The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-04-27
CHAPTER VII.

you'd g. she re- risk SIX
Gss y w ~ & purpose e., but to
<F9faFafss, ~ ~ celles? There
| y ss.% - ~ was too much
strength in Lola's character for such a
| senselcss and feeble device to he accepta-
| bic to her. Ii was not the act of "A rational
| being. but of a mischievous or malevolent
| idiot.
Twas inclined TO believe that the explana-
| ton Miss Lasceles had offered was a Just
| one, and that what she had seen Was purely
| inns ginative and the result of fear. insured
| by those mysterious sounds which might
| yet be explained.
This was not Van Hoeck's opinion. nor
| was it Braces.
| L will not say the Kid has donr it," he
| said; there's no sayin what greaser blood
| viii do. For the sake O. argument, we viii
! say she did. but | Undertake she shall not
| play the same bower twice, ii hor fathers
persuasion counts for anythin';" and he
| went off at once TO search for Lola in the
| wool.
When we were alone, Van Hoack said:
| ASK Sir Edmund; he will tell you, as he
! told me, that Brace was in the woods yes
| terday while you We're philanderiHg with
Miss Lasccle'. What WAS he there for but
to find his daughter and employ her in
working out his plot2'
Good hcayens!" | cxelaime |. losing my
temper; what notion have you got hold Of
now: Last night you suspected Sr Ed
| munds-
would suspect anv one who has the Op-
pol tuniIy to possess him -rl o. such a treas
| IRE as you hold. Do yOu blame the man
who protects himself when lis Ii is in
| danger? That diamond is lifh 10 me. What
| could 10 if it were lost? You hold that
| diamond-my lfe-in your keennG. You
| a. G bound TO take every prCcagt-On for its
| safety. You have no right t. DC p IS my
warning because it does not agree with
| your reckless ust in humanity"
| Take the diamond into your kce ing, if
| you think il is not safe in minr," / said.
| You make that offer because you know
| l am poWerlesS to accept it in my blind and
| helpless condition. How caa | keep it
| against man like Brace?"
III you have more faith in my power to
[ keep the diamond, why do you accuse me
| Of negiectjng its safety2"
Because YOU blind yourself 10 the dan
| ger that exists. Godr he exclaimed. pro-
| truding his s!ghtless eyes to the light. and
| clin.hing his hands in frenzy, Ito think
| that those who can see viii not sccl"
| What possible connection can there be-
| l asked, between the safety of our dia-
| mond and the event of last night?"
| "A palpablo connection. The event of
| last night was an abOrtive attempt to obtain
| the diamond"
AsIheard this and looked at Van Hoeck,
[ almost doubted if he were in his right
| mind.
The pilot failed" he continued, because
| the girl mistook the room"
| An inCreGulous exclamation escaped me.
You shall hear me" he muttered. stretch
| ing his arm to the right and let until he
| encountered mine with his hand, and then
| clutching Il 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 the rooms, but she might
| receive instructions from her father. He
| went into the wood to give her those in
| structions yesterday. Look at your plan
| he handed me the diagram l had drawn
| at his request-~Brace, having his room
at the back of the right block, would
| naturally tell her that when she got
| to the top of the stairs she was not to pass
| through the picture gallery, but to go
| straight to the landing over the stairs she
| had assembled, open the window in the bay,
which would then be on her left hand, and
| make her way to the oricl facing her. That,
| according to his calculation, would bring
| her to your window"
| Certainly"
But he did not take account of the fact
| that the door by which the girl enters the
| house is at the back OF the right block, and
| that the stairs by which she would ascend
| to the first floor bring Der to the landing
| between Sir Edmund's room and Miss
! Lascelles. Thus. though carrying out her
| fathers instructions to the letter, she must
| inevitably make her attempt upon Miss
| Lascclles room and not upon yours. Look
| at YOUR plan"
Il follow you perfectly we'll" / said. as
tonished by the ingenuity of his explana-
| ton, which had made perfectly incredible
| suppositton possible-nay, for the moment
probable.
Are you convinced2" he asked, triumph
antly.
| You 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 heavy sleeper, not d
nervous girl. The tapping is described as
soft and regular; it was intended to test
| whether you were asleep or not. The mo-
ment a light appeared the sound ceased
| the girl had gone back to the bay. From
| the landing she could see when the light
| was put out. and il was safe to recommenco
| the attack. The candle was lit with some
| difficulty the second time; Miss Lascclles
| possibly stood with her back TO the window
as she held the vesta. Lola may have de-
| tccted the first glimmer, and uncertain OF
| not whether il was safe to continue. turned
the blind, and looked through. At that mo-
| ment the wick burned up. and Miss
| Lasceles turning, saw the girls eyes be-
| tween the laths. The knocking was not re-
| peated, for simple reason Lola had dis
| covered her mistake and retreated. Dc
| you doubt now the purpose with which
Brace has gone to seek the girl today
| was forced to admit that his explana-
ton was feasible, yet | could not believe
that Lola. who seemed sincerely attached
to me, would consent to aid in my ruin
| merely at the instigation of her father
| whose authority she habitUally disregard
ed. ] said this to Van Heck.
1t Is because she is attached to you-be-
cause she loves you" he replied. with en-
| phasis, that she would readily enter hel
| fathers project to rob you of the diamond
The diamond is her enemy-it has separate.
you from her, and placed you side by side
| with Miss La=celes, forwhom she has man.
| ifeSted a jealous hatred from the very first
| What could be more gratifying to her say.
| age disposition than to take away the dia
| mond that has created this difference be
tween you and her. and 10 reduce You one
more TO her level II is the only hope sht
can have of getting you away from Miss Las
calles, and restoring the former condition o
equality upon which your compauionshiI
with her rested"
Again L was compelled to admit the force
of Van Hoeck's argument.
But why" / asked, should Brace trus
such pcrilous undertaking TO his daugh
| ter:"
For an obvious reason" he replied. Il
you caught her in the act OF robbing yol
would not raise your hand against her; i
you caught him, you would blow his brain.
out. For her you would find excuse; 70
| him none.
In this there was truth also.
Talking Of that, he continued, "wha
| arms 90 you keep ABOUT you Tor dSienSet
| None" / replied.
Il thought so. Take this" he said. draw
ing a long clasp-knife from his breust
| rocket.
He showed the spring with which tho n ar
row blade opened, and the catch whicl
locked il at the back of the horn handle. an,
mad me promise TO use il for my defense
no matter who attacked M. l also prom
ised to close my window, which | hahituall
kept open at night and to secure the fast
eninS Of that. as well as the door. bcfo~
going to he'd. Finally, he cxactcd that
sho uld once mo. c inclU7e the Hespcr in tn,
leather ease, ard strap it to my waist III,
| last thing atniGl {.
The Judge did not return until dusk. II
WAS f}tigueds and his general appearance
| in licats q % pursuit Ii rough rough an,
| jhorny ways.
I hey seen the Kid he said: but 81,
would not listen to reason; and not BEN
| aeercd OF spillug her clothes She nat'ratl-
got the besa Of the argument, and rlIyad ii
| i,sl- down b..r- f9-f,rr