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

himself from the multitude. Socially,
those three weeks in August gave him
the chance Of the year. For the remain
ing f~orty-nine he was a 'shop-walker"
"a rather superior one in a West enc
establishment, il is true, but still a
"shop-walker." Whilst his holiday last
ed he was an independent gentleman.
His frock Goa (horrid badge of SER
vilityD was discarded in favor of a
light Norfolk suit, and all references to
trade were excluded from his CONVERSE
ton. But for the Cockney accent, which
he had no means OF controlling, the
superficial observer might have sup
posed Haslam to be a gentleman born
and bred.
1t was the first night of his arrival.
The high-class company in that high
class boarding house had dined, and the
gentlemen were out on the veranda In
haling the scent of their cigars, and,
at a Longer range the sea.
Fine evening, sir"
Haslam addressed a big, stout man,
who had been sitting opposite to him
at table.
YES! Better than we've been having
You've only come today?"
That's all. One can breathe here.
Beastly atmosphere in London. h
air of the courts is just awful"
Haslam had used this diplomatic
stroke on previous occasions. 1t vague
ly connected hin with the law, and
gave him prestige.
Try one Of my cigars he pursued.
Been stopping here long?"
"A fortnight. Hope to remain a fort
night longer. My daughter likes the
place so much"
So that n~ice-looking young lady, who
had made so delightful a picture OPP
posite Haslam at dinner, was this
mans daughter. Haslam already scent
ed a romantic adventure. Few were
the holidays when he did not make
hay while the sur shone by enjoying
himself with pretty girls.
Three days in the free life of the
boarding house suffiCed to make them
thoroughly acquainted. The Archers-
that was their name-were very friend
ly up to a point, but, despite much skill
tul maneuVering, HaSlam could not Sc
cure a prolonged t~ete-a-tete with the
daughter Muriel. She chung limpet-
like to her father, and was not to be
drawn out-even for AN innocent even
-IueduoooG Gun o. eds 7ql no IoIls SUI
ment of the band. But Haslam, though
a little discouraged, persisted In his at
tentions. He would prove his quality.
The girl should see that he did not be-
long to the class of "~bounder" that
lurked in even that boarding house.
Besides, from sundry signs, her father
must be wealthy.
About IL o'clock one morning, Mr..
! Archer and young Haslam went off to-
gether to battle. 1t was q piping hot
day, the kind of day when the sea,
rather than the land, seems ones nat
ural element. Machines were at a pre-
MUM; after an hours waiting the pair
were glad enough to secure one be-
tween them. In a very little time Has
lam was in the water, and soon after
J EhnnnDnn a1n - ~1A - 4s-- ~.
from the topmost step.
"A glorious dip! Puts one all in a
glow!' exclaimed Haslam, when they
were once more on the machine.
Jolly" returned the other, munching
a biscuit. 1T makes such a difference
when the suns on the water. Hullo!
where's my ring?"
Haslam looked up in the act of tying
his boot-lace.
Your ring?"
Yes, very strange! 1t has disap-
peared!"
Not that ring with the single dia-
mond, Mr.. Archer?"
That's IT."
but you never wore such a valu-
able piece of jewelry in the water?' in
CURED Haslam, staring thoroughly
aghast at the other man.
"Oh, no.! / put it on that little shelf, -
and Mr.. Archer pointed to the tiny,
three-cornered apology for accommoda-
tion which is all the average bathing
machine possesses.
It's fallen down. Come, I'll soon find
It,"
Haslam suited the action to the word
and, going down on hands and knees
peered into all -four corners of the ma
chine. But his search was not reward.
ed. No CLEAN of gold or gem lit III
those damp recesses.
Good gracious, can 1t have slipped
through the boards?' he suggested tC
Mr.. Archer, in scared tones.
They're hardly wide enough apart
I think"
You wore it in here for certain?"
I'm as certain as l can be. YoI
didn't notice it, Mr.. Haslam?'
Not this morning! But then, Tn
very unobservaht of such things. l
must be worth a pot-a good deal?"
"Oh, a fair bit, but it doesn't much
matter. I'll leave word with the bath
ing man. He may pick it up on tn,
beach. We must hurry back, if w,
are to be in time for lunch"
That same afternoon Bert Haslan
sat on the ~esplanade, watching tn,
people. 1t was just the occupation 70
a perspiring afternoon, and 1t exactl,
suited his habits at the seaside. H
recalled the incident of the morning
W i"N q bioNhllCClu ulu AlCIltI udu Decl
about that ring! How little he minded
the loss, too-the Ole boy must be rich
Suddenly Haslam remembered tina
an unopened letter from Miss Perkin
lay in his pocket. Suffice 1t to sa,
that Miss Perkins sold at the shop, an
was popularity supposed to be his girl,
because they either hirted or SPARE,
with one another or all possible occa
sionS. She was quite a remote realit'
i at this mnmpnf h1t cti1l hnr nrao;A,,
epistle had better be read. Haslan
dived into his pocket.
A curious, hard, round substance me
the approach of his finger. He go
hold of it, and pulled it out. Gracious
1t was n ring! Goodness gracious, /
was old Archer's ringi
For twenty seconds Haslam gazed a
1t in aWed fascination. Then, with
hurried, suspicious glance around, h
slipped 1T back into his pocket.
How extraordinary, and yet how or
binary, after all! He remembered plac
ing his coat rather carelessly on tn
seat of the bathing machine. The ma,
a drawn up the machine whilst the
were in the water, and, of course, tn
jolting had tilted the ring off that in
efficient shelf on to the coat. an
Far more wonderful things had hap
pened before to presumably lost arti
cles.
But it was awkward, distinctly awk
ward. To be found in possession O
property that was not yours suggeste,
criminal proceedings. The Scarborougl
Sensation-a thief at a boarding hous
prisoner before the magistrate. Has
lam's brow grew damp with the success
sion of unpleasant ideas. He mus
really reason this matter out in col
blood.
Should he go Immediately to tn