The Dickinson press., 1892-05-07
THE GREAT AESPER.
TALE OF A BIG DIAMOND.
How an Immense Gem Was Lost,
Recovered. and Lost Again.
CHAPTER VII.

the mouse at night; out l II 1t
were possible for her to see the ledge
in the dark, ever from the bay win
dow. But admitting the possibility
would she risk her life for no purpose
but to alarm MISS Lascelles? There
was too much strength in Lola char
acter for such a senseless and feeble
device to be acceptable to her. 1t was
not the act OF a rational being, but OF
a mischievous or malevolent idiot.
l was inclined to believetha the es-
PLANTATION Miss Lascelles had offered
was a Just one, and that what she had
seen vas purely imaginative and the
result OF fear, inspired by those mys-
terious sounds which might yet be eS-
planned.
This was not Van Hoeck's opinion
nor was it Braces.
IL will not say the kidhes not done
it," he said; there's no say
in what greaSer blood will
not do. For the sake OF argyment, we
will say she did; but | undertake she
shall not play the same bower twice,
ii her fathers persuasion counts any
thin" and he went OFF at onc to
search for Lola i'm the wood.
When We We're alone, Van Hoeck
said:
ASK Sir Edmund; he will tell you,
as he told me, that Brace vas in the
woods Yesterday while you were phil
andering with Miss I~.aScelles. What
was he there for but to find his daugh-
ter and employ her in working out
this plot
Good heavens" | exclaimed, los
ing my temper; "what notion have
you got hold OF now? Last night you
suspected Sir Edmund
81 would suspect amy II who has
the opportunity to possess himself OF
such II treasure as you hold. DO
You blame the man WHO protects
himself when his lie is in danser9
That diamond is life to me. What
could | do ii il We're lost? Yon hold
that diamoni-lny lIie-in your keep
ing. You are bound to take every
p%rtcaution for its safety. You have
no right to drspIse my warning he
cause ii does not agree with yourreck-
less trust in humanity"
Take the diamond INTO your keep
ing, ii you think it is NOT safe in
mine" | SAID.
"Nou make that offer because you
know ] am powerless to accept it in
my bind and helpless condition. How
can ! keep it against Il man like
Brace
ali you have more faith in
my power to keep the diamond
why do Won accuse. me of neglrctina
IT 5 safety
"Because you are blind to the dam
ger that EXISTS. God he exclaimed,
protrlding his sigttless eyes to the
light, and rlcnrhing his hands in frenzy,
ito think that those who can see will
not see
What possible connection can
there be- lasked, "betweenl he safety
of our diamond and the event of last
night"
"a palpable connection. The event
OF last night was an abortive attempt
to obtain the diamond"
AS | heard this, and looked at Van
lIoeck, almost doubted il he were in
his right mind.
"The plot f,iled,' he continued,
"because the girl mistook the ROOM"
An incredulous explanation escap-
ed me.
"You shall hear me-" he muttered,
stretching his arm to the right and
left until he encountered mine with
his hand ant. then clutchinc it tightly;
"you shall see-with my eyes, if not
with your own. You have urged that
the girl could know nothing of the dis
position of the rooms; but she might
instructions from her father.
Hewent into the wood to give her in
structions yesterday. Look at your
He handed me the diagram l
had drawn at his request. "Brace,
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, according
to his calculation, would bring her to
your window"
"Certainly.'
"But he did not take account of the
fact that the door by which the girl
enters 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 Edmund's room and Miss La
~scelles'. Thus, though carrying out
her fathers instructions to the letter,
SHE must inevitably make her attempt
upon Miss Lascelles' room, and rot
upon yours. Look at your plan"
81 follow you perfectly well,"I said
astonished by the ingenuity OF his ex-
PLANTATION, which had made q perfectly
incredible supposition possible,
for the moment probable.
Are you convinced" he asked tri-
nmphantly.
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 calcu-
lated upon dealing with n heavy Sleep
er, not II girl. The tapping
40 OcSSllDc'l itS SOU illlu regular, III WAS
intended to test whether you were
asleep Or not. The moment u
light appeared the sound ceased,-
the girl had gone back to the bay.
From the landing she could see when
the light was put out, and it was safe
to recommend the attack. The can
die was lit with some difficulty the
second time,-Miss I4ascelles possibly
stood with her back TO the window as
she held the vesta. Lola may have
detected the first glimmer, and, un-
certain or not whether it was safe to
continue, turned the blind and looked
through. At that moment the wick
burned up, and Miss Lascelles, turn
ing, saw the girls eyes between the
laths. The knock was not repeated,
for a simple reason,-Lola had dis
covered her mistake, and retreated.
Do you know now the purpose with
which Brace has gone to seek the girl
today"
was forced to admit that this ex-
PLANTATION was feasible; yet | could
not believe that Lola, who seemed
OF ,,oar,l,, of%o.H,l - ,z.l 80