Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 22, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 November 1907 — A SMILING VILLAIN. [ARTICLE]

A SMILING VILLAIN.

By VIOLET M. FLINN.

CHAPTER XXVI. Almost at her feet was the street in which Mrs. Charteris lived, and her gaze was attracted to it by the presence of a cah, one of the antiquated “growlers” common to Caterham West, before the door. As she watched she saw that some luggage was being placed on the roof of the cab, and struck by a sudden thought, aha hurried down the road and made her way to the ferry. She had hardly reached the tollgate whan the cab drove up behind her, and she stepped hastily behind a shelter, from which she saw Bertram cautiously emerge from the cab. He was evidently going away for some time. He was yell wrapped up, and had drawn a muffler round his throat. He looked wretchedly 111. All his vivid coloring was gone, and, as he handed the driver his fare, Moyra could aae that his hand shook. Moyra watched him go down to the boat with a sinking heart. If only she coaid follow him 1 If only she could make him speak! But she was powerless he act alone, se after etiertmg from Ihe ferryman that most certainly Miss Bride bad not crossed by any of the morning baste she turned homewards sadly, her thoughts dwelling with curious persistency on Bertramallight, for that. some instinct told her, it truly was. What had Bride to do with it? She was so deep in thought that she r&a into a telegraph boy as she drew sear the Rectory. Instantly all thoughts save those of Bride were banished. She ran across the grass to the school room window, through which she could see the family gathered in an excited group. A resounding whoop from Terry greeted her as she unfastened the window and helped her across the sill. “What is it? What is it?* ah# gasped, looking from one face to another, and almost snatching the telegram from Aileen’s . hand. It was from Prof. Lewisson and bad been sent from Birmingham. “Miss B. will arrive ijj Caterham at 4:30. Shall travel with her.—Lewisson.” “What does it mean?” Moyra asked, and Aileen began to laugh in a manner that verged on the hysterical. “It means that Bride is the most sensible of the lot of us,” she gasped. “I am beginning to see daylight.” It seemed very long and tedious to the Impatient IJeresfords—waiting until the daylight hours should bring Bride’s return, but relieved from the great uncertainty of her whereabouts, their spirits rose rapidly, and it needed the sight of Mr. Fenton and Billy driving up the aveaue to remind them that the jewel robbery still covered them with its shadow. “But when Bride returns I feel sure she will tell everything she knows. I am certain the professor will counsel her to do so,” Aiieen said to her father. Moyra was not quite so sanguine as the others with regard to Bride's return and the solution of the mystery. Only Angus' presence could satisfy her, and she wmembered the letter she had written-in the early morning and which still remainad in her pocket. As soon as she had an opportunity she would post it. But it was not until after luncheon that she had the opportunity. The Fentons called, father and son. and to them the whole atory of Bride’s flight and her impending return had to be told. The Fentons had little or nothing to add in the way of aews connected with the jewel robbery. The police declared that ""they had" found an important clue; a man who was nnknown to any one in Caterham West had been staying for some days In the village, and had been seen lurking round the two houses’on the night of the dance, and had not bqrti seen since. “From the description, the police detectives think he is a well-known character to them, and has been concerned in a great many similar robberies—that he is •ne of a big gang of such scoundrels that hag its headquarters in America,” the alder Fenton said, happily without noticing Moyra’s unconcealabie confusion. She was very thankful when they took their leave, and she was able to slip away, feeling that she had not betrayed herself. The bright, morning bad changed to a 4»il, foggy afternoon, and no one noticed her as she sped down the avenue to the postoffice. She had the letter in her hand, In another second it would have left her keeping, when out of the gloom and grayaeaa loomed two figures ,preternaturaliy large and broad in the deceptive light. As they drew near one of them laughed, and at the sound Moyra’s heart seemed to •land still. “Angus!” she exclaimed, and the bigger figure stopped abruptly and with an axclamation caught her outstretched bands in his. His close, warm grip, the aight of his honest face, the look and tone in his eyes and voice were too much for overwrought Moyra, and she broke Into a passion of tears. Her fingers closed in his. a 6 if she feared be would break •way from her.. Angus seemed to grasp the situation •t once, and turning to his companion gave him some hasty directions, which caused him to quicker, his steps and leave them alone in the tog. “Now, my dearest, what is this all •bout?” Angus asked in the gentle tones be would have used to Lulu. Hew good it was to hear the deep voice, tbe faint Scottish accent again! Moyra thought as she strove to regain her composure. She wiped her eyes and looked ■p Into his face xrftli a confiding smile. There was no heed of explanation them —that long, earnest look seemed to ■ay everything that needed to be said. It •ecmed only right and natural thkt he should call her “dearest, w and yet never until that moment had such an idea dawned upon her. It seemed only right •nd natural that he should draw her band through bis arm. and repeat the inquiry with a touch of protective authority In his voice that no one had ever used fta bar before. It seemed to Moyra, looking up into his strong face, that after toiling in troubled, broken water she had readied a safe harborage at last. She bad been perplexed and worried, doubts bad assailed bar, yet at the sight of this

