Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-07-02

person on the inside ! not only defy
any light fingered gentleman TO enter.
but | give him cordial Invitation TO
try. No, sir! If you want TO put a
Calling gun In your own house. do so
by all means. In mine have no room
for artillery or an army Of Pinkertons.
Now, don't you see how absurd you
are?'
"All right" assented Mr.. Corrigan-
'Pve warned you, and that's all I've
got to say. They're not my diamonds"
"Just wait moment, Michael" said
Mr.. Renwyck, walking after him. Il
want to show you what an idiotic
stand you have taken. You say the
man has a cast in his eye. Very good:
I'll admit that. but l venture to say
that In the state Of New York there
are from twenty to thirty thousand
people with casts in their eyes. You
claim that II Is a mark Of rascality.
don't agree with you. My own father
had cast In his eye"
Don't doubt 1t In the least" snapped
Mr.. Corrigan. THAT explains it I've
often wondered
Come. come" laughed Mr.. Rem
wyck: you gain nothing by being per-
sonal. But listen. You saw man in
the train-though you confess you
only glanced at him-and Immediately
recognized him as a bristly murderer
hungry. Did you see murderer No.
get of the train? No, OF course not.
He is probably dining in the bosom Of
his humble but honest family, while
you, my dear sir, are aching to clap
him In the penitentiary." Mr.. Rem
wyck paused to laugh. Really, MI
chael, you amuse me- Age is respon-
sible for bad eyesight perhaps but II
is your poor old brain that troubles
me. You have developed into fussy
old woman-Miss Michaela Corrigan,
spinster, sixty-one and afraid to say
boo to bat"
The old lawyer paused suddenly in
his walk and thrust the ferrule of his
cane deep into the gravel path.
Jacob" he said in tone of sup
pressed anger, that will do. You have
gone just a little too far. | told you
what l thought without any wish for
an argument, and now I'll tell you
something else. don't care whether
you lose your diamonds and plate or
not. What's more. | hope you will.
Good night"
He had intended staying for dinner,
but changed his mind and swung rap
idly away, while Mr.. Renwyck looked
after him, laughing merrily.
"Oh, say. Michaela" he called.
Don't forget 70 look under your bed
tonight. You might find burglar
with a cast in his eye
For once Mr. Renwyck had got the
better of his brother-in-law, and the
fact pleased him immensely.
'The poor old granny he muttered
as he went into the house. Upon my
word, Pm astonished at him"
1t may be stated that, contrary TO
Mr. Corrigan's fiat denial, that gentle
man did take further interest In the
possible burglary, If only to prove his
own theory On the following night
three private detectives came out to
Irvington and stole separately to the
lawyers house. About IL o'clock. ac-
companied by Mr.. Corrigan in person.
they concealed themselves at various
points of vantage on the Renwyck
place and awaited developments. The
night was damp and gloomy-most
excellent weather conditions for
HOUSEKEEPING party, but with disad-
vantages for amateur detectives at the
advanced age Of sixty-one. Beyond
touch Of rheumatism Mr.. Corrigan
bagged nothing. and the morning
found him very disgruntled old gen.
tleman. However, there was humor-
Gus side to the vigil, and with this the
old lawyer consoled himself
"Lordr' he chuckled. THE jokes on
me this time but / would ut have ia
cob find 1t out-no, not for thousand
dollars cash."
Meanwhile Mr.. Renwyck. having
scored decisively on Uncle Michael,
enjoyed his dinner as victor should.
He was In the best of spirits. not alone
because of his triumph. but because of
certain cheerful. developments which
had come to light at the meeting Of
the stockholders Of his new deep water
harbor company. He was so elated
over his certain success that he cast
out broad hints which were mystifying
enigmas to all present with the excep-
ton OF Richard. who understood only
too well. TO him they meant the col
lapse of his fathers cherished hopes,
while he, dutiful son. was forced to
sit calmly and watch an enemy gloat.
Dinner was scarcely over when call
ers were announced. They were old
friends of the family, claiming the at
tention Of Mr.. and Mrs. Renwyck and
Miss Schermeriy, which left the four
young people to their own devices.
For this Richard thanked the visitors
fervently and wandered with Miss
Harriet across the lawn, where they
seated themselves on favorite bench
and enjoyed long and uninterrupted
chat. Had Uncle Michael been present
instead OF sulking In his lonely bach
elor home be might have had cause to
exchange his frowns for chuckles, in
view Of the fact that certain young
scamp was assuredly making progress.
The progress was not Of tremendous
moment. after all. yet Richard forgot
the troublous harbor company and all
else, indeed. besides the lady and him
self. Miss Harriet In Juggling at q rose