Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-04-27

mittel by servant. and that Lola
must be found at once, TO know IL
she had seen the thief as he escaped
by the window, and could identity
him.
To find Lola. however, was not my
sole object.
The protracted absence OF Brace
and Van Hoecl excited my misgiv-
ings, and. despite the Judges promise,
l already reproached myself with
having abandoned my blind partner.
The Judges notions of justice were
peculiar. and based upon the
rough usage OF California min
ers in tho days when they
made and executed their own laws.
believed him capable of applying
torture, only stopping short of actual
murder, to wiring from Van Hoeck
the secret which he believed him TO
hold with respect to the lost diane nd.
retraced my steps to the spot
where 1 had helped to conceal Van
Hoeck. The broken brake marked
distinct trail, and in pit less than
hundred yards from that point the
underground was beaten down, as if
a struggle had taken place.
Was 1t not possible that Brace had
gone further than he intended. and
killed Van Hoeck? Had he concealed
the body, and fled with his daughter
to escape the consequences of his act?
Asking myself these questions. |
followed a track from the pit that
brought me into the bridle-way.
Looking for further traces of pas
sage through the brake, made my
way down toward the road
Again / perceived broken brake,
and following the line, / threaded my
way between The trees upon the
slope of the hill until l emerged
from the wood upon the high bank
that edged the Abbey road at that
part 1t was as nearly as possible
the point where Van Hoeck had
stopped me in the morning upon
hearing Brace in our rear. Looking
up the road. l saw the finger post at
the crossroads; looking down.
saw that which took my breath
away with amazement-Brace was
trudging along the road toward the
Abbey, with Van Hoeck holding his
arm on one side, and Lola his hand
upon the other-an incomprehensiblc
picture of unity, friendly assistance,
and reliance.
1t was true that without assistance
Van Hoeck could not have found his
way along the road, and very pos
slble that, without restraint OF her
fathers hand, Lola would not have
walked by his side; but all doubt as
to the existence of friendly under
| standing between the two men was
dispelled from my mind by what fol-
| lowed.
Arrived opposite the bridle-path
leading into the wood they stopped,
| and consultation ensued between the
two men. | could not hear their
voices at that distance. but | saw by
their gesticulations that they were
| discussing some point: 1t ended in
Brace going to the side OF the road,
and craning his neck to see If any
one were in sight. l crouched down
beside the thicket which partly con-
cealed me
When / cautiously raised my head
and looked again, Brace still stand
ing opposite the bridle-way, was
| drawing his arm out OF the candy
bank that there skirted the road.
ducked my head. as once more he
peered to the right and left. They
were gone, all three, when | looked
again.
When / thought it safe to venture,
| went to the spot whore Brace had
stood. There was rabbithole IN
the sandy cutting, partly hidden by
the training growth from the over
! hanging edge | took off my coat,
turned back my sleeve, thrust in my
arm, and drew out-the leather case
in which the diamond had been taken
from my wrist! 1t was empty.
again thrust my arm in and eX-
piored the hole, thinking--though
it was little likely--that the diamond
had slipped out of the case or
been put in separately. 1t was
kind of cul-dc-sac the earth
had fallen in from above and blocked
the passage at less than the length
OF my arm from the entrance; but |
did not give up the search until
was absolutely certain that the Great
Hesper was not there. 1t was
not probable they would place the
diamond in such an open place. the
leather case was different 1t was
unsafe to keep that. but it was of
little consequence where they aban-
doned it. But why had they taken
the diamond from the case and what
had they done with l.?
A clew to this mystery also / dis
covered before long
When / got back TO the abbey,
Brace, Van Hoeck, and Lola were in
the library with the police officer.
Sir Edmund, Mr.. Wray-his lawyer
and couple OF friends, Justices OF
the peace. who had been brought by
the rumors which were already widely
spread
The police officer asked me to go
i.to the adjoining dining room with