one man they had all vanished. No matter what happened, she would still believe in him and love him to her life's end. CHAPTER XXVII. Aileen was sifting alone in the drawing room with the traces of recent tears on her face, when to her astonishment the <lfor was suddenly thrown open and Moyra entered—a transformed Moyra, with happy, flushed* face,- tear-filled yet radiant eyes, and smiling, quivering lips. * “What on earth are you looking so happy about?" Aileen demanded. She felt far from happy herself, for she had been going over the events of the past few days, and she Inclined to resent happiness in any one else. “Where have you been?” “Oh, only to the post! Ob, lam so happy!" Moyra said. “I—l never was so happy before.” A tall form had just blocked up the doorway, and Angus, followed by the rest of the family, came into the room. For once Aileen lost her self-possession. She cOultr'dhTy stnnd and stare. ' Fortunately for her, the others were in much the same stricken condition, Angus alone retaining his presence of mind. ’ “The Fentons will be here in a minute or two,” he said, addressing the Rector, who assented lamely. Nor was the situation any less involved when Mr. Fenton and Billy arrived on the scene, although Billy’s spontaneous and hearty greeting removed a little of the stiff coldness. “You left a message, I believe, at my house that you wanted to see us at once?” Mr. Fenton said jerkily. “Yes,” Angus replied easily. He made a sign, and the stranger who had accompanied him entered the room. "Another detective,” Terry murmured, under his breath. Angus caught the words, and nodded. “Quite true, Terry, and I hope the last one needed in this business.” He took up a cage that the man had been holding, and proceeded to unlock it. “Mr. Fenton, you have had your diamonds stolen. Allow me to restore them,” and opening the lid he lifted out. one by one, all those glittering, flashing treasures that the owner had sorrowfully deemed lost to him forevae. “I think you will find that there is not one missing”—and he stepped back ito alh/w the dazed owner to examine them. The silence and stiffness lasted no longer. In their place reigned the din and hubbub of excited voices, questioning and exclaiming. Moyra stood with a look of great pride on her flushed face, while Terry and Billy, hardly conscious of their actions, shook the hero of the hour, and dealt him resounding slaps on the back. “But how on earth came you by them?” Mr. Fenton succeeded in making his question heard at length. “This is a most extraordinary affair. I can’t make head or tail of it at alt.” — “Well, it’s a very long story, and we had better take otir time for it, for there are parts thaVare-not very pleasant hear-ing"—-his face clouding. “I’ve several explanations to make, both to the Rector, to Moyra, and to yonrself; but just at present I think your claim comes first” — turning to Mr. Fenton. “1 have been told that I’ve been suspected as tbe original thief of these diamonds. Well, I admit circumstances looked very black against me, and in one way the suspicion was correct. Mr. Fenton, your diamonds were stolen twice the night before last. I was the thief in the aecond place. It came about in this way. I found that after all I was able to conclude my business in town in time to arrive here for part of the dance. I did not let any one know I was coming for two reasons—l wanted to give my friends a surprise, and I also wanted to see a person in whom I was rather interested without that person being aware of my proximity. “It was about ten, I suppose, when I arrived at the station, and I walked up here. My first idea was to come in and see the Rector, but as the house was in darkness I concluded to go across to the big bouse. I was crossing the lawn when I was attracted by a light flashing in -rather a -stvange way in. an upper window. “Now I must explain that some few years ago I did some journalism for a friend in Chicago who runs a big paper there. He employed me to find out all T could concerning a certain gang—it is really a well-organized society, comprising men and women of all ranks and conditions, who are birds of prey, and live on other people. They are thieves, but intensely clever, and their operations extend nil over the world. I got to know a great deal about them—l was to a certain extent in their confidence, and really quite friendly with their leader, who was always named ‘the chief.’ My father reminded me of him in many wa.vs, and in jest I started calling him ‘the chief also, though the name was not new to him, I believe” —appealing to the Rector. “No. He was always called ‘the chief at college. He was always a leader.” “Exactly so. Now when I saw that light I recognized at once that it was one of the signals used by this society or gang, and I knew, though,” he added slowly, “I was little prepared for it, that some of the lo| were about. My thoughts instantly went to the diamonds, sod I began to move very cautiously about and investigate matters. I expect to those who, it appears, were watching me, my movements must have appeared exceedingly suspicious. In the end I tras by the sight of one of the cleverest of the lot, whom I had met in America, and the other whom I did not know, making their way up a ladder to a bedroom window. I need not go into details. It was a cleverly worked robbery, the hour was particularly well chosen, their information was perfectly correct, and —they had a confederate in the house. Little did you and your guests imagine, Mr. Fenton, that while yon -were all at sapper your safe was being rifled "They descended by the ladder, which they took to pieces, and then walked quietly away up the avenue. Had any one meg them they would have imagined

