The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1890-05-09
XXI NEW SERIES S.

were discussing some point: It ended by
| Braces going to the side OF the road. and
crsning his neck to see II any one were in
sight. crouched down beside the thfcket
which partly concealed mo.
When l cautiously raised my head and
looked again. Brace. still standing oppo-
site the bridle- way. was drawing his arm
out OF the sandy bank that there skirted the
| road.
ducked my head. as once he peered to
the right and left. They were all gone. all
| threc, when looked again.
/ When thought IL safe to venture. went
to the spot where Brace had stood. There
| was rabbit-holo in the sandy cutting,
partly hidden by the training growth from
the oVerhaDging edge. / took Off my
coat, turned back my sleeve. thrust in my
| arm. and drew out-the leather case In which
| the diamond had been taken from my wrist!
| 1t was empty.
again thrust my arm in and explored
the hole. thinking-though 1t was little
likely-that the diamond had slpped-out Of
the case or been put In separately. It was
| kind OF cul-de- -sac--the earth had fallen
but did not give ID ffat he ita
absolutely certain that the Great Hesper
| was not there. 1t was not probable they
| would place tho diamond in such an open
| place; the leather case was different. IL
| consequence where they abandoned it.
| But why had they taken the diamond from
| the case. and what had they done with it?
clew to this mystery also 1 discovered
! before long.
| When got back to the Abbey. Brace,Van
| Hoeck. and Lola were in the library with
| the police officer, Sir Edmu I'D, Mr.. Wray-
| his lawyer-and couple Of friends. JUS
ticcs OF the Peace. who had been brought
by the rumors which were already widely
| spread.
| Lola was still under examination. She
was stubbornly silent. 1t was with the
.lt IN n
! questions could be drawn from her. But
| she admitted seeing the man drop from tho
oriel; and asked IL 1t was one OF the serv-
| ants. she replied firmly. NO" But more
| than this could not be got out OF her on this
| point.
To the inquiry how she had discovered d
| tho means OF getting from the bay into the
oriel. for 1t was by that way she had come
to my assistance. she replied that she had
seen it done before" but she would not say
| whom sho had seen.
The police officer asked me to go into tho
| ad dining dining-room with him.
| May ask, he said. IF you have any rca-
son to suspect that you were robbed by
| your friends-your partners in the dia-
in the woods all tho morning. whereas I
have good cause to believe that they have
in the town of Southampton part of the
| time"
Are you sure of that?"
Il will take my oath that I saw the little
savage in the red petticoat in the High
! Street as started to come hcre.
CHAPTER XIII.
Il advise you. sir" said the officer. ito
take the advice of Sir Edmunds solicitor.
Mr.. Wray."
agreed. and he called in the lawyer.
told him, without reserve all that had hap
pened. showing him the leather case / had
taken from tho hole where Brace had placed
| II.
"A couple OF cunning scoundrels!" he ex-
claimed; their pretended suspicion OF each
other was. of course. intended to blind you
eating the other. diverted suspicion from
! himself"
7 was never in my life so completely de-
ceived." i said. Brace seemed to me the
sssnSan i1wssa .STsi pssinTai snSeyt 70 me- VII en
! found him uniaithfui. and n thief"
He is worse than that Mr.. Thorne; he is
a murderer ut heart: for there can be no
| doubt it was he who attempted your lie: II
was a sheer impossibility for the other man
to do it. We have heard the story OF the
| robbery from Sir Edmund. The intelligence ,
that planned the attack was doubtless Van
Hoeck's. He looks like u man OF subtle in
telect. 1 do not see what other part he
could have played in this affair"
"Sir Edmund told me, SIR. said the offi-
Ger, that on your return from the left wing.
you heard snoring in Braces room.
Il certainly did"
Hoeck. who had taken Braces place while
he slipped of into your room--another proof
that the two were acting together:
Precisely" said Mr.. Wray. And then.
! with an air of business, We'll, now. what Is
to be done? that is the first question. The
evidence Is insufficient to charge either OF
the men even with being concerned In the
robbery. The leather case proves nothing.
They might declare they found 1t empty.
and have conc called it through fear of accu-
sation. or they might all throe swear your
statement to be false. and absolutely accuse
! Jou Of being yourself the thief. And until
we can substantiate the charge by positive
| proof. we must be careful to conceal our
suspicious from them. If they think they
are likely to be brought to justice, they will
leaves Southampton-and We can not stor
! them. The thing that must be done at once
is to search for the diamond. That is your
| Hffair. he said. addressing the officer; un-
doubtedly they have pluccd it somewhere in
Southampton. in readiness to take If flight
/ becomes necessary.
I'll have all the kens searched before the
morning."
That is part of your business. of course
AT tho same time. would suggest that il
is OF far more Importance to watch tho mcr
themselves. Van Hoeck would not trust
the diamond to tho Keeping of ordinary
thieves receivers: it would be safer mcrcl,
laid under u plant in the gardens down 10y
the dock. You may be sure no has the in.
genuity to suggest IA safe place for its keep
ing"
I'll have some plain clothes men on thu
first thing tomorrow morning. and l.,
better go and telegraph to Scotland Yard u
| once.
"As soon as possible. But. not TO alarm
| the men, you had better make Il prctense o.
continuing your Investigations, and avail
yourself OF somo plausible prcteXt for re-
turning to Southampton. Everything al
this moment depends upon keeping Var
Hoeck and Brace in ignorance of our sus-
| picion. And with that view." he added
| turning to me. Il counsel you. Mr.. TIL orne
! TO conceal your own feelings. Not one o
| these three ought to see any change in youI
demeanor toward them"
This was sound advice. and l recognized
tho Importance OF conforming with it.: but
L am tho worst actor in tho world where
my feelings arc concerned. and my very
soul rcvOlted against the men who had plot
ted together TO take my lie from the mere
insensate greed of gain. l felt moro bit
! tcrly toward Brace than toward his accom-