Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-12-20

know-for my own saRe, Kinch, old TEL
low. Besides, it was such curious
place TO select; both for hiding and for
seeking. Who would have thought that
a thing was again in place where one
had seen it taken from"
That's precisely what ought to prove
nv complete innocence" said Kinch.
"But | haven't yet accused you; I've
merely arrested you. And, in addition,
as 1 said, I'm going to help you. Now
Kinch, my boy, remember that you
slept in this room last night; and l
also remember that, owing to the heat,
| 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-into-shall
we say your friend Rowland? 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
wall 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.
I 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 Boisgobey, Edgar Allan
Poe and Wilkie Collins. Now, had
Just finished reading "The Moonstone."
1t will be remembered that in this work
a 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 ANYTHING cause of its loss. He
walks in his sleep. and transports the
gem from place of comparative safety
to a place from whence it is taken by
the real thief,
1 wanted to see if Joseph Kinch were
a somnambulst. l remembered that
he had dropped asleep with his mind
full of the diamond, its value, its hid
ing place-selected by me; and its car
rying place-selected by himself. And
l thought that, in his troubled slum-
beers, his subconsciousnes might have
been at work telling him to mistrust
my selection and to use one more his
own. And l 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-
teal movements.
That night, at a spy-hole in the wall
just above a picture, l stationed Sergt.
Stavely. wanted a witness, for Kinch's
sake, and perhaps for my own. AS for
me, I hid in a cupboard which had a
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 1 was
the only occupant of my miniature
Black Hole of Calcutta pleased me
greatly, and 1 applied to the small
drilled hole opening in the panel my
mouth more often than my eye. Would
no one come? Would nothing happen?
Would l prove to be wrong? Hours
passed. languishedl Kinch slept. At
any rate, heard him snorel And, after
awhile, l saw that there was no need
for him to watch. Then 1 grew proud.
of myself; and I hoped that Stavely
was looking. After all, liked Kinch
and l was glad.
He rose; he began slowly to pace the
room; he murmured to himself. 81
wonder if the diamond is safe?" said
he. Later, in 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, l sprang
out from the cupboard
Thank goodness you woke me"
THANK goodness you went to sleep"
said l.
But-ah, there is always but!
Not long after he left the town was
strolling past a secondhand book
shop. Exposed for resale was well
known novel; inside, on the fy-leaf,
was a well-known signature. The
novel was THE Moonstone;" the sig
nature was Joseph Kinch."
Now, although, in these days, l have
retired, 1 am still man of many
suspicious; the nature of my business
and the disposition of my wife have
made me so. And I continually ask
myself these questions: Did Joseph
Kinch buy-and read-"The Moon
stone" before my explanation, or aft
err? On the first night, was Joseph
Kinch asleep or awake? And on the
second night, was Joseph Kinch asleep
or awake-wide awake ?-Tit-Bits.