perhaps not" Littimer admit
ted. But why do you take up Franks
cause in this way? Is there any ro-
nance budding under my UNCONSCIOUS
eyes?'
Now you are talking nonsense
Chris said, with just a touch of color in
her cheeks. Il say, and / am going TO
prove ii when the time comes that Reg
inald Henson was the thief. am sorry
to pain you, but Il is absolutely neces-
sary to go into these matters. When
those foolish letters. written by fool
ish girl. fell into your hands, your son
vowed that he would get them back, by
force, IL necessary. He made that rash
speech in the hearing of Reginald Hen
son. Henson probably lurked about un-
til he saw the robbery committed. Then
1t occurred to MIN that he might do
little robbery on his own account, see
ing that your son would get the credit
of II. The safe was open; so he walked
off with your ring and your money"
My dear young lady. this is all mere
surmise."
SO you imagine. At that time Regi-
Maid Henson had a kind OF home, which
he was running at 21S Brunswick
Square. Brighton. Lady Littimer had
just relinquished a similar undertaking
there. Previously Reginald Henson
had home at Huddersfield. Mind you.
he didn't run either in his own name,
and he kept studiously In the back
ground. But he was desperately hard
up at the time, in consequence of his
dissipation and extravaganza, and the
money he collected for his home went
into his own pocket. Then the police
got wind of the affair, and Reginald
Henson iscraetly disappeared from
Brighton Just in time to save himself
from arrest for frauds there and at
Huddersfield. A member of the Hud-
dersf1eld police is in high position at
Brighton. He has recognized Reginald
Henson as the man who was wanted
will be a prosecution after all these
years; but there you are"
You are speaking from authority?"
certainly Il dI. IkcSlHdlu f1tISOii.
as such, is not known to Inspector
Marley, but I sent the latter a photo
graph of Henson, and he returned 1t
this morning, with letter to the effect
that it was the man the Huddersfield
police were looking for"
what an interesting girl You are"
Littimer murmured. Always so full
of surprises. our dear Reginald is even
a greater rascal than I took him for.
We'll, he took your money. and that
saved him. He took your ring. fac
smile of which he had made before for
some ingenius purpose. 1t came with a
vengeance. Then Claire Carfax COM
mitted suicide, thanks to your indiscra-
ton and folly"
Go on. Rub it in. Never mind about
my feelings"
II am not minding," Chris said. cool
ly. Henson saw his game, and played
IL boldly. l could not have told you oil
this yesterday, but a letter l had this
morning cleared the ground wonderful
". Henson wanted to cause family
differences, and he succeeded. Previ-
ously he got DR.. Bell out of his way by
means of the second Rembrandt. You
can't deny that there Is a second Rem
brandt nov, seeing that 1t is locked up
I'm your safe. And where do you think
Bell found IL? Why, at us Brunswick