The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1912-04-12

what do you want? What are you
doing here?" he demanded.
1T Is curious story" began Joce-
Ign easily. "To begin with"
Whom do you want?" interrupted
the man again. with almost a shrek.
II don't live here: I'm merely calling
on friend-Walt Barrett. l was told
he had this apartment"
Instinct told Jocelyn that this was
Walt Barrett himself.
II don't live here either, Mr.. Bar
rett." answered Lord Jocelyn. 80
perhaps l may reply to your question
by repeating It,"
Are you 'bull?'" Barrett demand.
ed with an oath. IF you are"
do you mean member of the de-
tective force?" Jocelyn inquired. 'If
so. may say that at present I am
not, although there Is no knowing
what | may come to-"
Then who and what are your"
That" answered Jocelyn, seems
irrelevant. II is plain. however, that
you are an intruder upon these prem
Uses. It's sad, very sad" he contin-
ued.
What's sad?"
ITO see young man OF your age
devote his life to such practices" an.
swered Jocelyn. shaking his head
mournfully. MY friend, II you had
acquainted yourself with statistics be
fore embarking upon your perilous oc-
cupation you would have learned that
the average burglar spends between
two-thirds and four fifths of his active
life within the walls of our various
penal institutions. My friend, you
cannot beat the state"
The man recoiled a step and looked
Mt him in establishment. Convinced
that he was on the right track, Joce-
lyn proceeded:
IL myself am not disposed to wreck
so promising a career as yours by
calling in the police, for see that you
are. by education and training. capable
| of better things than this. Now, Mr..
, Barrett. II / let you go this time will
you give me your word of honor TO
abandon this life of crime and to be-
come an exemplary citizen?"
What answer would have been re-
turned Is unknown. for at that mo-
ment the door on the farther side OF
the room opened and there stood re-
! vealed the girl Of the sables. And. in
| her indoor attire, she looked still more
bewitching than before.
Seeing Lord Jocelyn, she recoiled in
establishment Then. evidently agi-
| tated. she hurried toward him.
What do you want? What dc you
want? There's nobody here!" she
| cried.
"My visit Is, I assure you, entirely
a business one" Lord Jocelyn an
swered.
These words seemed to produce ex.
traoidinary CONSERVATION In the
young woman's breast.
Her eyes dilated in terror: suddenly
she put forth her hands and clasped
Jocelyn's arm I'm agitation.
Don't take him, officer" she plead
ed. "He was just going to leave. by
morning he would have been over the
Canadian border. II would break my
heart and his old mothers. He did
not mean to do anything really wrong;
he hardly knew that II was criminal
act. for he would have replaced the
money in the vaults OF the bank to-
morrow II they had not made the dis
| covery.
I'VE have restored the money" she
! continued, dabbing at her eyes with
n handkerchief OF filmy lace. Il have
pawned my sables and my diamonds.
| will send the money 10 the president
! I'm your presence. II only you VIII go
back and say that you couldn't IND
him"
You're n fool. sis" interrupted the
Young man, harshly. Here, officer.
what'n you take TO give me two hours
start? There's eight or nine hundred
| sisters raised upon her furs and jew
els. Let's divvy up. Give me four
hundred to start me on my way ana
you shall have the rest"
mo. no. Walter" the young woman
cried. You promised me that you'd
be honest II got the money for you.
II must go TO the president. Oficer,
yourl spare him, won't you?"
81 tell you you're on the wrong tack
| sis" cried the young man In exaspera-
ton. you've kept me sewcd up In
| this empty apartment for whole
week while they were searching Tor
me. and now that I've got chance to
beat 1t you want to spoil everything
by your COMPOUNDED scruples."
Both fixed their eyes upon Lord
Jocelyn in intense eagerness. the one
wholly selfish, bartering his sisters
money for his own sake. the other
tremulous with anxiety for her broth
| ers safety. :,
Indeed. you are both Mistaken
said Lord Jocelyn. II am not MEM
her of the detective force. / came In
merely to restore to this young lady
this tiara. which she let fall ut my
feet outside the door OF the house.
| And he held Il out to the girl.
She eyed It askance. but made no
effort to recover 1t. :.
ITS PASTE" she cried. Il had II
made when I pawned the original, SC
that it's absence should arouse nc