The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-02-26

cause the Senior Bruce had been
out riding for a day and night,
and must have had much hunger.
Yet instead Of resting and cat
ing, he had hurried into the H.
brary to write. He had not even
changed his garments, which
were soiled by dust and travel.
That was about half past eight
o'clock. AT half past nine when
Pedro passed through the hall.
the door to the library was
closed. Noel meditated, his dark
brows knitting; and finally
asked what Bruce was writing.
II he had left nothing on desk or
table. Pedro could answer that
confidently. There had been no
writing, no papers visible in the
library when he and the servants
entered next morning. All vas
In order. The Senior must have
put away his writing before he
left, or had taken it with him
No, 40 one had seen him leave.
He must have walked, since no
horse or automobile had been
taken out. Visitors? There were
always visitors to the Casa Noel !;
but none that evening. II was
true, gardener said that he had
seen a car drive in the gate Of
the Little Shoes. but he was
wrong, for none had come to the
house And the lights Of the car
must have been seen.
Noel did not suggest the prob
ability of a car without lights. In
stead, he asked where Bruce had
ridden for a day and night.
Two days, Pedro venturesl to
correct. He did not know where
the Senior had gone. 70 the city,
everyone supposed. Where else :
Where else? Noel saw the key
to the riddle in that sentence. He
knew better than Gil Granados
did how the sensitive, shy Bruce
had disliked the city where IL
felt himself alone. Only necessity
would have drawn him there
And why ride? The garage held
cars at his disposal which would
have accomplished the trip in
less time and brought him back
tie sooner to the injured man
for whom he had shown such
sohcitude. Or there was always
the railroad down the mountain.
He had visited none Of those 1nen
in the capital whom he had met
MS Noel's associates; Noel had
not been too preoccupied to in
quire Of each of his friends when
they had last seen his foreign
secretary.
There was one informant wlo
rarely failed. Noel summoned
Renito.
Benito, / wish to know where
the Senior Bruce rode on his last
two days here y he told the In
dian.
Benito looked at his master
out Of jet polished eyes. He had
liked the red haired American
whom he brought. from Rio Ma
huco, he had felt protectively for
him, as for a protege. Of course
he had heard the disappearance
discussed among his fellow SER
wants. He needed no explanation !;
now from Noel.
They have ears like a deaf
cat which is very old" he apos-
trophized his fellow servants.
"Their thoughts are thick Like
the mud beneath river, wherein
their heads burrow and see not.
If / had been here, my master,
the white man with the fiery hair
would not have gone that way"
He made no promises, but Noel
knew how well he would serve
and how eager the service.
The investigation had done
Noel good. In thinking of Corey
Bruce he had rested from thought
of himself. Also, it had passed
time. The afternoon was there
He passed to that veranda room
he most approved for his leisure
hours and sat down, extending
himself in a long chair, and t,olS
from the tray he was presented
one Of those delicious concoc-
tons Of fruit juices for which he
had vainly thirsted in New York.
Drinking, he remembered the
sour orange juice Rosalind had
rift D iv.Dadny,h 2
coveted. When he brought her
here s.ss5
If Jacinto Meyer won their
duel, Rosalind would. never come
here. Noel had thrown the house
of the little Shoes into the bal
ance where he had flung in every
ambition Of his life, to keep the
Americas one.
AT evening a motor car sped
~ L r