The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-01

A~~~Ss A~SNs NAN J"'S SoNAAS
have taken up a new life and enjoyed
it to the full. Lord Loremuir-bah!
a fugitive hiding from justice, with
nothing between me and starvation
but a few pounds and this useless dia-
mond. l cannot show myself dare
not; my only hope is to get away and
dispose OF the Empires Dream as
quickly as possible. | must stick to 1t
now and guard it with my life"
He took a packet from his pocket,
and laid the Empires Dream upon
the table.
"A pretty thing, but is it worth the
price l am paying fer it? Well l."
AS he glanced at the table he broke
of suddenly with a half-articulated
cry, for there in the center, imprinted
in the dust, was something he had not
noticed before.
1t was the imprint of a mans hand.
He gaZed at it for a moment in
fascination. Surely it must be a
mold of his own making. He laid his
W hand beside it, but the imprint
vas longer and broader.
And then as he shivered with
fright, an arm was passed over his
shoulder, a hand seized upon the EN-
pire's dream" and at the same time
extinguished the candle. A laugh Of
triumph sounded in his ears, and then
all was silent.
More dead han alive, Winton CROP
ed in his pocket and found some
matches. Fearful of what he should
see, he looked around him.
The oom was empty.
Raising the candle he examined the
floor, and there in the dust were foot
marks leading to a door on the oppO-
site side of the room. He strained his
eyes in wild terror as he gazed at this
door, and then nearly shrieked. Slow
ly and almost imperceptibly it was
opening, and then a face appeared.
Percy Twist"
Yes. it is Percy Twist. You have
been a long time getting here, Winton,
considering you left Leeds three days
ago"
II have been walking. How did
you get hore, and why did you play
tHS lOol Will lac Juot hc" "ASA J~S
took the ~diamond?"
Because / wanted it, my dear Win
ton. and because I have come all the
way from London to get It,"
1T was safe with me-. But what Of
Hammond-how did he come to be
arrested? have just been reading
the news"
perhaps you know about that
than I do. You have been plotting
with Kate Dauncey, and she gave him
up to the police"
Miss Daunceyi Impossible"
Il should have thought so once upon
a time, but I have the evidence Of my
own eyes. sent Hammond out to
| the appointed place In Leeds to meet
you, and shortly after I went there on
a tram car. | saw Hammond talking
to Miss Dauncey; then they parted.
and in another minute Nosey was in
the hands Of the police"
at is not true, Twist. Leeds was
too hot to hold me, and l had to leave
in a hurry. I sent Miss Dauncey to
tell you where l had o n to-"
"The more fool you, when you know
as we'll as l do that she is hand in
glove with Joe Drawn, Griffin and
West, TO say nothing of Mary Brent
and Judith Ballard. However, as you
deny the existence Of an understand
ing between you, I may be able to Of
fer further proof. When found how
matters stood in Leeds l left imme-
diately and went to London. real
ICED that my only chance of getting
out of the country was to ship as a
common sailor, and with the purpose
of carrying out that object | wect ia
the docks
"And you failed?"
IL succeeded better than expected.
After wandering about for some time
found myself at Plumstead, and
there l scraped acquaintance with a
man who occupied the position OF
chief stoker on the Diana. After ex-
pending a considerable sum in liquid
refreshment, I preached the subject of
being taken on the voyage, and offer.
ed a tenner if he could manage it foE
me-"
Ito BE C%ontinued.)
COST or BURYING ANIMALa.