Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1903-04-18

IGCllOH.
Good a~fternoon!"
Afternoon, sir!"
Not much business after 1 O'Clock.
eh?"
No, sir, gents always choose the
mornin' for bathin'."
The man had an honest enough face.
and was fortunately not too intelli-
gent.
II say, you remember that old gen.
tleman who lost a ring this morning.
Not found 1t yet, l suppose?"
Not yet, sir"
mot likely to now, my man! Most
extraordinary thing! / was walking
round by the machines just now when
something bright caught my eye lying
amongst the shingle. What do you
think it was? That very ring-see
here!"
wei, 1 never, sir! A beauty, isn't
it? l wish I'd that sort o. luck in
findin' things"
Haslam twisted the ring meditative-
ly between his fingers.
You should have found 1t really, my
q and | don't mind doing you a
good turn. Half a crown or five bob
means something to you, l know. He's
a rich old gent. and would like to pay
something to get that ring back. You
trot up with 1t. He's stopping at the
Melville. A dozen new towels won't
come amiss, will they?"
The man was profuse in his thanks,
and evidently thought the arrangement
entirely disjnterested
That's very good of you, sir. I'll 60
at once"
mo need to mention anything about
me. If he asks anything, just say
something about its being picked up on
the beach,"
I'm game for that, sir. Thank you
again!'
Haslam watched the man don his
coat and reach the esplanade. Then ha
strolled back to his seat, and with an
absolutely contented mind lit a fresh
cigGret.
That evening Hasiam obeyed the
of the dinner gong with un-
usual anticipation. He was confident
that he had emerged satisfactorily from
a rather awkward affair. The Arch
ers would be jubilant over the recov-
cry of the ring. He would, of course,
show proper surprise at the strange
story and express congratulations in
fe!icitious terms. 1t would not be his
fault If he did not bask that night in
the sunshine Of Muriel's favor.
Directly, however, Haslam entered
the dining room n took his accus-
toned seat, he became aware Of q most
annoying circumstance. The Archers
had been shifted to the other table, with
their backs toward him. Doubtless the
boarding house management was re-
sponsible for this capricious shunting,
and a word in the managers ear would
put matters right again by the next
meal. Haslam turned his attention to
the courses, making amends in that
way for the absence of his friendly
~neighbors.
After dinner he spied Mr.. Archer's
broad back occupying O basket-chair on
the veranda; he strolled up casually.
n tapped him on the shoulder.
Il missed you and your daughter at
dinner. Beastly bad manner of those
boarding house people showing you over
there among strangers!"
The change was effected by my or
ders, sir"
Haslam stared in some establishment.
The tone Of the voice was studiously
polite.
"Ah, I see, the draught! They are too
fond Of keeping all the windows open.
Think 1 shall get them to move me as
we'll"
I'm sorry to have to speak so plain
ly, Mr.. Haslam, but the object In our
alteration of table was to put a dis
lance between yourself n US"
Had Haslam possibly heard Alright?
His eyebrows went up, his mouth
dropped. He was quite speechless
with surprise.
lou are, VI COuISe dWdIe u III
grounds we had for wishing a separa-
tion?" continued Ebenezer Archer.
II assure you-no!"
"A little incident that occurred today
made it desirable"
Haslam cudgeled his brains in vain.
Il don't know In the least to what
o REFER
"Ah, you have forgotten that affair
of the ring"
FThn nthnr ctnrtn6 Hn1 That ~ tI,fnn
man, through very Ai~enseness, bungled
in his story? Or, had he, disappointed
in receiving no reward erich men are
usually the meanest), deliberately con-
fessed to the real facts of the case?
But whatever had happened, Haslam
determined to carry off matters with a
high hand.
Good gracious, Mr.. Archer, you
don't suspect me of having stolen ii,
do you?"
Ebenezer Archer's reply was per-
plexing-he broke into a loud and pro-
tracted laugh.
Haslam glared at him. BY luck they
were the only persons out on the YER
anda, but it was perfectly CALLING to
be laughed at even alone in such a
fashion.
Il cannot see any humor in the af-
fair, Mr.. Archer"
Forgive me! l have a very strong
sense of the ridiculous. No, you didn't
steal my ring, but you found it in your
pocket, and not wishing to come under
suspicion employed a third party to re-
turn 1t to me, didn't your"
MIR. Archer, l decline to-
"Oh, there's no OCCASION! How you
must admire my powers of clairvoy-
ance. But it's all as simple as A, B, C.
Ny daughter and myself wished to
make up our minds about you. You
showed yourself so. persistent in your
attentions to Muriel that, as her father,
/ wanted 10 know something of your
character. / decided to adopt a little
ruse to put you to the test. We
bathed together this morning, as you
the water. Before / followed you, /
slipped my diamond ring into your
pocket"
mi. Archer, it was a~bominable."
Perhaps; but l had my daughters
welfare at heart. A gentleman, on
finding property in his possession that
was not his own, would have returned
it openly, assured that no suspicion
could possibly be attached to him. You
did not adopt that plan, did you? My
daughter has commenced singing in the
drawing room. l think, Mr.. Haslam,
l will wish you good night"
Next day Bert Haslam went on Ia
Whitby. His alleged reason was that
the people at that boarding house in
scarborough were utterly beneath hin
Strictly True.