Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-18

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mans clothing. He admitted that he had
taken Freemans keys"
That's piece of good luck!'
Good luck, Nicholas? What do you
mean"
why" responded her husband a little
awkwardly, don't you see that if he went
through Freemans clothes it will damage
his statements if he dares to make any
against me?'
This was not the reason why Mr.. Warren
regarded Goldings search as good luck. It
had flashed upon him that If Golding had
once searched the garments he would not
do SO again. and, therefore. if it seemed
best to dc so the pebble that had been
taken from the vest pocket could be re-
placed without danger of detection. In this
way he could free himself from trouble on
that account-if it should seem advisable.
He was not quite ready to tell his wife
about that pebble that might prove to be a
diamond. and If he replaced it, he could
avoid telling her altogether.
While these thoughts were racing through
his mind, and while he was speaking, his
eyes We're fixed upon Dutton.
Il wonder If he will get well?' he NUT
tered.
Mrs Warren was profoundly disturbed
by her husbands expression and his too
evident attempts to keep something from
her. She recalled the promptness with
which he ad taken the rifle from over .hc
fireplace ana driven Dutton from the house
his words, spoken when she had borne Dut-
ton from the blazing cabin, REQUIRED to her.
and then came the imaginary scene be-
tween the two men as set forth by Goiding.
Motive! She knew only too well the pow
erful motive that had actuated her hus
bald in the first instance, and in that
same instance she had seen the demon
stration of his temper. Could Ii be pos
sible that Golding was right? that Dutton
had goaded her husband into a fury, had
attacked him, and that Duttcn's injuries
We're due to her husbands violence?
She could not think for a moment that
her husband had been the aggressor-in
spite OF the scene with the rifle, but she
could not dismiss the possibility of an en-
counter between the two men that Mr.
Warren should insist on keeping to him
self How much better it would be if he
would trust her! She could not ask him
further about it, not now.
Il wish YOU would contide in me, Nicho-
las she said, sadly. and she went to the
window and looked absently out.
Mr.. Warren gazed after her regretfully
fearfuly. He started toward her, hest
tated, and at last turned away and went
into the Kitchen saying with forced conf
dence:
"Everything's going to come out all right,
Martha.
He returned to his milk pals and finish
ed the morning chores in mechanical fash
ion, his thoughts stll dwelling upon dia-
monds. When his work was done he again
took the pebble from his pocket and stud
led it. The file had made no sensible i'm
preston upon it and he was glad of it. If
the file could have proved anything it
would have demonstrated the worthless
ness of the stone. Now, unmarked, it could
he replaced if that seemed advisable, and
no one would ever know the temptation to
which it had subjected him and to which
ne had partially yielded. Would an expert
in precious stones recognize this az a dia-
mond of value? Was it possible that this
was the president?
Mr.. Warren went to the barn and re-
placed his file In the tool box. Then obey
ing an impulse that he could not wholly