Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-09-23

>'1tNA '1As - 49, ~ '''N L - N'N'
l could not bear the thought of wrong
ing anybody. l was to give up every
thing but my mothers jewels. 1t
seems-my father said-I don't-I can't
believe it now
She choked out q little. dry sob. 1t
was some time before she seemed able
to continue.
collection of jewels had been my moth
er's property. He had in life n pas-
sion for collecting jewels. and it had
been his whim to carry them With him
wherever he went. When he died in
Frognall street they were in the safe
by the head of his bed. I, in my grief.
at first forgot them and then after
ward carelessly put off removing them.
ITO come back to my father, night
before last we We're to call on Mrs.
IIallam. 1T was to be our last night
in England. We were to sail for the
continent on the private yacht of a
friend of my fathers the next morn
ing. This Is what I WAS told and be-
lievcd, YOU understand.
''That night Mrs. italian vas dining
ut another table at Pless, it seems.
| did not then know her. When lcav-
ing she put Il note on IL table by my
fathers elbow. | was astonished be
| yond words. He seemed much agi-
tated, told me that he was called
away ON urgent business. a matter of
life and death. and begged me to 90
alone to I'rogmall street. get the jew
els and meet him at Mrs. IIallam's
later. | wasn't altogether Il fool, for
) began dimly to suspect then that
eomethim@ was wrong. but 1 was a
fool. fer | consented to do as he de
sired. You undcrstand-you know
"E do. indeed" replied Kirkwood
griInly, Il understand Il lot of things
now tl&t I didn't five minutes ago.
Please let me think"
But the time he took for delibera-
tion was short, lie had hoped to find
y way 10 spare her by sparing Calen-
dar, bul momcntarily he was beconl-
ing more impressed with the fulility
OF dealing with her save in terms of
candol mcrciful, though they might
seem harsh.
Il must tell YOU" he said, chat you
have been o~utragcously misled. swim
died I'D deceived. | have heard from
your fathers own lips that Mrs. Hal
lam WIS 10 pay him $4,000 for keep
imr yoa ont of England and losing You
your Inheritance. I'm inclined 10 qucs-
li0m, Furthermore, the association that
these Jewels We're YOUR mothers.
Frederick IIallam was the man who
followed you into the Frognall street
house and attacked me ON the stairs.
Mrs, italian admits that he went
there 10 get the jewels. But he didn't
want anybody to know it."
But that doesn't prove
Just a minute Rapidly and con.
cisely kirkwood recounted the events
wherein he had played a part subse
quent to the adventure of B~ermondsey
Old Stairs. He was guilty of but one
evasion. On II point only did he
slur the truth. He conceived it his
honorable duty to keep the girl in ig-
norance of his straitened circum-
stances. She was not to be distressed
by knowledge of his distress, nor could
he tolerate the suggestion of seeming
to play for her sympathy. 1t was nee
esSary, then. to invent a motive to eX.
cuse his return to No. 8 Frognall street
| believe he chose to eXaggerate the in,
quisitiveness of his nature and threw
in for good measure a desire to re,
cover q priced trinket Of no particular
moment. esteemed for its associations,
and so forth. But, whatever the fab
rication. it passed muster. To the girl
his motives seemed less important
than the discoveries that resulted from
them.
Il am afraid he concluded the sum
mary of the CONTEMPLATION he had over
heard at the Skylight OF the Alethea's
cabin, you'd best make up your mind
that your father
Yes" whispered the girl huskily
and turned her face to the window, q
quivering muscle in the firm young
throat alone betraying her emotion.
Its a bad BUSINESS he pursued re
lentlesslY-"bad all round. Mulrcady
in your fathers pay, tries to have him
arrested. the better to rob him. Mrs
Hallam. 10 secure your property fol-
that precious pet, Freddie, connives al
if she doesn't instigate a kidnapping
Your father takes her money to de.
priye you OF yours, which could profit
him nothing so long as YOU remained
in lawful possession of it, and at the
same time he c%onspires to rob. through
you. the rightful owners II they arc
rightful owner And, if they are
why should Freddie Hallam go like q
thief i'll the night to secure property
that's his beyond dispute? 1 don't
really think you owe your father any
further consideration"
He waited patiently. Eventually
moo" the girl sobbed assent.
TITS this way: Calendar, counting
on your sparing him in the end, is go
ing to hound us. He's doing it now
There's Hobbs in the next car fol-
proof. Until these jewels are returned
whether to Erognall street or To yo11nn