The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-10-09
THE GATES OF CHANGE

walton, according to a statement made
by the director of the gallery.
That was enough for me. The por-
trait had been stolen and was prob
ably in New York al this very moment.
Where? bet me first find Give Rich.
mond, and / must be quick about it,
for once the secret of the theft got out
the detectives would not be long in
rounding up the various purchasers of
those wonderfully accurate copies.
This morning the cable brought the
news. and at dinner time Mr.. Blake's
card was presented to me. Quick work,
Mr.. Blake: congratulate you.
Here is the letter that 1 received
; just before we left my house; you re-
member that it had come in the even
ing mail and been overlooked. 1 will
read it.
g Dear Indiman-There's more in the
art business than can be squeezed out of
color tube. isn't there?-- Burt have the
secret now; it was given me by Lely
shan't have the chance to use it. but
you and the cognoscenti can fight it out
toEet he You might bury me , d5:eeently
that much, seeing that your critical pro-
ncuncements have been SO amply vindi-
Gated &C. K.
60 p. S-My secret? But on second
thought l will take it with me-"
ST. Johns park and the streets 'front.'
ing upon it was once fashionab bic quar-
ter of the town. Now hideous rail-
way freight station occupies the
former park area, and the old-time
stoop ratings and graceful fan lights
have been degraded to the base uses of
tenement population. Only the quaint
chapel of ST. John has survived the
slow process of contamination, a ssin-
gle rock rising above the sordid tide.
The coach stopped before one OF the
most pretentious of the old time houses
now, alasl one of the dirtiest and
most dilapidated. We were directed
to the upper story, Indiman leading
the way.
A single attic chamber, bearing the
marks of the cruelest poverty. a stove,
an artists easel, pallet spread di-
rectly on the grimy floor, and upon it
man in the last stage of consump
ton. He glanced UP at Indiman and
waved his hand feebly. He tried to
speak, but his voice died away in his
throat; Indiman knelt by his side to
catch the words.
1T is celd-shut stove doOr-thereS
enough now to last me out"
IndiInan went to the stove, where
little fire was smouldering; he shut the
door and turned on the draught The
flame leaped up instantly, the crazy
smoke pipe rafting as it expanded
under the influence of the heat. Indi-
man turned again to the dying man.
You know we'll enough why I have
come he said. slowly. Il have in my
possession zone of your copies of the
Red Duchess Tell me the truth"
There was no audible response from
the bloodless lips. but the dark eyes
were full of ironic laughter. Then they
closed again.
Richmond" said Indiman. sharply.
Richmond"
had been standing by the door, but
now I came forward and Joined Indi-
man. "Gone!" he said. briefly. ''Gone,
and taken his secret with him. Only,
what was the secret 2"
We tried to argue it out on the way
up town, but with only Indifferent sue
cess. Granted the premise that Rich
mond had actually stolen the RED
/. Duchess what were his motives in
multiplying copies of the picture. a
proceeding that must infallibly end in
the detection of his crime? And the
supreme question-what had finally be-
come of the original?
My theory was simple enough. The
man was mentally unbalanced, the re-