The Red Cloud chief., 1896-12-25

she hau soon inc timer "a hN escaped
by the window. and could identity
him
To find Lola, however, was not my
sole object
Tho protraCt'd absence Of Brace
and Van lloccK excite my misgiv-
/ iugs,and. despite the JuigC's promise.
already ~rrpFOaChrd myself with
having abandoned my blind partner.
Tho Judge not on, ot Justice Wcrn
peculiar. and based upon tho
rough usage OF ta.iforn min.
cr- in the days when they
made and executed their own laws
| believed him capable Of applyiug
torture, only stopping ~auij 81 actual
murder, 20 wiring from Van llucck
the secret which he believed him TO
hold with respect 10 the lost diamond.
! rctracci my steps to the spot
whore | had helped to conceal Van
llOCck The broken brake marked u
distinct trail, ana in % pit less than
II hundred yards from that point the
underground was bcatcu down. ~ il
u struggle had taken place
Was il not possible that Brace had
gone further than h" intended. aud
killed Van llocck2 Had hr concealed
the body, and fled with his daughter
To escape the cousc iucuccs of his act
Asking myself these questions. |
followed II track from the pit that
brought mo into the bride way.
Looking for further traces Of II pas
sugc 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 tho
slope of the hill until | emerged
from the wood upon the high bank
that edged the Abbey road at that
part II wa, rs nearly as possible
the poiat where Van llocck had
stopped me IN the morning upon
hearing Brace in our rear. Looking
mp the road, ! saw the finger post at
the crossroads; looking down, |
saw that which took my breath
away with amalcmcnt Brace was
trudging along the road toward the
Abbey, with Van IIocck holding his
arm on ono side, and Lola his hand
upon the other an incomprchensiblc
picture of unity, friendly assistance.
and reliance.
IL was true that without assistance
Van lIocck could not have found his
way along tho road. and very pos.
slblc that. without restraint Of her
fathers hand, Lola would not have
walked by his side; but all doubt as
To the existence Of II friendly under
standing between tho two men was
dispcllcd from my mind by what fol-
lowed.
Arrived opposite the path
leading into the wood they stopped,
and consultation ensucd between the
two mcn could not hear their
voices ut that distance, but saw by
their gcsticulatiOns that they we're
discussing some point; IL ended in
Brace going TO tho side of the road,
and craning his neck to sec If any
onc were in sight ] crouchcd down
beside the thicEct which partly con
Ccaicd me
When ! cautiously raised my head
and looked again. Brace. still stand
ing opposite the bridlc.way. was
drawing his arm out % the sandy
bank that there skirtcd the road.
| ducked my head. as once more he
pccrcd to the right and left They
were gone, all three, when | looked
again.
When | thought il safe to venture.
! went to the spot whore Brace had
stood There was n rabbit.hulc IN
the sandy cutting, partly hidden by
the training groYth from the yer
hanging edge. ! took of my coat,
turned back my sleeve, thrust in my
arm. and drew Out-thc leather case
in which the diamond had been taken
from my wrist. 1t was empty.
again thrust M arm in and cX.
plorel tn, hole, thinking though
it was little likely that the diamond
had slipped out Of the case or
been put in separately. IL was
"A kind Of cul.dc.suc 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 !
'"o "'p'l'''NN W. ~ 'lItl WV 'fl't
llcsper was not there, IL was
not probable they would place the
diamond in such an open place, the
leather ease was different. IL was
unsafe to keep that. but it waS OF
little consequence where they abun-
doncd Il, But why had they taken
the diamond from the ease and what
had they done with it,
A clow to this mystery also | dis.
covered before long
When ! got back to the abbey,
Brace, Van lioeck, and Lola were in
the library with the police officer,
Sir Edmund Mr. Wray his lawyer
and II couple OF friends, Justices oI
the peace, who had been brought py
the rumors which were already widely
spread.
The police officer asked me to 90
into the adjoining dining room with
him