The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1915-08-20

"Of course. sir. 1t is true that ! am
practically a stranger to you" An.
drew admitted without the change OF
a note in his monotone to give warn.
Ing Of the supremacy audacious speech
to follow. "You'Ue knorn me onlv since
Mr.. Watn,oright told you uho I uas q
fet0 minutes ago. But ] haze kn0pn YOU
for a long time. SIR"
The detective glared with round
eyes at this amazing man. who dared
launt the helplessness Of the law in
its very face.
"Oh. you have. have you!"
"Yes." came the placid answer.
you were an obscure detective when
you recovered those bonds in the
Fourth National bank case. Your
present excellent position is really
owing to that besides the medal you
received at the time and also the
$4,000 reward paid to YOU. But
through It all you said nothing Of the
anonymous note you received advising
you OF the facts in the case and giving
you explicit directions as to how to
capture Denver Jones"
Marshall sat speIlbound.
"Then It was you who sent the lei.
teri"
Andrew bowed.
II simply mentioned it, SIR" he con-
tinued sedately, lin order to show you
that when l give information my mo-
tives are by nc means always selfish.
Good night, SIR" The buffers voice
was still that Of the excellent servant
trained to a becoming humility. But
before he had reached the door he was
arrested by the voice of the detective.
Zone minute. Why did you double
cross Denver Jones. and what made
you pick me for that Fourth National
capture?"
well, you see. SIR the Master Mind
explained blandly. "Jones had the mis-
fortune to offend me. Besides, si-. l
knew that on account of your success
in this case you. would be promoted to
a high place in the detective service,
and as l was then situated it was not
we'll for me to have skillful men in
high places. Good night, sir"
Marshall was ut pains presently to
seek Wainwright. whom he found on
the point Of retiring. and to make
known the information he had receiv-
ed from Andrew concerning the pro-
jected burglary. 1t was agreed be-
tween them that the detective should
maintain a strict secret watch over
the whole establishment throughout
the night. with the twofold object of
being ready for any move on the part
of the sender of the black card and of
foiling the expected effort Of the rob-
Der against the jewels in the safe.
Wainwright was to hold himself in
readiness for a summons at any time,
but chose 10 to share directly in the
watch. 1t seemed certain to both men
that the Master Mind would be aware
Of their conference. Undoubtedly he
had intended that his announcement
Of the visit from a thief should be
passed on to Wainwright. as it had
been. Yet the exact S for his
course defied analysis.
Meanwhile Lucene was in despair
because of the desperate situation with
which she was confronted. A just
Judge must have taken into considera-
ton her youth and inexperience, her
feeling of devoted gratitude and rever.
ence for the man who guided her
choice. and the judgment must have
been lenient. though it might find her
guilty. But she had no mercy toward
truth at last-the truth she had voiced
to the Master Mind-that it is impossi
BILE to build happiness on lies. She
had lived a lie. for the hoodwinking
Of the man who loved her. who had
honOred her above all women. who had
given into her keeping his honor by
making her his wife. Thus she had
foully betrayed his faith. Whatever
the penalty for truth at the outset, the
truth should have been told. She un-
derstood now. Her conscience had
warned her. She had stifed conscience
at the dictation of the man whom she
esteemed for his goodness to her, An
drew. Now realization Of her passive
guilt was fully hers. But the ruin had
been wrought. 1t was too late to undo
the evil accomplished by her treachery
There was nowhere any hope Of re-
demption. She had sinned; she must
do penance with a life Of agonized
mourning for the bliss she had lost.
There was left to her only the ability
to spare her husband in some measure.
That she must do. though her heart
break.
1t was just five minutes before the
hour Of 2 when Andrew. in his cupola
room. extinguished his light. which
had shone from the tower windows
like a beacon. Creegan. lurking within
the shadows Of clustered strawberries
a hundred yards from the mansion.
heaved a sigh of relief. Then. as the
calm Of the place remained unbroken.
he began stealthily to make his way
toward the massive bulk of the house.
Marshall had established himself in