San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-12-23
THE DIAMOND BUTTON
FROM THE DIARY OF LAWYER AND THE
NOTE BOOK OF A REPORTER.
By BARCLAY NORTH.


Copyrighted, 1885, by o. NJ. Durham. Published
by special arrangement through The American
Press Association
Then he recollected the reputation of
the man for GOODNESS and nerve.
Fountain in turn took from his vest
pocket slip of paper, and handing it
to Tom, said:
"Please read that, and compare it
with the scrap you have"
Tom read:
"If Mr.. Fountain desires to see Marian
and talk with her he must come to No.
- Mott street, attic floor. at II sharp to-
night"
Tom took the other slip from his pock-
ct and compared the two; the writing
was in the same disguised hand; he COM
pared the two scraps-evidently they
were torn from the same piece of paper
Tom was puzzled.
you are an hour before your time"
he said.
Il read it ten," said Fountain Let
me look at it. Oh, l see how made my
mistake" Then he continued: "This is
very mysterious. You and | should
have an understanding, Mr.. Bryan. Will
you step aside with me?"
They went to the dormer window.
II am here" said Fountain, ''in ODE
dience to that writing. Where you OBJ
tanned the other paper ! don't know"
From the pockets of that scoundrel
lying on the floor in the other room," re-
piled Tom.
eff you will permit me, will explain
| am here in this dress because of the
place | was to visit and the part of the
town l was to pass through. For some
time | maintained a relation with a
young woman whose name was Marian
Summers. This relation was continued
until became the afiianced of young
lady, whom you doubtless know by
name, but who should not be mentioned
in this place and in this connection.
When that took place, the relation with
Marian became an impossibility. The
girl was loath-it is a mild word for
her feeling - to break up the rela-
ton, and we parted in high passion,
but she had secured certain papers
of mine, of exceeding great value and of
great damage to me in any other per-
sons hands. Ihaye tried again and again
to obtain them She has 81 ut me several
messages of this kind, ana it was to go
into the strange places she led me to,
Lmat | bought this suit have never
met her, though / have responded in
each instance had little hope of see
ing her tonight, but these documents
were of such value to me that did not
dare to miss the chance. You have the
whole story without reservation, except
rs to the character of the papers. As to
those, can only say they We're letters
to my mother and written statement
of hers. which can now only concern
me-"
Tom thought he saw it all
Mr. Fountain, he said, with this
statement of yours now, think know
more about the matter than you do.
think | see through it all. | think /
could even tell you the nature of your
mothers statement. You are the victim
of the same plot which has the murdered
Templeton and the abducted girl for vic
tins. 1t touches the effort to secure old
Persons
The Shadow put his head in the door
and said:
Hist. Some one is coming up the
stairs"
He went back, closing the door after
him.
Go into the other room, Mr.. Foun-
tain. Quick. Don't say word or utter
a sound whatever you heart"
Fountain obeyed, impeiled by the en-
ergy of Tom
The lights were put out, and Tom
hastily lit the candle in the back room
and placed it behind the door.
There was a knock
Come in" said the chief in Il gruff
voice, Its unlocked
The door opened and man entered.
You should have kept the door lock-
ed" said voice. Its unsafe to leave
it So Is she ready?"
Tom flashed a bulls eye on the new
conner.
Before the man could comprehend
what was going forward the two men at
the door thYrl.,rn which ma nan ~ =aTsss,