The Red Cloud chief., 1896-11-27

'llNI th IL.
But ! was still incrcdulous. How
was the girl hiding in the woods all
day TO know ut the existence of the
ledge? IL was true she had access
To the house at night, but doubted
il it were possible Tor her to sec the
ledge in the dark eve from the bay
window. Bat admitting the posi-.
bility. would she risk her life for nc
purpose but to alarm Miss Lasccllcs.
There was too much strength in
l.ola's character for such II scnsclcss
and feeble device to be acceptable to
her. IL was not the act of a rational
being, but Of mischicvous or
malovolcnt idiot.
| was inclined TO believe that the
explanation Miss LascCllcs had Of
fcrcd was u just me-, and that what
she had seen was purely imagina-
tive and the result OF fear. inspired
by those mysterious sounds which
might yet be explained.
This was not Van llocck's opinion,
no" was it Braces.
81 will not say the Kid has done
it," he said; "thcrc's no sayin' what
greascr blood will not do. For the
sake Of argument, we will say she
did, but ! undertake she shall not
pla; the same bower twice. il hor
fathers persuasion counts for any
thin and he went OIL at once To
search for Lola in the wood.
When We were alone. Van Hocck
said: ASK Sir Edmund; he will toll
you, as he told me, that Brace was
in the woods yesterday while you
were ~philandcring with Miss
L%asccllcs. What was he there for
but to find his daughter and employ
her in working out this plotT'
Good heavens" exclaimed.
losing my temper; what notion
have you go. hold of now? Last
night you suspected Sir Edmund
IL would suspect any II who has
the opportunity to possess himself
of such Il treasure al you hold. Dc
you blame the man who protects
himself when his life is in danger!
That diamond is life TO me, What
could ! do if it were lost? You hold
that diamond - my life in your
Keeping. You are bound to take
every p]rccadtion for its safety. You
have mt right to dcspisc my warning
because it docs not agree with your
reckless trust in humanity
What possible connection can
there bcYN | asked. ''bctwocn the
safety Of our diamond and the event
Of last night?'
"A palpablc connection. The event
Of last night was IN abortivc at
tempo TO obtain the diamond"
As | heard this, and looked at Van
liocck, | almost doubted if he were
in his right mind.
The plot failed" he continued.
''bccausc the girl mistook the room. .
An incrcdulous exclamation cs.
capped me
You shall hear me- he muttcrcd.
str etching his arm u the right and
left until he encountered mine with
his hand, and then clutching il
tightly; .,you shall sco-with my
eyes, if not with your own. You
have urged that the girl could know
nothing of the disposition Of the
rooms; but she might receive in
structions from her father. He went
into the wood to give her those in
structions yesterday. Look at your
plan"-he handed Inc the diagram !
had drawn at his request. Brace.
having his room at the back of
the right block, would naturally
tell her that when she got to the
top OF the stairs she was not to pass
through the picture-gallcry, but to
go straight to the landing over the
stairs she had assembled, open the
window in the bay, which would
then be on her left hand, and make
her way to the oricl facing her.
That, according to his calculation,
would bring her to your window"
"C~crtainly."
fTD RE GnNrIZITEn