Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-11-13

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get to be il stopped here much long
er. I shan't steal my own things and
hide them, II that's what other peo-
Pile do"
Throughout his stay at Wood House
he had taken his meals at the same
small table. except once or twice when
he had been asked to join new-made
acquaintance for dinner. But tonight
he invited Sir Walter Raven to dine
with him, as 1t was his last evening"
The young man accepted, and they
talked Of Colorado. Sir Walter was
inviting him to come out to his ranch
some day, when suddenly the express
sion of the once healthy, sunburnt,
now slightly haggard, face changed.
by joye!" exclaimed Raven, the
blood mounting to his forehead.
Whats the matter?' asked Chris
topher.
chap, but suppose / would have no.
ticed If you'd come in without your
shirt studs. You didn't by any chance
forget to put them in. did your"
mo; l had them in, right enough.
said Race. Looking down he saw that
the white expanse Of his evening shirt
ldCktu lHt liuioh Va thC WV RSHA :
studs he had worn when he came into
Of his favorite pair Of links. Hastily
1t limp and fiat.
well. yes. 1t is BY jove,'" he re-
marked. grimly.
Shall we call Morley Chester and
tell him what's happened?" asked
Raven.
NO.. said Christopher, who sat
with his back turned toward the other
| occupants of the room, his table be-
ing at the end by window. and he
having given his usual seat to his
guest: "Id rather not make q fuss.
shall sit till the others have gone,
| and no one will be the wiser. I'm
sick of sensations and don't want to
pose as the hero of one II / can help
It."
| 1t was relief when 1.-The rest Of
the diners left the room, and he was
free to slip away without making state
ments or answering questions. He
went to his room, locked the door
and, having listened with his ear t.
3, the wainscoting, presently began as
noiselessly as possible to saw out a
selected square from the oak panel
| ing behind his curtained four-poster
bed. The saw was sharp, and he
worked as energeticaily as IL he had
an injury to avenge, In an hour he
had the panel out of its frame
1t was difficult to wriggle through
the square. hole in the wainscoting,
but he diH It.. afterN Kidding himself
OF coat ind waistcoat. Now he stood
| in long, narrow space between the
walls of his own room and Sir Wal
| ter Ravens He had slipped on his
pumps and in stockinged feet began
cautious explorations, the lantern max
| ing pathway of light The thing
| he had seen at the far end was not
beam. 1t was a box--two boxes
three boxes-of common wood. such
| as come into every household from
the stores. They had lids. but the
| lids were not nailed down. Chris
topher lifted one. The box was filled
with jewelry, heaped up in neat piles,
/ according to its kind, on some dark
\ garment folded underneath There
| were a pile of bracelets, a pile Of
! brooches, pile of rings and collec-
| ton of watches like glittering gold
| eggs in nest The second box had
| the same description OF contents
4 though there were more miscellaneous
articless-gold or jeweled belt BUCKLES
hatpins diamond dog collar or two
and several strings of pearls. In the
i third box, much smaller than the
other two. were purses, some Of leath-
I