Middletown transcript., 1898-05-07
THEKINGDIAMOND
By oUToLIrFE HYNE.

"Oh,' I said, that lot WILL bet on
anything.
"He laughed in weak sort of way.
well, purser, says he, ] hope you've
feathered your own nest over the affair.
"'I can't say I have, said I and be-
gan to move of toward my room.
"'Pity that, says he, when it's 50
easy
"I turned round. How do you mean?
Could you make money out of it?'
"Certainly I could, if wished to,
only, as you know, I consider it wrong
to bet.
"'Then,' said I q bit sarcastically,
you must have information which no.
body else on this ship has got
"His eyes wandered over with me
with q look of surprise, and lurch
sent him against cabin door. he was
a man who never found his sea legs.
And why shouldn't haye?' he says
slowly.
"Well, if it comes to that, how can
you of all people know what the yacht
is doing here2'
"'Never mind, Mr.. Horrocks, how
picked up the knowledge, but you can
take It from me that not only know
who's on board, but also know that
yachts exact business.
"'That's an asset Of value, said,
and then stopped and considered min
ute. is there any consideration that ]
could offer which would induce you to
part with the knowledge?'
"'My dear Horrocks, he said, if you
want to know, Of course I'll tell you
freely enough. I'd have told you any
time II you'd asked me. Only I don't
think we've seen much Of one another
since the yachts been in sight.
"He had me there.
"'It's bit of long story, he went
on, but if you can wait minute or &c
I'll tell it You now-if you think no one
| is likely to overhear us, standing where
we are.
Certainly not, Mr.. Farren, said I.
You come right along to my room and
have cigar. You won't drink whisky,
I know, but You shall have iced lemon
ade in two shakes if you care for that. "
The purser Of the Laconio ceased
speaking and scraped match. When II
was well alight, he held the oharred end
Of his cigar in the fame and watched ii
with interest. "I am afraid" he said,
"that am boring you gentlemen with
all these preliminaries. I never could
tell tale we'll. Besides, there's one
| man in this smokeroom who could finish
this yarn much better than can. He
knows lot of facts about it that I have
not even guessed at up to now. "
The eyes Of the smokeroom swung
round till they all converged on Pit
cairn. but that excellent person for once
in his life looked slightly nonplused
The purser came to his rescue. He in
timated that Pitcairn's brain was quite
unequal to guessing the sequel Of thu
yarn and again invited the only mar
who could finish it to do so in detail
We began to look at one another witt
interest. 1t was occurring to each Of III
that we must have struck up shipboart
ACQUAINTANCE with some man who only
a few years previously had been con
cerned in q very remarkable robbery
but after a cursory survey had MOI
shown any one to appear obtrusively
guilty (although for some reason VI
few Of us seemed to be looking exactly
at our best just then) quaint feeling
of restraint got hold Of us. Each maj
seemed to feel that it was vaguely in
sulting to look at his neighbor, and eye
glanced up toward the deck above, anC
the smoke mist thickened, but by de
grees glances were lowered and found |
safe resting place on the person Of Mr.
Horrocks.
It was Vereker who voiced the gen
eral wish. 81 think, purser," he said
1--WE shall have to bother you. Yo1
have shown such power as raconteul
that the other man, whoever he may be
is evidently nervous Of entering int
competition.
The purser grinned and bit the en'
from fresh cigar. Funny thing, 81,
Randall" 4" said he, "but Farren wa
nervous too. When Farren came int
my room that day, thought he woult
have tainted, and for good ten minute
he sat there on my sofa with the color
going and coming from his face like th
limelight in theater. But I didn't hur
ry him or anything. I let him take hi
time and sat on the bed and watches
the yacht through my porthole. Sh
was there in her usual place, Jus
abeam, with about quarter Of . mil
Of ugly looking water between he
and us, and I was coming over in m
mind how was going to make div
dends out Of her.
"Farren reused me mp by calling m
name, and tell you what saw, whe
7 turned around, fairly made me sweat
He was standing there with his bac
5 against the door and one hand turnin
the key behind him as I looked. He
revolver in his other fist, with th
second finger on the trigger, and 1t di
not require much brains to see tina
: whatever else he might be, he was n
blooming amateur with gun. He ws
looking sick enough still, but Civ
him credit he came to the point like
man.
"'Now I'll tell you, Mr.. Horrock
what that yachts there for, he say
She's come to take away the King Di,
mond, and I'm here to carry 1t aero
to her. I'll trouble you for that sal
key which hangs at the end Of yoy
watah chain
"Well, I'll own freely I was taken a
of heap. by heavens, Mr.. FaTen,
: began to stammer out, this is piracy
Q But be cut me short.
"'I quite agree with You, he answe
ed, but we'll take all that for said. T.
got no time for talk-and-it wou
annoy me very much to shoot you.
don't like you for yourself, Horrock
but you mentioned you have wife al
family in London, and I've respect I
them. Turn round, please. Thanh
|. Novv vox, III uusfo understand that n