Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-12-05
CHAPTER VII.
8. Braces.


CHAPTER VII.
But was still incredulous. How was
the girl hiding in the woods all day to
know Of the existence of the ledge! 1t
was true she had access to the house ut
night, but doubted if it were possible
for her to see the ledge in the dark even
from the bay window. But admitting
the possibility, would she risk her life
for no purpose but to alarm Miss Las
celles? There was too much strength in
Lola's character for such a senseless and
feeble device to be acceptable to her. 1t
was not the act of rational being, but
of a miscellaneous or malevolent idiot.
was inclined to believe that the ex-
PLANTATION Miss Lascelles had offered was
just one, and that what she had seen
was purely imaginative and the result Of
fear, inspired by those mysterious sounds
which might yet be explained.
This was not Van Hoeck's opinion, nor
was it Braces.
81 will not say the Kid has done it,"
he said; there's no sayin' what greaser
blood will not do. For the sake of argy-
ment, we will say she did, but / onder-
take she shall not play the same bower
twice, if her fathers persuasion counts
for anythin';" and he went off at once to
search for Lola in the wood.
When we were alone, Van Hocek said;
"Ask Sir Edmund; he will tell you, as
he told me, that Brace was in the woods
yesterday while you were philandering
with Miss Lascelles. What was he there
for but to find his daughter and employ
her in working out this plot"
"Good Heavens" exclaimed, losing
my temper; ''what notion have you got
hold of now? Last night you suspected
Sir Edmund"
II would suspect anyone who has the
opportunity to possess himself Of such a
treasure as you hold. Do you blame the
man who protects himself when his life
is in danger! That diamond is life to
me. What could do if it were lost?
You hold that diamond-my life--in
your keeping. You are bound to take
every precaution for its safety. You
have no right to despise my warning be-
cause it does not agree with your reck-
less trust in humanity"
Take the diamond into your keeping,
if you think il is not safe in mine. ] said.
''You make that offer because you know
l am powerloss to accept it in my blind
and helpless condition. How can keep
it against man like Brace"
If you have more faith in my power
to keep the diamond, why do you accuse
me of neglecting its safety"
Because you blind yourself to the
danger that exists. God!" he exclaimed,
protruding his sightless eyes to the light,
and clinching his hands in frenzy, Ito
think that those who can see will not
see.'
What possible connection can there
be-" asked. between the safety of our
diamond and the event of last night"
"A palpable connection. The event Of
last night was an abortive attempt to OBJ
tain the diamond"
As heard this, and looked at Van
Hoeck, almost dolbted If he we're in
bis right mind.
''The plot failed" he continued, "be
cause the girl mistook the room"
An incredulous exclamation escaped
me.
"You shall hear me-" he muttered.
stretching his arm to the right and left
until he encountered mine with his hand,
and then clutching it tightly; you shall
see-with NV 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 instructions 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 oriel facing her. That, &C
cording to his calculation, would b-ing
her to your window"
Certainly"
"But he did not take account of the
fact that the door by which the girl en-
tiers the house is at the back Of the right
block, and that the stairs by which she
would ascend to the first floor bring her
to the landing between Sir Edmunds
room and Miss Lascelles'. Thus, though
carving out her fathers instructions to
the letter, she must inevitably make her
attempt upon Miss Lascelles' room and
not upon yours. Look at your plan"
81 follow you perfectly vel" l said,
astonished by the ingenuity of his ex-
PLANTATION, which had made q perfectly
Incredible superstition possible-nay, for
the moment, probable.
care YOU c0nvinced!' he asked, tri'
umphantly'
'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