The Dickinson press., 1892-06-11
THE GREAT AESPER.
TALE OF A BIG DIAMOND.
How an Immense Gem Was Lost,
Recovered. and Lost Again.s
CHAPTER XiI-Coatinnej.

push through the brake" | replied.
Glancing over my shoulder, saw
the Judge, his shoulders bent forward,
his arms swinging from side to side,
bearing gdown uponus with long strides,
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 willrun 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 ,excrtion.
"'rhere is no one in sight,-no one
we can call to for help?" he asked.
"No one. see footpath through
the wood, if you think that will be
safer"
"Yes, yes-any thing is better than
this open road"
We took the path had caug ut sight
OF. 1t was q good sound bride way,
covered with short turf; we run along
noiselcssly. The angle we made
shut OFF the view from the road.
Brace could not cut off the corner
without getting entanglcd in tho
unde5ro with OF briars, interviewer
with rthe tall brake.
He must follow in our steps to
overtake us. Tho danger lay in
the strnightness 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 us to the course we had tax
en-. Iexplained this to Van Hoeck as
we ran on.
"It is time we found one now, if we
are to escape ;" he answered.
The next stop brought us to n 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 SEQ 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 1 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 lie
stumbled. 1t was hopeless to continue.
Already fancied caught 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 l 60 on" l said. I can go
quicker alone, and, coming behind,
he may imagine that you are still
before me-"
"Show me where to CO."
Iopened way through the brake,
led him behind u thicket, and bade
him lie down. AS he carried out this
instruction. got back into the foot
path, and was then enabled to trot
along at o brisk pace.
1t was only just in time, for, looking
back couple OF minutes later, l per-
ceived the Judge plowing his way
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 diyerting 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, l think l should have
enjoyed giving him o long chase for
nothing; but circumstances were too
grave for that. ] pursued the path
until it dipped down into IL hollow,
and there, finding fallen tree across
the path, sat down and waited for
the Judge to come up. In few min
utes he stood before me with his 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.
wv lCpllCu, Stttc ~ W lllII.
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 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?"
could not go so far as to admit
that his appearance realized my high
est ideal OF nobility, but l understood
his allusion, and replied:
II believe you are an honest man,
if that is what you mean, Brace"
"It 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'll let Israelget?"
because the poor wretch is half
distracted with the loss of the dia-
mond and his fear of YOU"
"Why do he fear me?"
"He believes that you took the dia-
mond, and intend to have his life, in
order to get the reversicnary share, or
something of that kind. And now, tell
me why you pursued him when you
saw he wished to avoid you?"
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. ga
man what has presentiments as a
thing ls gong to pc took so accurate
as hisn, must naturally have PRESENT.
ments what's gone of it when it's
took"
"And suppose he can not tell you?"
"Well, then, he's got to try till ne
do. AS Judge, I've had to try a
pretty considerable number of bad
lots, but more burned onprepos-
sessing lot than Israel l never
yet sentenced to well-airned
gallus. Ind mark this, pard-
ner; ef Israel was charged with this
4