Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1902-04-24
.. !G4ns4hA7|
EHyFred m. Uhie

= ~ - 49, ..r# .".a. IT.
CHARTEa H.. t~Continued.)S v j
He duickenei his pace again, and
finally stopped before one df-ths big
houses where1ights were g~feahffng from
the hall and dining room windows.
They yNefef electric lights by their
great power AND Save for the Half and
dining room, the rest of the house lay
In utter darkness. The eyle bell let Off
an approving s~taccato from behind the,
blankety fog as Steel pulled /. :
There was nothing abnormal about,
the house. nothing that struck the adj
venturer's eye beyond the ~aextra0rdtn-
airy vividness of the crimson blind. The
two side windows OF 1.-THE big ayCSerk
evidently shattered, but the large CEN
ter cleaned like a flood of scarlet over
laid with a silken sheen. Far across
the pavement the ruby track struck
into the heart. of the fog. ST L1Ia
Vivid note" Steel murmured, II,
shall remember that impression"
He was destined never TO forget IT;
but IL was only one note in the gamut
of adventure now. With a firm step he
walked up the marble fight and tugned,
the handle. 1t felt dirty AN rusty 10
his touch. Evidently the servants were
neglectful, or they were employed BY
people who had small regard for out
ward appearances. .2&aefEt -S9tl.
The door opened noiselessly and Steel
] closed 1t behind him. A Morrish Ian
tern cast a brilliant flood of light upon a
crimson Carpet. a chair and an empty
oak umbrella stand. Beyon9 this there
! was no atom Of furniture I'm the hall
It was impossible to see beyond Inc
dining room door. for a heavy2red vep-
vet curtain was drawn across. DaVids
first impression was the amazing still
ness of the place. gt9gave him a queer
\ feeIing.thst q smurderhad besnFesmnft5
Z ted tkefc. add @srsredy htdfea, favt
ing ths }cprp%g behind. sIaSid
coukheTd dsaag MeS4J,np If sis8tsrSet
the cough sounded strangeNyshollow.
He passel-info che diutpg 7rpYm and
looked Eagerly about him. The room.
was handsomely furnished, II a little
cDnventional-a big mahogany table II
1.-THE Center, rows OF mahogany chaIrs
E&fpheistered in red morocco. fine modern
Nprints. most OF them artists proofs, on
the walls. A big marble clock, hanke1
tw a pair of vases on the s~ideooaras~
The red distemper had faded to pale
pink II places. A r.,
aTottenaasn ASo9rt ROAD steer
smiled to hitaselt. EModern, SOLID exs
pensive. but decidedly inartis:ic- GinS
ger lars rfourtngn guiueasta pair, worth
about az many pence. Moneyad people.
solid and respectable, of the middle
class. ,-What hrfpgs themAplayhrg AT
-,kosrrti T. hbfG9,' 80 Al n
i The room was brilliantly lighted, both
H1a1 overfieadsand sfrsm the walls. On
the shining desert of the dining table
lay a small, fiat parcel, addressed TO
David Steel,f ESQ., The novelist tore on
4 the1 cdNeri and jdtsGosedf a heap OF
crackiihk white papers beneath Rap
Idly he fiuttered the crisp sheets over
seventy-hve Bank pf- Epglsna hotesdor
a10 each.
II was the balance of the loan-the
s-prsce paid for stesais Rressace. VAL ns1
mad to do now was 70 blaca;the mbasy
A his rocket aniaNalk outtof the house,
a fey steps ana he Would be sfreesrsvttff-
nobody to say him nay. 1t was a tempt
alton. but Steel fought 1t down. he
slipped the precious notes into his
pockea AID .buttoned bis coat tightly
SJer thenh. affs haa)pp fearsof the c2m-
.ang day now. 0 81 II Na
"And yet" Ne murmured. what Of
the price / shall have To pay for thisE
Wen, it was worth q, ransom. Anf,
so long as there was nothing dishoffUr-
able attached to. tt0sreetwaH prepatedsl
to redeem his pledge. He knew per-
fectiy well. from bitter experience, that
the poor man pays usurious rates TOT
!. fortunes favors. And he AVA not with
out q strange sense OF gratitude H.
Click. click. eHckle The three eieofrbcH
switches We're snapped off almost si-
fnuitaneousiy outside. and tile dining
room was plunged into pitchy darkness
steel instantiy~caught up a-chairrvHe
was no coward. but ne was q novenst'
6 ,withsaaw novelist s. imagfnatfon. Aslape1
stood there. the s$veetestS rscst musleai
D ISrsh M therwofid broke en his ear4
He caught the swish of silken drapery
and the subtle scent that suggested the
fragrance of a woman's hair. IL was
vague underlined. yet soothing.
.Pray be seated, Mr.. Steel the sill
very voice said. believe me, had there
been any other waya / would not have
given you alt this trouble. You found
the parcel addressed to you? ~ Is n
earnest OF good faith. Isgnot that a
correct English expression?" A
David murmured that II was But
what aid the speaker mean? She asked
the question like a student OF the Eng
lish language. and yet her accent n
phrasing were perfect. She aughea
again. noiseiessly, and once more Steel
caught the subtle. enhancing perfume.
'I make no further apology for drag
ring you here at this time" the sweet
voice said. q I'VE knew that you werefn
the habit OF sitting up late at night.
thencegthe telephone message. You VIII
perhaps wonder how we came to know
SO much of yonr private affairs. Rest
assured that we learned nothing IN,
Brighten. Presently you may gather
WIS I am so deeply interested IN youiI
have been 10 for the past feStnisht.
You see, we-were not quite certain that
YOU would come to our assistance I'M
Zx a. - m.