Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1894-04-20
CHAPTER 8


his face to the wall | shook him,
and as he turned over said:
"Get up; the Hesper is lost ;"
"Lostl as how"' he asked, sitting
up.
"Sto'en--taken from me-"
where's Israeli"
told him of Van Hoeck's terrible
presentiment, andsthe circumstances
under which he had left the house.
1--WE will find him. pardner, said
the Judge, in his slow, sententious
manner, which was queerly at vari-
ance with his speed in hurrying
| into his clothes ave will find him,
and see if his presentiments will go
so far as fur TO explain what's be-
come of the diamond Let up what
has happened, pardnor. Reel it of.
am all awake.
l narrated briefly the events OF the
night while he completed dressing.
Lola, standing by the window,
listened in silence. There was just
enough light to reveal the mischiev-
Gus exultation that sparkled in her
eyes.
Here vigilance committee Job, if
ever there was one" said the Judge.
hastily lacing his boot. l amt
lighted on anything so. much like
Californy since the good old days.
Now, sir, If you air ready, we'll hunt
up Israel, the prophet He's got to
tell US sumthin' more about this than
we know on"
II was striking o'clock when we
quilted the house. The Judge left
me TO look about the garden and its
vicinity for Van Hoeck; he himself
struck out at once for the wood, TAX
ing Lola with him. The girl would
have stayed with me, but her father
had her hand in his, and there was
no getting away from that grip.
After exploring the garden, took
tho path that led to the lodge, as be-
ing tho ono that Van Hoeck fire.
quently Wakes in when alone. Tho
lodge-keeper was not up, but, pass
ing through the open wicket into
the road, | came upon q laborer,
trudging along to his work with n
pick upon his shoulder, and a tin
flask in his hand.
1t then was half-past five, or per-
haps little later.
"Have you passed q blind gentle
man on the road" | asked.
al amt passed 'im." he answered.;
"but as l como by the crossroads
see some 'un, as looked gentleman
like, kind FER fumbling his way
along the road down by Harley bot
TOM"
knew the crossroads; they wore
nearly two miles distant It was
incomprehensibl to me how Van
Hoeck had strayed so far from the
Abbey; but tho laborer's description
left little room for doubt that it was
Van Hoeck he had seen, and started
at once in the direction indicated.
/ could not see Van Hoock from
the crossroads, but on turning the
angle Of the lane at tho foot OF tho
hill, perceived him feeling his way
with painful slowness, and on the
side of the hedge row, 100 yards Ia
advance. Hearing my step, he
turned, and recognizing il, he came
to meet me. He seemed to forget
the danger OF making false stop,
and advanced with eager quickness
his whole body partaking the ex-
preston OF anxiety imprinted on his
features.
''Is il you, Thorne?" he cried.
"Yes," replied.
What has happened9"
waited until got up to him, thon
putting my hand on his shoulder, /
said:
al have bad news for you Van
Hoeck."
He trembled violently under my
hand, and opened his lips to speak,
but no sound came; his condition was
pitiable, and to keep him no longer
in suspense, i said;
'A have lost it 1t has been taken
from me-"
, WHO has taken ist'' he asked, in
thick, husky VOICE
II cannot say. / could not soc
the man who robbed me-"
He was silent for a time, and then
: his feelings found expression, at first
: in execration then in incoherent
sentences, broken up with words of
Dutch whore the English tongue
: failed TO give sufficient force to his
anger and modification. He as
sailed me with every kind of invec-
tive. accused me OF cowardice, Of
completely in robbing him, OF /
know not what baseness and heart
lessness - indeed, IL seemed as
though the blow had deprived him
OF reason for a moment At length,
} when HIS passion was somewhat ak
haustcd. he said
"And what is your defense?"
} ! took his arm, and as | led him
up the hill toward the crossroads,
went over the story once more.