The Ekalaka eagle. [volume] (Ekalaka, Mont.) 1909-1920, 1915-07-09

ing their maps and charts and such
like from the wet.
There" says she, "whcn Rosanna
lme in this evening she bought the
fellow to that. 1t will just do she
says, to put my cuffs and collars in
ana keep them from being crumplel in
my box One and n%inepence, Mr.. Cuff.
AS l live by bread, not a half penny
more!"
Dirt cheap" says the sergeant, with
a heavy sigh.
He weighed the case in his hand.
Mrs. Yolland took another dive into
the rubbish and came up nj of it, this
time with a dog chain.
"Weigh it in your hand, SIR" she
said to the sergeant. I'VE had three
of these, and Rosanna has taken two
Of them. What can you want, my
dear, with a couple Of dogs chains?'
says l. If I join them together they'll
go round my box nicely says she.
Ropes cheapest says L. Chains
| surest,' says she. Who ever heard Of
a box corded with chain? says 1. oh.
l ASAlcs AoAAAAus uOA y uldhC oDyCSllOuo.
says she. Let me have my chains.
A strange girl, Mr.. Cuff, good as gold
and kinder than a sister to my Lucy,
but always a little strange. There! 1
humored her. Three and sixpence. On
the word Of an honest woman, three
and sixpence, Mr.. Cuff"
"Each? say the sergeant.
Npo%h %o~o+bo~,S rn-e NTpo Vr11orH
"Three and sixpence for the two"
"Given away, ma'am," says the ser
geant, shaking his head.
II can't find it in my conscience,
ma'am. to give the money back. You
have is good as made her a present Of
the things-you have indeed"
'1s that your sincere opinion, sir?"
says Mrs. Yolland, Frightening up Won
derfully.
"There can't be a doubt about it," an
swered the sergeant. ASK Mr.. Better
edge"
It was no use asking me. All they
got out of me was "Good night"
Bother the money" says Mrs. Vol
land. With those words she appeared
to lose all command w herself, and,
making a sudden snatch at the heap of
silver, put it back, holus-bolus, in her
pocket.
This time I not only went to the door,
but went fairly out on the road back.
Explain 1t how you may, 1 felt as If
one or both Of them had MORALLY Of
Tended me. Before l had taken three
steps down the village l heard the ser
geant behind me.
YES" says the sergeant. as II he was
actually reading my thoughts in the
dark. "Instead Of putting me on the
scent it may console you to know, Mr.
Betteredge with your interest in Ro
sammy that you have been the means
of throwing me off. What the girl has
done tonight is clear enough, of course
fastened them to the hasp in the tin
case. She has sunk the case in the wa.
ter or in the quicksand. But" says the
sergeant, with the first tone Of impa.
tience in his voice that I had heard yet
"the mystery is-what the devil has
she hidden in the tin case? It's not the
diamond. The whole experience of my
life is at fault if Rosanna Spearman
has got the diamond"
I said rashly, "The stained dress"
Sergeant Cuff stopped short in the
dark and laid his hand on my arm.
els anything thrown into that quick.
sand Of yours eve thrown up on the
surface again" he asked.
Never" I answered. Light OF
heavy, whatever goes into the SILVER
ing sand is sucked down and seer nc
more"
Does Rosanna Spearman know
that""
She knows it as we'll as I do"
"Then," says the sergeant, "what or
earth has she got to do but to tie up a
bit Of stone in the stained dress and
throw it into the quicksand? There
isn't the shadow Of a reason why she
should have hidden it-and yet she
must have hidden it. Query" says the
sergeant, walking on again, "is the
y paint stained dress a petticoat or {
nightgown, or is it something else
, which there Is a reason for preserving
! at any risk? Mr.. Betteredge, If moth
ing occurs to prevent it l must go tt
Frizinghall tomorrow and discover
what she bought in the town when she
privately got the materials for making
+ the substitute dress.
When we got back the servants wer,
: at supper. The first person we saw il
the outer yard was the policeman
!, whom Superintendent Seegrave hat
left at the sergeant's disposal. TIL,
( sergeant asked If Rosanna Spearma1
: had returned. Yes. When? Nearl,
: an hour since. What had she done
, She had gone upstairs to take off he
bonnet and cloak, and she was now a
supper quietly with the rest.
, Without making any remark Ser
rno,,t (sufc va1-o1 on