The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1889-09-28

ground train.
Left alone surrounded by that golden
shower, and confident of the girl being
captured ere long, Sir Meredith empticd
his pockets of the spoil he had dropped
into them, and. almost as quickly select.
ing one OF the oranges, threw down the
rest to join their fellows.
That one he held was in outward Seem.
ing exactly like the rcst, but "thincs,"
we have been informed, 'are not ALWAYS
what they seem." This particular spcci-
men had been cut in half with a sharp
knife, the inside scoopcd out and stuffed
with cotton wool. y wire pin kept it in
itsspherical shape. The pin came out
without any difficulty, and Sir Meredith
pcered sharply into the bed of wool, then
probed it with rather hasty finger
emptied the skin. and drew a lone
breath
That orange girl had apparently over
reached him after all; it was not the
sort of thing to which lie was accus-
toned, and probably he vowed a vow
within himself that lie would yet be even
with her. or him, or whosoevcr the
present holder or holders of the great
Orange diamond might be.
Repacking the improvised jewel case
that had, he made no doubt, served its
purpose. he went back to the exhibition.
Here he found two or three genuine de-
tectives and an inspector and Col. Can
mock, apparently enjoying tho excite
mcnt, for his countuuance only fell oc.
casionally when he happened to glance
ut Mr. Martin, who was far from enter
ing into the spirit of the thing with his
own sporting instinct
Before these assembled personagcs Sir
Meredith briefly told his tale. He had
not believed that that little incident be-
tween Mr.. Gadd and the orange Girl had
been accidental. To Il practiccd eve it
appeared prcineditatcd; therefore he had
lett Ii Che to follow the pseudo dctcc-
tive, and himself followed the basket of
oranges, having noted the exact spot in
which Gadd had dropped tho fruit he
had handled. The sham orange had
been, no doubt. in his pocket up to
that moment Finally Sir Meredith pro-
duccd the empty skin and opened it.
while every pair of eyes present was cen
tered eagerly upon it.
"Thc diamond was in this when Gadl
dropped it into the basket; the girl had
it out and concealed somewhere about
her within the next three minutes" he
said dccisivcly; thri. looking at his watch
he observed that the policeman might he
expected any moment with his prisoner
and the diamond.
llr was not in the least boa:tful or
over clated by this fresh proof OF the
sagacity for which he had gained rcnown
Ill his professional services, but there
was CLINT oil satisfaction in his fine eyes
that broadencd to a smile when Mr. Mar.
tin burst into congratulations and warm
gratitude lie looked upon the diamond
as once more his, as certainly as though
ho had it to handle at that instant
Alas! it turned out to bc II case of the
provcrhial chicken turning into AN added
egg. The dishevecd figure of the roruisl.
orange girl was presently brought in he.
tween two policeiuch, and, aftrra full and
systematic search, it was finally pro-
nounced that there was no suc, thin. as
a dlamond-"not so much as Il glass
bead therc!' as the woman said whose
business it was to make the invcstisl-
| ton.
Blank disn,ay fell upon the party, who
had been waiting in full expectation of
hearing that the stone had been rccov.
cred. Poor Martin looked as though llo
were going to faint
"Ncvrrtllclcss." said Sir Meredith, liy-
ing Il piercing gaze upon the orange lass,
who WAS beginning to give herself airs
Of injured innocence, II give this young
woman in charge as having received the
jewel, whatever she has since done with
it, and lie displayed the skin filled with
cotton wool before her. She was crest
fallen iE IL moment. He waved his hand,
and she was conducted away. "Colns
TO my house when you have seen her
safe, Sir Meredith said to the two ln
liccmen, giving his card with the order
at is, as you see, in your quarter
just then there was Il st r at the chief
entrance. voices were raised, mes ran
to sec what had happened nov, and !hc
Chnaman, Lii Che, his pi"tail nvin. he
hind him, his well wad,!c,l !lm" six
coat nearly torn off his bar:; by tl., iu
dicious zeal of those who w;lm;r'l Ia .;.,lr
his violent entry, sprang tuH;.r! his
master, eesticulatiny with vrirl.,,,l.r
and uttcriilg broken sentences in hi, own
tongue in Il loud ngitalc,l voice II" was
S!iastly pale; his tcct!, chattr,,"I
IN murder, said Sir Mcrr,,,.. to his
friends. 'thc sham detective it, been.
stabbcd-that is what he has ss:r,
This is a fresh departure Cor u" " said
the inspector, with his note b, i: in his
hand "Will you kindly got ynur scrv-
ant to SHOW lis where this has happened
Sir iforcditl:"
The cx-head of five hundred military
police looked calm but slightly s3ornfnl
at this superfluous request, am! con-
vcycd short order to Ii Che, ollginy
that model of eye obedience to lead the
way to the spot at once. The first panic
over, he took tie rest with his races
usual Indifference to life and death.
He had tracked Mr.. Gadd about a
quarter of a mile, when lac became aware
that another man, whom he had noticed
before, was also dogging his steps. This
person was in rough, common attire
with beard, and a hat pulled SO low
that little of his face could be seen Ii
Che, however, declared that he should
know ms make and walk again without
fail. He got closer and closer to Gald
who did not appear to give himself any
anxiety as to whether he was or was not
followed; and when they were shoulder
to shoulder, suddenly lurcl,cd against
him: With one cry GalL fell full length
on the pavement; Ii Che had seen the
movement of the strangers elbow. and
knew that lie had stabbed the other one.
The street was dark and empty, no one
in sight but the three, Ii Che himself
Sinking along in the shadow of the
houses. The murderer stopped over his
victim, and then Ii Che turned and fed.
He was sure the man was dead because
he did not move after he fell
| The inspector and his accompanying
constable slipped cold eyes round upon
the teller of this story and Sir N1craditl