Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-09-30

Taking the heavy poker from thu
fireplace that now was swung outward
into the room, Blair stepped into til,
recess and closed the hiding place aft
er him.
Here he lit a candle and f%uriously
pried, at the old iron bound ches
where, among his fathers papers, his
mother kept the ready money Which
she, like her husband had before her
lent out at heavy interest to such un
fortunates as fell into her meshes-
when their security was good.
At Stanley hall, after the departure
of Detective Blake, Hagar ordered hel
carriage, IT nm going to pay. a GILL. ]
will not be long" was all the informa
ton she vouchsafcl to Esther. But
Esther knew that, whatever was the
Grand that called Hagar away, al
though a secret. it was one that was
for Esther's good.
Luke Lowell, who spent his time al
Stanley hall partly and partly as head
man under Hagar at the gypsy rendez
yous some dozen miles away in a hid
den fastness Of the Blue Ridge, brought
around the horse and buggy to the
front Of Stanley hall. At this instant
a diversion was caused by the appear.
ancc Of a hunchback organ grinder
Ehhrrying up the driveway.
1t was Quabba, his monkey, shrek
ing with fright, clinging closely to bis
masters breast. Behind them came
Sheriff Sam Swain on horseback, lash
ing tie unfortunate Quabba.
Hagar and Esther both few to the
r~cscue'of the poor hunchback.
F"He's lucky I am not chasing him
out Of the county" explained the irate
sheriff, "But for the trick lie played
upon ME yesterday 1 would have caught
Arthur Stanley! Do youfi know what
this Organ grinding mon 'toting limp
of Satan did? " VIZ
why. he handcuffed me to Blair
Stanley, and, Arthur Stanley, the muir.
,dcfer, WHO had the ncrve to come rid
ing at tie mask tournament, got away!
l could'have' this organ grinding scoun-
drel sent up for a year for interfering
with an officer in the discharge Of his
duty!"' y
Il didn't mean any HARM" whined
5Quabba. you were teasing and jok.
ing with me, saying you were going to
put the handouts OH me, and I only
4joked with yoty and the other gentle
man Ii putting them on You and him"
( f'Young feller.'' said, the sheriff i'm
pressively, never joke With III officer
Of the law. It Is against the peace and
dignity. Of the commonwealth Of Viz
ginia and the law and the statutes that
therein apply!w And, having delivered
himself Of this pseudo legal 'dictum,
the sheriff touched his hat to Hagar
ana Esther and cantered of.
Quabba was a wandering. solitary
gypsy Of italian stock. A word in
Romany fell on his astonished ear
from the lips Of the grandc dame at
the portals Of this grand house. who
gave orders to Luke that Quabba be
cared for ut the Kitchen Of Stanley
hall.
I This done, Hagar was prepared to
SO upon her mysterious errand with.
as Esther noticed, the black Cat port
folio the strange nan from Richmond
had brought that day, when her keen
gypsy eye noticed that the horse was
slightly lame.
Half angrily she orlered Lowell to
return it to the stable, and after Low
ell. with the equipage and Quabba, the
latter uttering expressions Of his graft
itude, had turned the corner of the
great house, II am not. going SO very