Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1907-07-04


| always been a good friend to me,
/ Charliewood"
4 My banking account is very low
| lust at present" the other went on.
] Then I'll write you a check at
| once" Sir William answered, getting
up from his chair and going to the
| writing table in the corner of the
/ room.
Charliewood's face cleared little.
Then he noticed his cigar had been
burning all down one side. He dropped
it into an ash-tray and put his hand in
| his coat pocket to find a cigarette.
He took out an ordinary silver case,
when his eye fell upon the crest en-
graved upon the cover. He started
and looked again, turning it so that
the light fell full upon it,
The crest OF the Charliewood family
was a hand with battle-ax and the
motto, me Morare," and, in the usual
| custom, it was engraved upon Charlie
woods own case.
| But this was not the Charliewood
crest. 1t was wyvern charged on a
shield, and the motto consisted of the
ingle word "Gardez."
| He gave startled exclamation.
Whats the matter?"" Sir William
| said, turning round sharply.
I've got some other fellows cigar
cite case" Charliewood answered in
amazement, opening it as he did so.
There was only one cigarette in the
case, but there were several visiting
cards in one compartment, and, more
over, the name Of the owner was cut
in the inside of the lid.
The case dropped from Charlie
woods fingers with a clatter and he
grew quite pale.
what is it?" his host inquired
again.
Have you been playing some in
fernal trick on me, Gouldesbrough?"
Charliewood said.
mo; why?" ..
Because this cigarette case, by some
! strange chance, is the cigarette case
OF the man we've been talking about,
/ this Gerald Rathbone!"
He stood up, thrusting his hands
deep into the pockets of the fur coat
as he did so. Then he pulled out let
ter, stamped and addressed and OBJ
viously ready for the post.
| Good heayens!" he said, heres
something else It's letter for the
post"
Whom is it addressed to-" Sir Will
lam asked, in curious voice.
Charliewood looked at it, then
started again.
As l live" he answered, cts adj
dressed to Miss Poole, 1OOa, Curzon
street,"
There was a curious silence for
moment or two. Both men looked at
each other, and mingled establishment
1 and alarm was on the face of either.
The whole thing appeared uncanny.
They seemed, while connecting some
thing like a plot, to have trodden I'M
awares into another.
Suddenly Charliewood stamped his
foot upon the ground and peeled off
/ his overcoat.
1--WE got it." he cried; "why, of
i course, I've seen the very man myself
this morning. This is his coat, not
mine. went to hairdressers this
morning, and left my coat in the ante
| room while I was going through a
massage treatment When came out
there was man waiting there for his
turn, and must have taken his coat
in exchange for mine And the man
was this Mr.. Gerald Rathbone, of
course. You know, these dark blue
coats lined with astrachan are quite
ordinary; everybody is wearing them
| this year And I noticed, by Jove, that
the thing seemed little tight in the
cab:@ It's about the oldest coinci-
| dence that I've ever come across in
my life!"
Sir William bowed his head in
thought for minute or two.
/ Well. this is the very best oppor
tunity you could have. my dear fel.
! low" he said, "of making this mans
acdua hatance. OF course, you can take
him back his coat and the cigarette
case at once"
Aud the letter." Charliewood said,
i swiftly; the letter tc Miss Poole?"
f. Sir William looked curious1y at his
guest.
4 think, he said, slowly, that I'll
Just spend half an hour with this let
ter first. Then you can take it away
with the other things. l assure you
/ that it will look just the same as it
! does now
Chafliewood shrugged his shoulders.
Have it your own way" he said.
contemptuously, but don't .ask me to
open any letters to a lady, that's ALL
4 Sir William flushed up and was
about TO make an angry reply when
the door Of the study was suddenly
thrown open and they saw the butter
1 standing there.
1 There was rustic OF skirts in the
passage.
i Lady Poole and s1iss Poole, sir
said the butler.
CHAPTER nj.
News Of 4 Revolution. B
49, ~