The Red Cloud chief., 1896-12-25

piCion of each other was. Of course.
intended to blind you to their COM
plicity. while each, by duplicating
the Other diverted suspicion from
himself"
~ was never in my life 80 com.
p'rtcly deceived" | said. ''Braco
so'nrl to me the embodiment Of
rough honesty. | liked the man. and
IL was Il painful shock 80 me when |
found MIN un'althful and Il thief"
''llc i, worse thai that. Mr..
JhOrnc, he il II murdn go at hrart;
for there can he hO doubt it was ho
who tempted your life it was u
sheer impo.sibility for tho other man
To do il. We have heard the story
" the robbery from Sir Edmund. The
intelligence shat planned :ac attack
was doubtless Van IIocck's lie looks
like n mar OF subtle intellect | do
not 500 what other part he could
have played in this affair.
"Sir Edmund told me. sir" said
tho officer. that on your return
from the left wing, you heard snorin.
in Braces room
IL certainly did,
THAT could very we'll have been
Van llorck. who had taken braces
plac" while ho Slipped of into your
room. Another proof that the two
were acting together"
"prccisciy," said Mr.. Wray. and
then, with an air Of business
now, what is to he done? That IL
the first question The evidence Is
insufficient to charge either of the
mru ever with being concerned in
the robbery, The leather case proves
nothing They might declare they
found II emp ", and have concealed
IL through fear Of accusation, or they
might all three swear your state mont
Ia bc false. and absolutely accuse
You Of being yourself tho thief. And
until We can ~Substantiatc tho charge
10y positive proof. We must he careful
to conceal our suspicious from them.
II they think they are likely to be
brought to justice, they will quit tho
country by the first steamer that
leaves southampton and We can not
stop them. The thing that must DO
done al once Is To search for the dia-
mond. | counsel you, Mr. Thorne,
to conceal your own feelings. Not
one OF those three ought to SEQ any
change in your dcmcanor toward
them"
When the officer had completed
his Investigation, no said sagacious-
ly. as he closed his note. book
IL have sufficient Information for
my present purpose. ! may not be
ablo to discover the perpetrators Of
this outrage and robbery Immediate
ly, but | think shall be in a position
To tell you something about tho lost
diamond within twcnty-four hours.
Sir Edmund accompanied him To
the door. When he returned and
took the seat he had occupied at the
head Of tho long table, Brace rose.
and PLACING himself at the opposite
end. inclined his head first to the
baronct, then to tho right and to the
left.
esquire and gentlemen this
committee he said, 81 don't want
To speak disrespcc'fhl of the police,
but the intelligent officer who has
jest left MS. rs If he'd got hold Of the
tail end Of II racket. and meant
foIlcrin' it right up, and holdin'
tight ON till IL bust, amt goin' to do
any good for hissclf or any one else
in this business. The big diamonds
lost, end he amt goin' to find it in
twcnty-four hours, nor in twenty four
yeas. IF 1t was Il h~aystack. | don't
say but what, with the help OF
Providence ana a good lot Of 1t no
might be up to the job he's ondcr-
took. But it amt II haystack. End
If he was to grind up tho whole of
this country, end every blessed
thing upon 1t small, buddlcd it in u
clean ilumc. and siftcd the tailins
careful. he wouldn't find it. End
these bcin' M viows, it stands Ia
reason that ! amt goin' to hang
about here loOkin' ut the place where
I've come TO grief, like an old female
what's slipped of the sidewalk on a
bit Of orange-peol. With your per.
mission, squire, I'm goin' away
right on"
TID ~ EDNrISl"ED