Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-04-21
VII.

'"f r'f '''f'N@ 80 h'E W. 49, So w
know OF the existence of the ledge! 1t
was true she had access to the house at
night, but doubted if it were possible
for her 10 see the ledge in the dark even
from the bay window. But admitting
the possibility, would she risk her life
for no purpose but to alarm Miss Las
Cellc: There was too much strength in
Lola character for such a senseless and
feeble device to be acceptable to her. 1t
was not the act of a rational being, but
of a miscellaneous or malevolent idiot.
! WAS inclined TO believe that the ex-
PLANTATION Miss Lascelles had offered was
n just one, and that what she had seen
was purely imaginative and the result of
fear, inspired 10y those mysterious sounds
which might yet he explained.
This was not Van Hoeck's opinion, nor
wa it Braces.
II will not say the Kid has done it,
he said; "there's no sayin' what greaser
blood will not do. For the sake of argy-
mant, we will say she did, but l onder-
take she shall not play the same bower
twice, if her fathers persuasion counts
Cor anytime" and he went of at once to
search for Lola in the wood.
When we were alone, Van Hocek said:
ASK Sir Edmund; he will tell You. as
he told me, that Brace was in the woods
yesterday while you were ~philandering
with Miss Lascelles. What was he there
for but to And his daughter and employ
her in working out this plot|'
Good H~eaVens!" exclaimed, losing
my temper; what notion have you got
hold of now? Last night you suspected
Sir Edmund-n
II would suspect anyone who has the
opportunity to possess himself OF such a
treasure as you hold. Do YOU blame the
man who protects himself when his life
is IN danger! That diamond as life to
me. What could | do if il were lost?
Nou hold that diamond-my life-in
your keeping. You are bound to take
every precsution for its safety. You
have no right 10 desp,sc my warning be-
cause ii does not agree with your reck-
less trust in humanity"
Take the diamond into your keeping,
ii YOU think it is not safcin mine, said.
Non m2kothIt offer because YOU know
| am poWcrless To accept Il in my blind
and helpless condition. How can keep
/, against 4 man like Brace
III you have more faith in my power
TO keep the diamond. why do you accuse
,ne OF neglectIng It's safety
because you blind Yourself to the
Ntt4ilEfl .ltIl 'AlNlN. you. ne tAcltlIlltl,
lrotrUding his ~ightlesS eyes othe light.
and cIinchinS his hands IN frenzy. ito
think that those who can zee will not
sec.'
"What possible connection can there
be-" | asked. between the safety Of our
diamond and the event of last night?'
"a palpablc connection. The event Of
last night was IN abortive attempt 10 OBJ
tain the diamond"
AS l heard this, and looked at Van
Hoeck, l almost doubted If he were in
his right mind.
THE plot failed" ne continued, 'bc-
cause the girl miStook the room
An incredulous exclamation escaped
me-.
"You shall hear me-" he muttered.
stretching his arm to the right and left
until he encountered mine with his hand
and then %clutching it tightly; ''you shall
see-with my eyes, If not with your own.
You have urged that the girl could know
nothing OF the disposition of tho rooms:
hut she might receive instructions from
her father. He went into the wood to
give her those Instructions Yesterday.
Look at your plan"--he handed me the
diagram | had drawn ut his request
brace, having his room ut the back Of
the right block. would naturally tell her
that when she got to the top of the stairs
h was not TO pass through the picture
gallery, but 10 20 straight to the landing
over the stairs she had assembled, open
the window in tho bay, which would
then be on her left hand, and make heT
way to the oriel facing her. That, nc
cording To his calculation, would bring
her to your window"
Certainly"
But he did not take account Of the
fact that the door by which tho girl en-
tcrs the house is mt the back OF the right
block, and that the stairs by which she
woald ascend to the first floor bring her
to the landing between Sir Edmund's
room and Miss Lascelles'. Thus, though
carrying ont her fathers Instructions to
the letter, she must inevitably make her
attempt upon Miss Lascelles' room and
not upon yours. Look at your plan"
II FOLLOW you perfectly WELL" ! said,
astonished by the ingenuity Of his en-
PLANTATION, which had made d perfectly
Incredible srlppoeition ~poseible-nay, for
the moment, probable.
"Arc you cOnvinced:' he asked, tr;-
u~mphantly'
"Iol have yet TO explain how Brace
thought to obtain the diamond by the
means he employed. He would scarcely
expect that / should faint with terror"
"Who said he would? Brace calculated
upon dealing with a heavy sleeper, not Il
nervous girl. The tapping is described
as soft and regular; it was intended TO-
test whether you were asleep or not.
The moment a light appeared the sound
ceaScd-the girl had gone back to the bay.
From tho landing She could see when
the light was put out. and il was safe to
recomnlence the attack. The candle
was lit with some difficulty the second
time-Miss Lascelles possibly stood witt
her back to the window as she held til,
vesta. Lola may have detected the frs
glimmcr, and uncertain or not whothc
II was safe TO continue, turned the blint
and looked through. At that moInen
The wick burned up. and Miss IAscalics.
turning, saw the girls eyes between tia,
iatls. The knocking waS no repeated.
FOR a simple reason-lOla had discovers,
Der u,isi2ka. and retrsataj. Dn ynY
ccuDt row the purpose WITH wnIcn Brace
has gone to seek the girl to-day"
! was forced to admit that this expla-
nation was feasible. yet | could not be-
licvc that Lola, who seemed sincerely at
tached TO me, would consent to aid il
my ruin merely at the instigation of he
father, whose authority she habituall,
disregarded. ] said this to Van Hoeck.
1T Is because she is attached to you-