The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1910-04-14
CHAPTER VII.
WHAT THE RED ENVELOPE HELD

my dear Angel" wrote Jimmy. Il
commend to you one Mr.. SPEEDING, an
ingenious man. If by chance you ever
wish to visit him, do so in business
hours. If you desire to examine his
most secret possession. effect an en-
trance into a dreary- looking house at
the corner Of Cley's road, a stones
throw from High Holly Lodge 1t is
marked in plain letters To Let In
1.-THE basement you will find a coal cell
lar. Searching the coal cellar dill
gently, you will discover a flight Of
stone steps leading to a subterranean
passage. which burrows under the
ground until it arrives at friend
Speddings particular private vault. II
this reads like leaf torn from Dumas
or dear Harrison Ainsworth 1t is not
my fault. I visited our legal adviser
last night, and had quite a thrilling
evening That am alive this morning
Is tribute to my caution and fore
seeing wisdom. The result Of my visit
word In my hands. Come and get It."
Angel found the message awaiting
him when he reached Scotland Yard
that morning. He too had spent sleep
less hours in q futile attempt to un-
ravel the mystery Of old Reale's dog
gerel verse.
telegram brought Kathleen Kent
to town. Angel met her at quiet res
taurant In Rupert street, and was
struck by the delicate beauty Of this
slim girl, the calm. gray eyes.
She greeted him with a sad little
smile.
II was afraid you would never see
me again after my outburst of the
other night" she said. "This-this-
person is friend Of yours?"
jimmy" sked the detective cheer
lily. "Oh, yes, Jimmy's by way Of be-
ing a friend; but he deserved all you
said. and he knows 1t. Miss Kent"
The girls face darkened momentar-
lily as she thought Of Jimmy.
II shall never understand" she said
slowly, how man Of his gifts al
lowed himself to become"
But" protested the detective, "he
told you he took no part in the decoy-
The girl turned with open-eyed as
constituent.
Surely you do not expect me to be-
live his excuses" she cried.
Angel Esquire looked grave.
THAT is Just what I should ask you
to believe" he said quietly. Jimmy
makes no excuses, and he would GER
eoAiAS Wi AfN aAS 80 SNsShAaSAOh Va Ills
faults
"But-but," said Kathleen, bewilder-
ed, "he is a thief by his own showing
"a bad man."
"A thief" said Angel soberly, but
not bad man. Jimmy is puzzle to
most people. To me he Is prefectly
understandable; that is because have
too much of the criminal in my own
composition, perhaps"
Il wish, oh, how I wish I had your
faith In him! Then I could absolve
him from suspicion Of having helped
ruin my poor father"
II think you can do that" said the
detective almost eagerly. Believe me,
Jimmy Is not to be judged by conven-
tional standards. II you ask me to de-
scribe him, would say that he is a
genious who works in an eccentric cir
Gle that sometimes overlaps, some-
, times underreaches the rigid circle Of
the law. If you ask me IS a policeman,
and If l was his bitterest enemy. what
| could do with Jimmy, I should say.
Nothing. ! know of no crime with
! which I could charge him, save at
times with associating with doubtful
characters. AS matter Of fact, that
equally applies to me. Listen, Miss
Kent. The first big international case
figured In was gigantic fraud on
the Egyptian bank. Some e 1000
were involved, and whilst from the
outsiders point Of view Jimmy was be-
yond suspicion. yet we who were work.
ing at the case suspected him, and
pretty strongly. The men who owned
the bank were rich Egyptians, and
the head of all was a Somebody or
other Pasha. as great a scoundrei as
ever drew breath. 1t is impossible to tell
a lady exactly how big scoundrel he
was but you may guess. Well, the
Pasha knew 1t was Jimmy who had
done the trick, and we knew, but we
dare not say so. The arrest Of Jimmy
would nave automatically ruined the
banker That was where realized the
kind of man I had to deal with, and
am always prepared when Jimmy
name is mentioned In connection with
a big crime to discover that his victim
deserved 'ail he got, and little more"
The girl gave a little shiver.
! 1T sounds dreadful. Cannot such q