Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1908-03-13
\ SMILING VILLAIN.
By VIOLET M. Finn.

happiness in any one else. Where have
you been?"
"Oh, only to the post! oh, 1 an SO
happy I" Moyra said. IL never was
so happy before
A tall form had just blocked up the
doorway, and Angus, followed by the rest
of the family, came into the room. For
once Aileen lost her self possession. She
could only stand and stare. Fortunately
for her, the others were in much the same
stricken condition, Angus alone retaining
his presence of mind.
1.-THE Fentons will be here in a minute
or two he said, addressing the Rector,
who assented lamely. 5
Nor was the situation any less involved
when Mr.. Fenton and Billy arrived on
the scene, although Billy's spontaneous
and hearty greeting removed q little of
the stiff GOODNESS.
You left a message, ! believe. at my
house that you wanted to see us at oncc!'
Mr.. Fenton said jerkily.
Yes" Angus replied easily. He made
a sign, and the stranger who had accom-
panied him entered the room.
Another detective Terry murmured,
under his breath.
Angus caught the words, and nodded.
sQuite true, Terry, and / hope the last
one needed in this business" He took
up a case that the man had been holding,
and proceeded to unlock it. Nj Fen
ton, you have had your diamonds stolen.
Allow me to restore Them" and opening
the lid he lifted out. one by one, all those
glittering, flashing treasures that the own
err had ~sorrowfully deemed lost to him
forever. II think you will find that there
is not one missing-and he stepped back
to allyw the dazed owner to examine them.
The silence and stiffness lasted no long
er. In their place reigned the din and
hubbub of excited voices, questioning n
cxclaiming. Moyra stood with a look of
great pride on her flushed face, while Ter
ry and Billy, hardly conscious of their
actions, shook the hero of the hour, and
dealt him ~resounding slaps on the back.
But how on earth came you by themy'
Mr.. Fenton succeeded in making his
question heard at length. This is a most
extra ordinary affair. / can't make head
or tail of it at all"
well, it's a very long story, and we
had better take our time for it, for there
are parts that are not very pleasant hear
ing''-his face clouding. I've several
explanations to make, both to the Rector,
to Moyra, and to yourself; but just at
present I think your claim comes first
turning to Mr.. Fenton. Il have been
told tina I've been suspected as the orig
inal thief of these diamonds. Well, I adj
nit circumstances looked very black
against me, and in one way the suspicion
was correct. Mr.. Fenton, your diamonds
were stolen twice the night before last.
I was the thief in the second place. 1t
came about in this way. I found that
after all / was able to conclude my bust
ness in town in time to arrive here for
part of the dance. I did not let any one
know I was coming for two reasons-I
wanted to give my friends a surprise, and
l also wanted to see a person in whom l
was rather interested without that per-
son being aware of my proximity.
ut was about ten, I suppose, when |
arrived at the station, and I walked up
here. Ny first idea was to come in and
see the Rector, but as the house vas in
darkness l concluded to go across to the
big house. I was crossing the lawn when
r wa attracted by a light flashing in
rather a strange way in an upper win
low.
Now / must explain that some few
years ago I did some Journalism for a
friend in Chicago who runs a big paper
there. He employed me to find out all
could concerning a certain gang--it is
really a w~ell-organized society, compris-
ing men and women of all ranks and con-
ditions, who are birds of prey, and live
on other people. They are thieves, but
intensely clever, and their operations ex-
tend all over the world. 1 got to know
a great deal about them-I was to a GER
tain extent II thei. confidence, and really
quite friendly with their leader, who was
always named the chief. My father
reminded me Of him in many ways, and in
jest / started calling him the chief also,
though the name was not new to him, 1
believc'-appealing to the Rector.
mo. He was always called the chief
at college. He was always a leader"
EXACTLY so. Now when / saw that
light I recognized at once that it vas
one of the signals used by this society or
gang, and I knew, though" he added
slowly, 81 was little prepared for it, that
some of the lot were about. My thoughts
instantly went to the diamonds, and l be-
gan to move very cautiously about and
investigate matters. / expect to those
movements must have appeared exceeding
~ 6uSPiSAp0ss ~ IL hS4Ch 4 u VAIN
by the sight of one of the cleverest of the
lot, whom I had met in America, and the
other whom I did not know, making their
way up a ladder to a bedroom window.
i need not go into details. 1t was a
c~leverly worked robbery, the hour was
particularly well chosen, their informa-
ton was perfectly correct, and-they had
a confederate in the house. Little did
you and your guests imagine, Mr.. Fen
ton. that while you were all at supper
your safe was being rifled.
They descended by the ladder, which
they took - pieces, and then walked
quietly away up the venue. Had any
one met them they would have imagined
them to be two guests leaving early. /
followed them. / knew it was of no use
raising an alarm. ] should not have been
heard, and / knew both would be armed,
and would not scruple to shoot.
A the gate they separated: the one
I knew struck across country, the other,
who carried the. diamonds, wen down to
the ferry. We crossed to Caterham, he
hailed a cab, SO did /, and we caught the
early mail train for town. / really
thought that journey would never end,
and I was almost at my wits end. We
were alone in the same compartment, and
/ suppose he took me for a simple green
horn, for after a time. Just as we were
drawing near Rugby, l think it was. he