The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-07-22
CHAPTER XIX.
In tho Imminent Room.


While Alec Forsyth was engaged in
Duke Of Beaumanoir, in happy ignor,
ance of, the perilous effort his friend
was making FOR him, sat in the dark
imminent room, still as cat, with his
eyes on the door. He had drawn one Of
the oak chairs close to the. safe in which
posed. He had established himself on
guard, in case, trickery having failed.
violent methods should be adopted at
the last moment to obtain the huge
plumber.
He though it improbable that. with
General Sadgrove in the house and All
moolah somewhere loose around it, any
of the gang would break in unseen, still
less that they would reach the NUM-
ment room. He sincerely hoped that
the vigilance Of those trained watch
pared to atone for his folly by defend
ing the safe at the cost of his life, if
need be, he did not see how that could
be done without opening up the scandal
he had gone thru so much to avoid.
He had bought the safe, had met the
senator at Liverpool, and now, unknown
in the firm determination that, at all
hazards, the bonds should reach the
Bank Of England in safety; but there
was dread in his heart lest the tell tale
emergency he was providing against
should arise. ~
For here it becomes necessary to say
that the letter sent to Ziegler in Lon
don five days before, and purporting
to convey the. dukes submission and
request for instructions, which were
called for by Alec Forsyth, was not
written by the duke at all, Or even
joint production of General sadgrove
and Forsyth, with an eye to Immediate
immunity for the duke from further
murderous attacks, and to the enact
ment of some such dangerous comedy
as had just been played in the crypt
Tho when that deceptive missive was
penned, its authors expected, in vary
tragedy rather than comedy. And he
who, by right Of youth and friendship
necessarily took the greater risk, was
the one who, not being fully informed
= by his uncle, had most cause for ap
prehension from the masquerade:
But Beaumanoir, sitting in the DARK
with his Smith and Wesson at full cocl
concerned to preserve stainless, wal
aware of none of these tortuous deal
ings. Had his zeal allowed him tt
indulge in the luxury Of a. light, HI
might have whiled away the time BY
perusing some of the musty chronicles
around him, and have SO drawn comfor
from the knowledge that if his mis-
deed was published with the usual trim
mings IN every part in the kingdom
he would still compare favorably will
some of his race who had, gone be
fore. So far he had never stolen poo
mems land under the protection of tn
common-inclosure act, Or appropriate
richment.
True, it was a dirty trick he had pu
| his hand to---a dirty trick in dirty com
pany-and he hated himself for it tt
the full. But he had been denizen o:
another world when Ziegler's emissary
had annexed him, body. and soul, al
p 5dnn cha Fl Manbury in the oJ BGGwe
with horror and a loathing greater
If possible than when he lad endured
1.-THE sordid life in the $5-boarding
house, the lunch Of tough sandwiche
of Texas beef which had bulged hi
pockets on the way to his duties in tn
1rish-American and German fellow
workers because of his English speech
And the naughty salesladies who ha,
drawn their skirts from him as the,
squeezed past the tame detective at tn
timekeeper's box-sitting there in tn
dark imminent room. even his presen
trouble could not check smile at think
ing what those damsels would have don
If told that he had been about to be
come duke within the month. Z
Yes, it had been dirty trick tina
he had undertaken to escape all thi:
but somehow the thing had not SCENE
SO bad when he was unacquainted wit
the persons interested Just as ole
time SNUG glers persuaded themselye
that there was no dishonesty in de
frauding the state, SO in the same ligh
he had regarded the spoilation Of a bi
corporation like the Bank Of Englan
or the United States treasury, which
ever would have been the ultimate lose
when the lawyers had settled the MAJ
ater. He would never have gone int
the business, even in his despairing e.
lie, if he had not looked upon it q
a breach of honesty by which no si1
gle individual would be an appreciate
loser. He made no excuses for himsel