The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-05-05
: character. He saw the commissionaire

character. He saw the commissionaire
cycling them c~uriously.
Il understood" he said slowly, ina
the guard had been relieved"
NO. sir" said the man. n the Gus
ter of uniformed men at the door OF inc
inner hail g nTGSa this.
Il sent orders this afternoon sale
SPEEDING between his teeth.
No orders have been received, SIR
and the lawyer saw the scrutinlZ1ne
eye of the soldierly sentry pass over
his confederates.
rs this the relief" asked the guard,
in his tone.
Yes" said the lawyer.
AS the sentry saluted and disap-
peared into the hall SPEEDING drew
Conner aside.
This is ruin" he said quickly. THE
safe must be cleared tonight. Tomor-
row London will not hold me-"
The sentry reappeared at the door
way and beckoned them in They
shuffled into the great hall, where in
the half darkness the safe doomed up
from its rocky pedestal, an eerie, mys-
ferrous thing. He saw Bat Sands
glancing intentionally around the dim
spaces of the building, and felt the i'm
preston Of the loneliness.
A man who wore the stripes Of a SER
geant came up.
Are we to withdraw, sir?" he asked.
Yes" said Speeding shortly.
Will you give US a written order?"
asked the man.
SPEEDING hesitated, then drew out g
pocket book and wrote a few hasty
words on a sheet, tore it out and hand
ed it to the man.
The sergeant looked at it carefully.
You haven't signed it or dated it
either he said respectfully, and hand
ed it back.
Speeding cursed him under his breath
and rectified the omissions.
Nov you may CO."
! In the half-light, for only one soil
tary electrolier illuminated the vast
hall, he thought the man was smiling.
II might ave been d trick Of the si:ad-
ows, for he could not see his face.
the sergeant.
Yes"
rs it safe?" the non-commissioned
officer asked quietly.
Curse you, what do you mean?"
cried the lawyer.
Well" said the other easily. 81 see
you have Conner with you, a notorious
thief and blackmailer."
The lawyer was dumb.
And Bat Sands. How dye do, Bat7
How did they treat you in Borstal, or
was it ~Parkhurst?" drawled the SER
geant. And there's the gentle Lamby
trying hard to look military in an over
coat too large for lin. That's not the
uniform you're used to wearing, Lam
by, eh?"
From the group of men at the door
came a genuinely amused laugh.
Guard the outer door. one Of you
chaps" said the sergeant, and turning
again to ~Spedding's men, Here we
have our respected friend Curt Goyle.'
He stopped and picked up a bag that
Bat had placed gingerly on the floor.
What a bag of tricks" the sergeant
cooed. diamond bits and dynamite
cartridges and-what's this little thing,
Bat-an ark? It is. By Jove, 1 con-
graduate you on the swag."
SPEEDING had recovered his nerve
and strobe forward. He was playing
for the greatest stake in the world.
You shall be punished for this inso-
lence," he stormed.
Not at ALL" said the imperturbable
sergeant.
Somebody at the door spoke.
Here's another one, sergeant and
pushed a queer old figure into the hall.
a figure that blinked and peered from
face to face.
He espied Speeding, and ran up to
him almost fawning
The Safe 9 Deposit-in Lombard
Street" he cackled joyously. you see,
/ remembered, dear friend: and rye
come to tell you about the book-my
book, you know. My m%unifcent patron
who desired a puzzle word"
The sergeant started forward.
My God! he cried, 'the professor"
Yes, yes" chuckled the old man,
hat he called me. He bought
q copy of my book-two sovereigns,
fur anyynraiorro hn Or ~ IL 49,.
was 1t called?"
I The old man paused and cIasped both
hands to his head.
"A Study-a Study he said pain
fully, ION the Origin of-the Alphabet.
Ah!.
Another of the ommissionatre had
come forward as the old man began
speaking, and to him the sergeant
turned.
Make a note of that, Jimmy" the
sergeant said.
Speeding reeled back as though he
had been struck.
Angel" he gasped.
That's me- was the unsrammatical
reply.
crushed. cowed. beaten and power
less, SPEEDING awaited Judgment.
What form 1t would take he could not
guess, that 1t would effectively ruin
him he did not doubt. The trusted law
yer stood self-condemned; there was no
explaining away his companions, there
could be no mistaking the meaning Of
their presence.
Send your men away said Angel.
A wild hope seized the lawyer. The
men were not to be arrested, there was
a chance for him.
The Borough Lot" needed no second
ordering; they trooped through the
doorway, anxious to reach the open air
before Angel changed his mind.
You may go" said Angel to Conner,
who still fingered.
"If the safe Is to be opened, I'm in
it" was the sullen reply.
Continued Next Week.
In the Solitude Of the City.
Night; and the sound Of voices In the