Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-11-10
CHAPTER xvI.-(continued.)

We've got the motive for the
crime the two men shouted in one
breath.
Britt assumed an attitude Of eager
interest. The prosecutor looked sig
%nifcantly at him.
What have you d~iscovered?" he
asked.
THAT man Fitch is mixed up In the
case just as l always thought" Don
nelly informed him. "She stole those
diamonds for his sake. It's another
case Of the girl turning thief to help
her lover"
We've run the whole thing down
and we have it here in black and
white" His fingers clasped three or
four letters which he Haunted tempt
ingly before the eyes Of the prosecu-
tor. They confirm our suspicion that
Fitch is at the bottom of the whole
case. Rather, that he's the man high
Ell up"
Mott gathered the contents of the
missives in three or four sweeping
glances as he handed them to Britt.
He perused them closely, as If weigh
ing their import while noting their
contents. His impressive face masked
the emotions they aroused in him,
and he returned them to the assistant
district attorney with an air of indif.
ference.
These letters are conclusive" Mott
pronounced.
Conclusive Of what?" demanded
Britz.
t-ENEZ
That Miss Holcomb was the tool
OF her fiance, and that the two have
combined to enlist you sympathy"
Il guess 1t wasn't a bad bit OF de
tective work to get those letters
Donnelly smiled.
II guess not" agreed Carson, anx
ious to Justify his partners little out
burst Of self-adulation.
Britz turned to them abruptly
Their flippant tones irritated him. His
nature ~revolted at the ill-bred rejoic
ing over the prospective degradation
Of q woman
How did you get the letters 2" he
asked b%rusquely.
Donnelly, ready to burst with the
Importance he had gathered, needed
no urging to impart the desired in
formation.
II had Doctor Fitch Swallowed from
the day he appeared at headquarters
to inquire about. Miss Holcomb," he
said. That's how l got on that he
vas negotiating with a real estate
agent. Luckily, the agent was q
friend OF mine. and he informed me
that Fitch had purchased and paid
for q site on which to build a mod
ern sanitarium. Yes, sir, he put VI
800. 900 for the ground: and the build.
ings and furnishings, l learned, are tc
cost nearly 3 quarter of a million. II
wasn't easy to get the agent to turn
over Fitch's letters. but I told him
he'd have to produce them before
the grand jury under q subpoena, sc
he handed them over"
Have you tried to learn where he
got the money!" Britz demanded.
TITS plain enough where he got the
money. The individual stones Of the
necklace would bring all the money
he needed for the DEAL"
But have you tried to make sure
that he sold the diamonds? !" Britz per
sisted.
"Ill get all that without much
trouble" was the confident reply.
Well. @ ahead and get It," Britt
ordered.
When the two detectives left the
oom Mott found It impossible to re
strain his eradication.
Il guess you'll admit you're on the
wrong lay?" he teered. You've be-
.wtldered yourself with your own zeal.
This u the sort Of stun l want" he
declared, lingering the letters.
you've been led astray. Now get
on the right trail and accomplish
something"
An attendant entered with . card.
The prosecutor glanced at It and
passed It over TO the detective.
Hes N old friend" Mott remarked.
we were IN college together"
A dark Hush suffused Britt counte-
nance and deepened his yellow ivory
complexion to q dull gray. He fixed
. look Of anxious interrogation on
Mott. - II doubtful o. che wisdom Of