Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1908-05-07
The Empires Dream
Amazing Adventures Of Gang Of Thieves
Who Stole Wor]d-Famous Dia-
mond Of Fabulous Wealth.
CHAPTER xvIII.-(continued.)
(which, of course. he accepted

W Olled up TO be laxative, and whel
made my offer he simply laughed
and said that he had Just been offere,
thirty pounds by a lady to get rela
tive away, and he was waiting for he
to turn up with the money
Well what has this got to do witt
Miss Dauncey?'
Simply that Miss Dauncey was thu
lady, and you, my dear fellow. wer,
the relative"
! ooh! it is impossible; l tell 20,
that ! know nothing about it,
well, let it rest at that for min
ute. ! saw her meet this man, and
saw the money paid over. When they
parted | followed her, and you can. I'M
agine her surprise when she saw mo
Whether her agitation was guilt or
pleasure cannot say, but she ex
pressed great satisfaction at the meet
ing. She then told me- that you were
in imminent danger of arrest, and she
was endeavoring to get you out OF the
| country
Il give You my word, Twist, that /
know nothing of all this. lie is news
| to me-
Then, II that is the case, all can
say is that you ought to be jolly we'll
ashamed of yourself for the way you
have treated that stanch little woman
Why, with an ally like that to back
one up man could do anything; but
We'll let that pass. asked her where
you were, and she told me you had
gone to Nottingham, and knew at
once where to find you
Aye; and she told Hammond, and
I suppose he has given this place
away
Perhaps he has; anyway, thought
I had better come to you Immediately,
and she was very grateful when l of
fered to take you message | at
once hired a motor car and started
off; | arrived here three hours ago.
And where is the carp
In the shed at the back. I am glad
you turned up when you did, as I am
impatient to be OFF: this place is far
from healthy now that Hammond has
given up away"
" A1Ss y Wv ) ou PhOpOSe " 81
Back to town with all speed; there
Is NO hiding place like London.
y Then let us get away as soon as
possible; this place is getting on my
nerves"
ut is not very cheerful. certainly, SO
I will be OFF"
"But-you are going to take me
with you; you are not going to leave
NE in this dismal hole alone?'
My dear Winton, do you take me
For foole Do you think came all
The way down here from London for
the purpose of giving you a ride in my
motor car? You are making a great
mistake. and while we are about it
we may as well haye a little plain
speaking, and what want to say is
this. am sick and tired of you and
your company; we have been in many
things together, and you have always
brought a reasonable amount of intel
ligence to bear upon them. but in this
last affair you have been colossal
failure, and am done with you.''
But the Empires Dream?'
AT one time regarded it as the
Joint property of three. Hammond
has forfeited his share by giving us
away, and You have sacrificed what
would have been your half by this con-
spiracy with Miss Dauncey."
''lt Is not true" b
1T makes no difference: believe
that it is. 1t will take lot of argu
ment to convince me that you and
Miss Dauncey have not conspired to
get out OF the country with the dia-
mond and leave me in the lurch. 1t is
part of your plan for both to profess
innocence. but / am not a child to be
led with such pap. No. my dear Win
toni beg your pardon, Lord Lore
ul,iiT-ii am now iii this matter alone,
and YOU must make shift to do what
you can for yourself; yen are fart far too
dangerous company for me- =
1t is not like you, Twist, to leave a
man in tight corner. Don't desert
me. there's a good fellow. II / can
only get away for time I shall be
able to arrange things, and you won't
De the loser. Help me cut---yyou will
won't you r.
IF We were differently situated you
would help me out, know, with the
toe Of your boot In all our schemes
you have kept yourself well in the
background, and endeavored to make
yourself secure by some kind Of a
counterpart, but IN this case YOU have
.overreached yourself. I have not the
slightest doubt that Il you had sue
;ceeded in marrying Mary Brent you
would have given me and Hammond
away id order to keep the Empires
Dream III your precious family"
.sBut I am In danger, Twist, and
and I'VE lost my nerve. start At
shadows and almost shrek at q noise.
j cannot be left alone. cannot
won, = :s II 81
quiet, man, quiet! Have you lost
your senses altogether? Ycu are raw
ing like q timld child afraid OF being
left In the dark. I cannot have you
with me, and | won t. \
nd and i have no money. Twist
81 s.s,s,,, at IS q lie. The Dauncey woman
told me that she gave you enough to
set out 81 the country Now pull your