Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1912-02-22
parents dlsapprobation Of su.h a

parents dlsapprobation OF sush a
course
However, The oldest Miss SLOVENIAN.
being OF IN age to be- attracted Dy such
a curious circumstan, =, the next day
pointed out to ME Il man pacing the
deck whom she said she thought might
be The SE,lRgler She had been watch
ing him. and he looked very uneasy.
She was sure he bad something ON his
mind TIE moment I looked at him l
was of the same opinion. Moreover, he
stared at me as | passed him. | won
dered II he could know that was in
possession Of the valuables.
After that Miss Stoneman and 1, hav-
ing a secret together. spent consider
able time In each others company, sit
ting on deck together. The man she
had pointed out walked the deck much
Of the time. and whenever he passed
us would look at us uneasily. l felt
sure that he was my quarry. | asked
Miss Stoneman how she came to light
upon the man so quickly. and she said
she didn't know herself. I told her 1t
was that unaccountable power of In
tuition which women possess in lieu OF
the reasoning power Of men.
But II the fellow knew that | had bis
property he took no steps, so far as I
could see, to possess himself OF 1t.
Every time he passed me he looked at
me harder than before, and / seemed to
have a very disturbing effect upon him.
One evening / approached the stern of
the ship. Some one was looking over
the taffrail, but / did not notice who
he was. Suddenly he looked up at me.
He was the s%muggler.
II can stand this no longer" he said.
Il know you are from Scotland Yard,
and | may as well give myself up first
rs last"
How do you know thatT" i asked.
not wishing to commit myself.
1T was that young lady who put you
on to me. It's wonderful how these
women can know things"
Well, are you ready to confess?"
"Will l gain anything by confession?"
Certainly. I'll see to that"
wen, Il iOoL tht bioiCy ou tnt otOCh
exchange"
This was a surprise. but l kept my
countenance.
Then it is all gomez
Every cent. i can't gain anything
by restoration"
The plot was thickening. In look
ing for the owner of the property I
held, I had stumbled on a criminal. I
did not propose to mix myself up In
this second affair, one was enough. so
said:
my friend, you have made a mis-
take. I'm no Scotland Yard man, and
have no interest in your crime. Why
have you been staring at mer
why have you been staring at met"
he asked, with great apparent relief.
| did not satisfy him. He had a
guilty conscience, which Miss Stone
man had observed, so the moment we
looked at him %curiously he took 10
for granted he had been spotted. I
told him | would not give him away,
for which he thanked me. l didn't
think II prudent to intrust Miss Stone
man with his secret, so / told her that
| had discovered that he was the
wrong man.
Our last day Of the voyage came,
and l was at a loss TO know what to
do with the laces and the diamonds. I
spoke to my conidante about my prop
erty, and she suggested that so long
as l had nothing to fear from the
customs officers l might carry the
package about as 1t was. After doing
so the rightful owner might claim 1t.
and then it would be time enough to
decide what action to take. / replied
that the rug would probably be I'M
rolled and examined by the customs
officers, w%hereupon she offered to take
the lace and diamonds ashore herself:
Since she seemed inclined to this
plan l reluctantly consented to Ii, yet
fearing that if she got into trouble L
would be blamed. Her object seemed
to be to serve me, though ! fancied
she supposed In case the property re-
NAMED with me she would fall heir
to a part of It for getting 1t through
free Of duty. handed 1t over to her.
and she must have concealed II well.
for she took it through without being
discovered. j.
The criminal who had mistaken me
for a Scotland Yard man did not fare
so well. Officers who had been cabled
that he was on the steamer took him
in charge as he left the vessel.
When | parted from the Stonemans
the mother gave me a pressing invita-
ton to call upon them in New York
before they departed for home, which
they expected to do in a few days aft
er landing. | called on them at their
hotel and was graciously received.
Since my attentions to Miss Stone
man on the steamer had been noticed.
presently the others one by n ex-
cused themselves and left US alone to-
gether.
"Well," said the young lady, shave
you discovered the owner Of the prop.
erty"
mo one has applied for It." ~
Probably not, since it Is mine" !
UVourc ~ =