- —— them to be two gnests leaving early, I followed them. I knew It was of no use raising an alarm. I should not have been heard, and I knew both would be armed, and would not scruple to shoot. “At the gate they separated; the one I knew struck across country, the other, who carried the diamonds, went down to the ferry. We crossed to Caterham, he halted a cab, so did I, and we caught the early . mail- train for town. f-Teafly thought that journey would never end, and I wa& gjmost a t my wits’ end. We were alone in the same compartment, and I suppose he took nie for a simple greenhorn, for after a time, just as we were drawing near Rugby, I think it was. he opened the bag be was carrying to look at the diamonds. A sudden inspiration came to me. I pretended to be asleep until the train had commenced slowing, and then I sprang up, grabbed the bag and flung open the door, making a dash up the platform. “Of course-be- -was after me in a second, yelling, ‘Stop thief!! and equally of course I was stopped by two porters. There was a tremendous scene”—his eyes twinkling at the recollection. "Each of us vowing the one had robbed the other, and demanding justice from the bothered station master. I don’t quite know what would have been the .end had not my friend Mr. Forbes walked on the platform, and taken the law into his own hands. The magic words ‘Scotland Yard’ reassured the station master, and we were taken to his office for an investigation. Once there I told my tale, and I could see I was believed, although the cautious Forbes knew better than to say so.” A smile flickered over the detective’s face. “By the time we had both been questioned and cross-questioned, thief number -one was —fusing Ids’ nerve and “bounce; -and- suddenly brought the matter to a dose by declaring that I spoke the truth. I suppose the fact was that he knew he had bungled affairs so badly that his life wouldn’t be worth a day’s purchase when the chief got to hear of it, and he thought Portland prison would be the safest pace for him for the present, At any rate, he threw up the sponge and is at' present in safe custody, while Forbes and I have returned, as you see.” A deep-drawn sigh from each one present showed how great their interest had been. "It reads like a fairy tale!” Billy exclaimed. “But, I say, why didn’t you telegraph or come back yesterday? Why wait so long?” "Because we had executed a grand coup,” Angus aosweredf Smiliog again as his eyes met Moyra’s. "Not the coup mentioned by my father, let me say. Our scoundrel, having turned King’s evidence, Forbes was able to make such plans that by evening the second one, who had reached London in another way, was also in custody, and So—Lthink we may congratulate ourselves that Mr. Fenton has kept his diamonds and society is well rid of a couple of rascals for the next few years.” "But the confederate in the house?” Terry began. The sound of wheels on the gravel of the avenue, however, prevented Angus from replying. "It is Bride!” Moyra exclaimed, and it was her sweet, loving face that first met Bride’s eyes as she descended from thecab. “Oh, Moyra, Moyra, don’t be angry with me!” she said piteousiy, as her sister’s arms closed around her. “I have been very naughty, but I was so miserable!” (To be continued.) .