The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1892-06-11
THE GREAT AESPER.
TALE OF 4 BIG DIAMOND.
How an Immense Gem Was Lost,
Recovered, n Lost Again.
CHAPTER XlI-Continued.

QulCk, Qulck!-le sees uS-ne ID
coming down upon u.s." and then, aft
er another dozen yards, "Doyou want
him to overtake us that you stick to
this cursed road?"
II am looking for path; we not
push through the brake" l replied.
CHANGING I'VE my shoulder, l saw
the Judge, his shoulders bent forward,
his arms swinging from side to side,
bearingdown upon us with longstrides.
and rapidly diminishing the distance
between us.
"He is gaining upon us. How far
are we from the Abbey?" asked Van
Hoeck.
NEARLY two miles; we will run forit,
if you like"
We ran for some distance. Again
looking back, l saw the Judge still
plodding on, with the same rhythmic
swing ofhis long arms. Running had
given us no sensible advantage: Van
Hoeck's ear told him this. Drops OF
moisture stood ON his livid face, the
result of terror rather than exertion.
"There is no one in sight,-no one
we can call to for help?" he asked.
"No one l see a footpath through
the wood, if you think that will be
safer"
eyes, yes-anything is better than
this open road"
We took the path I had caught sight
of. 1t was a good sound bride way,
covered. with short turf; we ran along
noiselessly. The angle we made
shut off the view from the road.
Brace could not cut off the corner
without getting entangled in the
undegro with of briars, interviewer
with rthe tall brake.
He must follow in our steps to
overtake us. The danger lay in
the straightness of the path,
which kept the view open from the
road. Our escape depended upon
our finding a by-path that might de-
ceive him as to the course we had tax
en-. I explained this to Van Hoeck as
we raj on.
ut is time we found one now, if we
are to escape ," he answered.
The next stop brought us to q foot
path that cut the bride way at right
angles.
Looking down the green ally toward
the road, as we turned off from it, l
could sec nothing of the Judge. l
thought we had beaten him.
But we advanced now with great
difficulty. There was room only for
one in the path, yet l had to keep
hold of Van Hoeck's hand and guide
him, for the brake met before US; the
trailing brambles that crossed the
path caught his feet; at every step he
Stumbled. It was hopeless to continue.
Already I fancied l caught q glimpse,
through the trees, of the Judge,
swinging along the bride. way.
"Your only chance is toget amongst
the brake, aud throw yourself down
while I 60. on" I said. l 60
quicker alone, and, coming behind,
he may imagine that you are still
before me-"
"Show me where to CO."
opened a way through the brake,
Northumberland a~thicket, and bade
him lie down. As he carried out this
instruction, l got back into the foot
path, and vas then enabled to trot
along at a brisk pace.
It was only just in time, for, looking
back a couple OF minutes later, I per-
ceived the Judge blowing his way
through brake and 'bramble, which
came we'll up to the level of his breast,
with as little difficulty as though it
had been meadow grass, and with the
steady swing of his bent shoulders.
He had caught sight OF me from the
bride way, and struck out at once in
to the thick of the underground.
did not, in the slightest degree,
participate in Van Hoeck's suspicious
and fears, and having, as l
hoped, succeeded in diverting from
him the object of his dread, l
was Indifferent as to whether the
Judge overlook me or not. Had l
been in the humor to enjoy a
joke, I think l should have
enjoyed giving him a long chase for
nothing; but circumstances were too
grave for that. ! pursued the path
until it dipped down into q hollow,
and there, finding a fallen tree across
the path, 1 sat down and waited for
the Judge to come up. In a few min
utes he stood before me with HE arms
folded on his chest, his feet planted
apart, and @ particularly stern look
on his gaunt, weather-beaten face.
HE has given me the slip; has he
given it to you likewise?" he asked.
NO." I replied; II gave it to him.
I helped him to escape"
"Stand up, Gentleman Thorne, and
let us look each other in the face" he
said.
stood up. He held out his hand,
and l gave him mine.
"Now, standin' here hand in hand
and face to face, say, air we the
noblest works of natur'? or air we
not?"
I could not go so far as to admit
that his appearance realized my high.
est ideal OF nobility, but I understood
his allusion, and replied:
II believe you L an honest man,
if that is what you mean, Brace"
ut is; and that is my opinion Of
you likewise. Let us sit down and
hold a committee. Now, pardner,
will you tell me why you let Israel get?"
Because the poor wretch is hall
distracted with the loss of the dia'
mond and his fear of YOU"
"Why do he fear me9"
"He believes that you took the dia'
mond, and intend to have his life, in
order to get the reversionary share, OF
something of that kind. And now, tell
me why you pursued him when you
saw he wished to avoid your"
because he did SO wish for one
thing" and, he added, with emphasis,
because he's got to speak," he re.
peated. with still greater decision. "A