Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1911-06-08
into the front parlor and went up.

man came down. There was some
thing about him l didn't like at all.
He had the craftiest face and eve on
him OF any man l ever saw. had a
blank book in my hand and, opening
IL preparatory to taking down replies,
asked him such questions as are usual
Iy asked by census gatherers. ! learn
ed that his name was Laurence Girard,
that he lived In the house with his
niece, who would come Of age in a
few days, and that he and she were
the only persons living there except
the servants, whose names ! took
down with pretended care.
Having asked all the questions
dared, / shut up my book and depart
ed. One thing had decided on-that
/ wouldn't trust that man to reim-
burse me for any information might
give him without security. As / was
descending the steps man turned TO
enter at the basement door,
do you live herer l asked.
"Yes, sir; I'm the butler"
I'm taking the census. Let me see
! III nave your name"
looked in the record I had taken
and found the mans name-Richard
Coyne. Then I engaged him in con-
versation. l found him uncommuni-
cative. l asked him what kind of
man his master was and received an
evasive reply. But when / mentioned
his masters niece he warmed up a bit.
Miss Edith is a lovely girl" he said.
1T must be lonely for her here liv-
ing with an old man." remarked.
The man made no reply to this. but
there was evidence of something pass
ing in his mind.
! When | left him l had made up my
mind that there was a mystery con-
nected with the premises / shifted
my theory from a hiding burglar,
though l couldn't form any other.
was seized with an uncomfortable de-
sire to pass the night in the house and
see what happened-that is. If any
thing did happen. But l despaired of
framing any plan that would enable
! me to do So Then | considered the
|
as l was convinced that every one in
the house except the person in the
box was asleep l went into the alley
at the rear and found that by climb
ing over high fence could get into
the back yard Of the house in question.
Going to my room. took burglars
jimmy, some skeleton keys and an
electric hand lamp, and about II
o'clock went back to the house.. con-
! cealing myself in the back yard. Half
| an hour after l saw the last light turn
ed out. l examined q rear basement
window-not in the hall where the box
was-and, finding that / could take
out pane of glass and unlock the
window, did so. After passing inside
and listening sprung my electric light
and found myself in the kitchen. Co
ing through a door into the hall, /
located the box from memory. But l
didn't go near it. / sat down in the
kitchen and waited.
An hour passed without q sound
! Then l heard q screw turning. After
several such raspings heard board
probably from the top Of the box
laid gently on the floor. There were
more screw turnings; then afteranoth-
er board was removed / heard sounds
indicating that some one was getting
out of the box. In few minutes more
| footsteps indicated a person coming
stealthily toward the kitchen door,
Drawing a revolver l always carried,
pressed the key of my electric light
and it fell full on a mans face.
He was nothing like a burglar, but
a well dressed young man about twen-
ty-one. He was very much startled.
Come in here" l said, and:> taking
him into the kitchen, shut the door.
Tell me what this means"
! First tell me who you are" he re-
piled.
! / told him of my accidental discov-
cry of his entrance into the house
Then he unfolded diabolical plot Of
the master of the house to make away
with his niece, who, at eighteen. would
be in possession Of an immense for
tune. The young man was her lover.
| Lie was iSuOIduI VI Wudt pau ueT
uncle would adopt to remove her and
get her property, to which he was next
In line Of Inheritance, but the servants
had told him that the young Lady was
kept prisoner. The maid and the
butler were In the lovers secret, which
was to release the girl.
OF course / sympathized with his OBJ
ject and offered to help him. He had
been Informed as to the room the girl
was confined In. She knew Of his pro-
jected attempt and was waiting for
him. followed him upstairs stealth
lily to the room he sought, and when
we reached 1t he put his hand on the
knob to open 1t. He failed to do so.
Turning TO me with despair on his
face, he whispered:
ITS locked"
LET me try" l said. and, getting
out my skeleton keys, I opened the
| door.
Giving place to him. my eyes were
good enough to see that he was Joined
by woman Without word all three