Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-05-12
THE GREAT AESPER.
TALE OF, A BIG DIAMOND.
How an Immense Gem Was Lost
Recovered. and Lost Again.
CHAPTER VII--Contjnued.


The night was close and stuffy. | had
no inclination to go to bed, especially
as had given Van Hoeck MY word
to close the window beforehand.
There was o reading lamp in my
room lit it, put out the candle,
and seated myself i'll a comfortable
chair with a book. Not & sound was
to be heard after the clock struck.
read on. without moving from my
chair, until past twelve. From time
to time l had taken my eyes from the
book and listened intent!y,-not in
anticipation OF hearing the mysterious
tapping at my window, but in appre-
hension OF its being repeated upon
Edith sand. as the last stroke OF
midnightreverberated through the still
llture. There was no door but
the one opening upon the corridor,
and no windows save the oriel.
In the early part OF the night, had
described these particulars to Van
Hoeck, at his request, and he had
made me examine the press. the old
chest, the hanginss OF the bed and
settles; everything, in fact, which
might afford a hdins-place to Lola
or another.
| had even gone down upon my
knees. and looked under the bed, to
appease his anxiety. And yet, now,
a vague uneasiness possessed me as |
raised the lamp shade. and looked
around the room. The dark oak
wainscot, the sombre hangings, the
painted ceiling overhead, absorbed
the light: there was a black void on
the opposite side OF the bed, where
the light from the lamp was inter
cepted by the curtains; | could not
see even the outline OF the great press.
readjusted the shade, turned the
wick higher, and, half-undressed, threw
myself upon the bed. I was not
afrad,-in strength was match for
any natural Zoe, and did not believe
in the existence of any other,-yet
felt myself infected with Van Hoeck' $
presentiment OF impending calamity.
Van Hoeck's theory OF Lola's COM
plicity in plot to steal the diamond,
had been upset by the fact that l was
watching her asleep at my door at the
very time Edith believed she saw the
girl looking through her blinds; but
this had in no wise shaken his con-
viction that the mysterious appear
ance was connected with a scheme to
rob us.
Are a mans convictions to be linn
tied by his senses he asked. "You
are convinced that a cloud is rising in
the horizon because you seeit; but am
| to deny its existence because | have
10 sight? Are you justified, then. in
declaring that we are not menaced by
this disaster which is to overwhelm
us because you have not my faculty
of provision? You who can not deny
prescience to a bee, the presentiment
OF coming storm to cattle, tell me that
my conviction is nothing. 1t is only
by conviction that we live. What
saves us from destruction but the
conviction that, by stepping into all
abyss, we must fall? | tell you to
look about you; we are on the edge OF
an abyss. There are signs to strike
the dullest intelligence. Your turn will
GOMEZ
had hung my watch in the pocket
upon the hanging at the head OF the
bed: its lively ticking sounded strange,
ly out of keeping with the gloom ard
stiffness of the surroundings. The
shaded light gave funeral aspect to
the bed hanglngs; the baldaquln ovel
my head might have been q catalal
que for the dead. / wondered how
many men had ended their days III
this bed since these hangings had beer
put up. Would Van Hoeclk's presen
timent be fulfilled? Should be found
tbara ~, tho loo,12
1t was well suited for a murder, that
bed with its pall-like hangings to con
ceal the lurking murderer.
Tic-tac, tlc-tac, tic-tac, tic-tac, tic.
tao.
My ear had become so familiar TIC
the brisk movement OF my watch that
the slightest sound was audible above
it. And sound slight indeed I heard
TO my mind, dwelling then upon as
sass1ns, it sounded like the drawing Of
a dagger from its sheath.
Turning my head toward the side
from which the sound seemed to pro
coed, | fancied / saw the heavy cur
tain move; it was between me and thu
lamp. The movement was as slight
as the sound. II it was a fact that
neafu one, IL WAS ~ ldCC UldC SttN
the other.
drew myself up gradually, and
leaning forward, suddenly flung back
the curtain with my left hand. There
was no resistance to my hand
nothing could be seen beyond but the
lamp burning steadily on the table. the
saddle-bacls chair, and the dim outline
Of the big chimney-piece.
got upon my knees, and pushed
the curtain flat against the wall, to be
sure there could by no possibility be
any one concealed in the heavy folds
to assure myself that my suspicion
was utterly without foundation.
This end of theroom was compari
lively light, and the saddleback chain
was SO placed as to preclude the pos
sibility of any one hiding beyond it.
If the curtain had indeed moved. il
must have been by hr' from under
the bed. 1t was easier to t.. lieve that
had been mistaken in seeil.s the slight
movement than to suppose that hao
overlooked a concealed thief when
looked under the bed,to satisfy Van
l.. f,1 L.