The Republican., 1900-12-06

| dShtu HlIs
"Nhat?" he cried, "and me Jealous
dhtective!"
Yes, I'm aware that one of your col
leagues-Howland- rather envious.
But do you know of anyone who not
only hates you, but who is likely to be
aware that we put this diamond in the
desk? What about the fellow you so
nearly nabbed-the fellow from whom
you captured the stone-the fellow that
escaped? Look here, Joseph Kinch,
my boy, I'm going to stand by you. So
don't get into fuster. Sit down and
listen. That's right! Now we can
go on smoothly. OF course, l shall de-
prive you of your liberty, but only for
your good, l hope. Besides, it's my
business. Now, it so happens that
I'm the man who found the gem in your
hat. Therefore. | know it wasn't
planted by the finder. OF course. had
a witness. Sergt. Stavely was here,
helping me to search. And when L
looked in your hat, which was hanging
on the peg there-well, told him what
l had discovered-for my own sake. you
know-for my own sake, Kinch, old fell
,ow Besides. it was such curious
place to select; both for hiding and for
seeking. Who would have thought that
thing was again in place where one
had seen it taken from?'
That's precisely what ought to prove
my complete innocence" said Kinch.
But 1 haven't yet accused you; I've
merely arrested you. And, in addition,
as l said, I'm going to help you. Now,
Kinch, my boy, l remember that you
slept in this room last night; and L
also remember that. owing to the heat,
l left the window open. 1t is just pos
sible-only just-but still it is possible
that the fellow you tried to nab fol-
lowed you here, He is the only person
to our knowledge-whow was aware
that the diamond was in our possession,
except the Jewel merchant and his as
sistants. But, there! What would any
of them want to plant the thing for?
Why didn't they take it with them? So
it may resolve itself into-jnto-shal
we say your friend Howland? In
any case, I'm going to see if the man
who planted that diamond in your hat
is coming back for it. Tonight you
will use the same armchair that you
used last night; only tonight you will
be crouched behind it-and awake"
To my plan Kinch readily agreed.
l was reader of novels; but only
certain class of novels; and that mere
ly for professional purposes. My IA
vorite authors were Emile Gaboriau,
Fortune Du Boiseobey, Edgar Allan
Poe and Wilkie Collins. Now, l had
just finished reading THE Moonstone."
1t will be remembered that in this work
certain diamond is lost and that the
man to whom it is of the greatest i'm
portance that the stone shall be found
is the unwilling cause of its loss. He
walks in his sleep. and transports the
gem from place of comparative safety
to place from whence it is taken by
the real thief.
wanted to see if Joseph Kinch were
a somnambulist. / remembered that
he had dropped asleep with his mind
full of the diamond, its value. its hid
ing place-selecteG by me; and its car
rying place-selected by himself. And
[ thought that, in his troubled slum-
bers, his subconsciousness might have
been at work telling him to mistrust
my selection and to use one more his
own. And I also thought drawing
again upon Wilkie Collins) that if
Kinch were placed in almost his iden-
teal position of the night before, he
might possibly repeat almost his iden-
tical movements.
That night. at a spy-hole in the wall
just above picture, | stationed Sergt.
Stavely. wanted witness, for Kinch's
sake, and perhaps for my own AS for
me, l hid in a cupboard which had
hole bored in a panel. The window
was left open; the gas was turned
down; and Detective Kinch was en-
sconced behind a chair. That | was
the only occupant of my miniature
Black Hole of Calcutta pleaseS me
greatly, and l applied to the small
~ iAiSN hSiN " pNiiIhS III lhC PdHSl ulD
mouth more often than my eye Would
no one come? Would nothing happen?
Would | prove to be wrong? Hours
passed. / languishedL Kinch slept. At
any rate, heard him snore! And after
awhile. | saw that there was no need
for him to watch. Then l grew proud
of myself; and I hoped that Stavely
was looking. After all, liked Kincn.
and l was glad.
He rose; he began slowly to pace the
room; he murmured to himself "I
wonder if the diamond is safe?" said
he. Later, in a dreamy. gliding sort of
fashion, he moved the desk, lifted the
lid, fumbled at the corners, picked out
the gem (for, unknown to him, had
replaced it there), and, walking to the
door, he took down his hat (Which had
also replaced), and he carefully put the
diamond between the silk and the felt.
My theory was vindicated Well,
there was some good in those writer
fellows after all. Overjoyed, 1 sprang
out from the cupboard.
"Thank goodness you woke me-"
THANK goodness you went to Sleep"
said l.