San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-12-18
THE DIAMOND BUTTON
FROM THE DIARY OF LAWYER AND THE
NOTE BOOK OF A REPORTER.
By BARCLAY NORTH.

gentlemen.
They entered her room.
my daughter" she feebly moaned.
"Have no fear" said Tom promptly.
''She will soon be restored to your en-
brace"
YES" said Holbrook, II shall neither
sleep nor eat until l can clasp her in my
arms"
"God speed and bless you'll" said the
old lady family.
They hurried out.
Now, said Tom, as soon as they were
well out i'm the street, 1.-THE first thing to
do is to see that you are cooled down and
steadied You and | want to sit down
for careful examination of this thing,
before we take step or make move"
THE first thing to do is to go to the
police" replied Holbrook.
II don't agree with you-stop, speak
low, we are followed. Don't show that
you are aware of it.
LET me get at the scoundrel." de-
manded Holbrook.
Tom seized him SO tightly that he gave
HolbroOk pain.
Would you ruin everything? Oh, if
the Shadow were only here TO follow the
spy! But let us take a cab here at the
corner"
Holbrook had been restrained with
difficulty. and Tom desired to get him
into a cab where he could reason with
him
His companion submitted, cab was
called. and the driver directed to go
straight to Holbrook's Office.
When they were once on their way
Tom said.
"Tm not sure that the best way is not
to tell the police. want to discuss it.
fear it is not. The result Of giving the
matter to the police would be that gen.
eral alarm would be given and the bird
take flight. I am positive we are fol-
lowed. If we were to go to the police,
in ten minutes the party would know Of
it. If, on the contrary, we go quietly
to your Office, they will be thrown off
and suppose that we have not yet walked
up to the affair. To lull their suspicious
is to make a great gain. Believe me,
this is the surer way. BE guided by me,
thus far at all events.
"Well, suppose | submit, what then?
What is gained? Time will have been
lost-precious time"
Il have gained something when | have
got you to a point that you will argue
with me"
What do you mean?'
That your reason is restored-we
want cool thought on this subject"
Thus Tom. who was fighting for time,
succeeded in gaining it. The truth was,
the reporter was not altogether disin-
genuous or disinterested in the policy he
was pursuing. He quickly realized that
any application to the police for assist
ance must result in telling to the author
tiles everything they knew. Convinced
as he was that the same hand that
struck down the brother had seized the
sister, he felt that the discovery of the
girl would lead straightway to the dis
covery of the murderer.
To give this matter into the hands of
the police would be to give them the
means to unravel the crime of Union
square, and they, not he, would have the
credit of the detection and arrest.
He was in momentary fear that Hol-
brook would detect his purpose, and he
was at his wits end to furnish argument
in favor of the position he had taken.
His great trouble was that he could not
suggest to himself, let alone Holbrook, a
FEAST h. Plan of procedure if the matter
w"r'' u3 -irrn to the police, nor indeed
even tm,rih Il plausible one.
I'm" was the great desideratum, and
this. by all tie ingenuity he could exer-
else he endcavOred to gain. His task
was made not an easy one by the impa-
tience of Holbrook.
While thus arguing, talking, declaim-
ing and lecturing with Holbrook, Tom
caught a glimpse of the Shadow stand
ing upon the curbstone, and perceived
that the Shadow had seen him.
He gave him hasty signal to follow,
and was pleased to observe that it was
recognized.
This incident afforded Tom 'another
pretext, and thus, by dint of one device
and another, he succeeded in getting
Holbrook to his Office
They both entered together. As they
did so a clerk said:
There is Mr.. Holbrook."
Upon this a very dirty, a very ragged
and a very small boy came up to Hol-
t.. ooi and asked:
BE you Mr.. Holebook:'
20 Yes" replied the lawyer. I'm Mr..