The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-05-05

It was that sort Of twilight which is
all the night one gets when the days
are at heir longest at orkney.
Everything was still, except the faint
splash of the sea. After a while he
saw the figure of a man walking on the
path that led from the seashore UP to
his house.
"a strange hour for visitor" he
thought, but even then the idea of a
thief never occurred to him. The thing
was so out of keeping with his sur
roundings.
But the man seemed to be coming up
to the house, and he passed underneath
his window. Walking steathily on the
grass, he went on till he got to the
smoking-room window. Then George
recognized the man. He was their
friend of the afternoon, Sam Dredge.
For some minutes he stood at the win
dow which had been shut up, fumbling
at the lock. 1t appeared to give way
without much difficulty.
AS the man went into the smoking
room George dropped from his window
on to the grass-it was only q fall of n
few feet-then he silently followed in
the others footsteps, But he came to a
stop at the window. The man had lit a
candle, and when George came up, he
was in the act of taking down the
picture of Nellie's mother that hung on
the wall.
Now what can his little game be2''
thought George as he watched the &C.
centric burglar take the picture down
and lay it face downwards on the table,
and then proceed with his knife to cut
away the aboard back. Then he
stopped forward, and from the express
sion of his face George felt sure that he
had found what he was looking for
just then George sprang into the
room. The man turned around fiercely,
and with an oath rushed at him, maxi
ing a stab at him with the knife.
But George was too quick for him.
and got hold of his wrist with his left
hand, while he let out with his right.
hitting him on the point of his chin and
sending him staggering into the corner
of the room.
The knife had dropped out of his
hand, and the first thing that George
did was to secure It, Then he stood
watching his PROSTATE foe. ready
enough for him in case he should think
fit to get up and recommence proceed
ings. AS he began to rise, there was
a sound of footsteps along the passage,
and Daniel Lane came into the room.
"Hullo, George, my boy, what's the
meaning of this? Why, here is our
friend again"
II don't know what it is, but what
he came after is there" answered
George, as he pointed at the picture
on the table.
Daniel Lane took up the candle and
walked to the picture, and as he did Sc
| he gave an exclamation of surprise.
And enough to come after, too" he
said, "Why, by Jove, never saw a
nicer parcel of diamonds all the time
l was on the fields"
Well he might say SO, for the back
| OF the photograph, from which the
| card board had been stripped off, was
! covered with rough diamonds, all of
them from ten to twenty carat5.
! BY this time Sam Dredge had got
| on his legs again. He made, however,
no attempt to escape or interfere, but
| stool looking at the other two out of
his ugly little eyes.
"Now, look here, let's be reasonable
| That there parcel of stuff is mine by
| rights, cause Dick Johnson and / got
| em, and we hid 'em there; and, Dick
being out of it, take his share. l have
done my time for the diamonds, and
ought to have 'em. When l heard, af-
! ter ] came out, how you'd found down
the river, l made sure as the diamonds
you got came from behind that pic