Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-02-08

ie,. : ne malrer where II stood. was
rescued to confront fate and to enter
the lists against those undetermined
enemies. SO far they had kept very
silent, working only in the dark, but
swore then and there to meet them,
drag them forth into the broad daylight
and contest my rights in the hidden
treasure, If it existed, against Il dozen
sorry knaves. l am a patient man
and not overquick to take a resolution,
but l do not easily lay down a task
which l have once undertaken. l
swore upon the spot to undertake this.
In the circuit Of my fancy | came
uddenly upon this consideration. which
pulled me up quite sharply, even with
q little breathleSsness. These unknown
antagonists We're still banded in arms
against me, and l was alone. had
had repeated evidence that l was pur.
sued by their ingenuity and in two
ways. On the one hand I was to be
ericted from my own house, and stimuli.
taneously my bureau was ritled, as
could not now doubt, for the purpose of
securing my remnant Of the precious
document. What would be the next
step which these insolent tricksters
would essay? had no one in the cas-.
tie beyond the estimable Mrs. Main
and a neat housemaid, neither of whom
was to be counted in a warfare such
as the situation promised to my imagi-
nation.
1hn ono mon Sh0f voc Inslr 1,;SsI11
about the place slept at Llanellan, as
Mr.. Kesteven had Informed me. What
puzzled me at this point was the isola-
ton in which my host had enwrappel
himself. He had taken no pains to
protect himself. Exposed, as he must
have known he was. to the treachery
Of an unscrupulous foe, he was thrown
absolutely upon his own I'M
less indeed he relied upon the near
proximity of Hood in times Of emer-
gency. But Hood perplexed me, re-
curing in my thoughts, q haunting fig
ure, provoking only q vague u~neasiness
and a great uncertainty. And once
again the odd conjunction of the cap.
Id4A ~ w 1A41NSSpSl lSluldCu DC1OlC
my eyes. One thing was certain to
my newly awakened wits-I must
have some companion in my conf
dence. There We're several friends
among my old acquaintance who
would serve me, but the year vas
drawing on and the holiday season WAS
at his height. The odds We're that l
| should discover Pengelly or Rogers or
Sheppard was far enough from Lon
don by this. l wanted aid forthwith,
and forthwith must have it. So it fell
that my mind required to Montgomery.
He was not very much to my taste,
certainly not %congenial company, but
he was obviously honest, and could
swear that he would be faithful.
And so indeed he proved. l rode over
next morning to the farm which con-
stituted now all that was left of the
| old estate of the family. He was plat
ing a whip in his dining high
wainscoted chamber, very dingy and
untidy and heaped with all the IN
imaginable rubbish of Il young mans
fancy. On my entrance he rose. his
silly face beaming red, and grasped my
hand with an awkward sentence Of
welcome.
cts good of you to come so soon,"
said he.
I've come to take you back" said l..
He stared at me. "Oh, all right" he
said, as if this mission of mine had
been 4 matter of course. Come and
have u drink
1t vas but II in the morning, though
the breakfast things still numbered his
table, and SO I refused his hospitality,
a refusal which did not prevent his
pouring himself out a glass of beer.
montgomery" said l, leave that
alone and keep your head clear. 1
want YOU"
The boy bounded to his feet sheep
islly enough to what he doubtless con-
sidered my rebuke, but with a show of
eagerness which pleased me.
Got your horse?' 1 asked.
He nodded, all attention now, and 1
continued:
Then fling your legs up and be off,
dAu tSh your SeIFdUL 10 SEM Oh your
bags. I'm going to keep you for a
week.
Bully" he said and clamored out Of
the room in a CHEEKY fashion.
l had already made up my mind not
to be too explicit with Montgomery.
He was too recent an acquaintance, de-
spite my conviction of his fidelity, to
intrust with a precious secret. Indeed,
the first occasion of u encounter
would not have commended him to
many particular people. What l told
him, therefore, as we rode back en-
braeed but the general atmosphere of
intrigue in which 1 was involved. The
word that stuck in his mind was bur
glary,' and it greatly excited him.
Shall we have the police over!" he
asked %anYiously.
But, strangely enough, although the
thought had occurred to me more than
once, it was almost in old Kesteyen's
words that l replied:
There are none nearer than Ray
mond." To that l added, Besides, /
think we two are in no need Of assist