The age-herald., 1901-12-08
(Author of ''The Three Daughters of Night" "The Mystery of the Moat House." Etc)
links In a Chain.

 cumstantial evidence I have come across is the following. which considered in teresting enough to put down at full 1 length irl Nmy diary after having col- lected all the details from the different persons concerned. I wrote it in narra- tive form, so as to have the exact ex- pressions used as often as possible. l | happened to be out at the Cape at the time. and having nothing to do l took the matter up In a non-official way. q haven't a vacant room in the house." repeated the landlord of the Blue Boar Hotel in Cape Town to his pertinacious visitor. You must try else | where
 But I have tried everywhere" replied i the stranger. What am I to do? l l must sleep somewhere" The landlord was good natured man and he took time to consider.
 "A gentleman landed little while ago from the Peruvian, who took my last room," he said, and perhaps he wouldn't mind sharing 1t with you. It's only for one night; he told me he was going on to the Diamond Fields tomor-
  chance it."
 The stranger, who gave his name as Whitaker, gratefully accepted the offer and went up stairs.
 An hour later, MT. Whitaker, who was still awake, heard footsteps outside the door, and the next moment the handle was turned. He thought it best to feign to be asleep, but through his half closed eyes he saw young man come in, car 4o1 To tta h hQn 1c stopped at the foot of his bed, looked at him intently minute, and then turned away.
 Whitaker, with idle curiosity, watched him undress, and saw that he slipped his watch and pocket book under his pillow in less than ten minutes he had blown out the light, and in another ten his deep, regular breathing proclaimed him to be asleep. He looked enviously through the darkness in the direction of | the other bed. It's lucky occupant was was going on to the Diamond Fields to- morrow-the new Fl Dorado which had | flooded Cape Town with men eager to | make their fortunes-while he, for lack of a few pounds, must perhaps remain behind. He was desperate man and he YVES not long making up his mind how to act.
 He waited an hour or two until all
  softly out of bed and dressed himself. The first grey streaks of dawn were lighting the room now and he could see what he was doing. The window had been left open. for it was a hot night, and all he had to do was to take the pocket book from under the pillow there must be money in 1t or it would | not have been put in such a place-step out on the balcony and drop into the I5fY.n o1r nf fauy The man was sleeping so soundly that there should be little danger Very gent ly he inserted his hand under the pillow and touching the pocket book drew 1t slowly out. The unconscious man did not stir. He had had a tiring, exciting day, and he was worn out. Whitaker jumped lightly to the ground. He stood a moment without moving, but hearing and seeing nothing. he began to walk rapidly away. It was not until he had put some distance between him self and the Blue Boar that he took the pocket book from his breats and exam ined the contents. There were about $50 in gold and several bank notes, less than e200 in all. 1t was not as much as he had hoped for, but it would take him to the Diamond Fields and give him an other start.
 Fortune favored him, for in the early
 
 travelling by bullock-waggon to the Fields, who consented to let him join them on his paying his share of the ex- penses.
 The first postoffice at the Diamond Fields was nothing more than a shanty composed of canvas and corrugated iron, but it looked quite important by the side of the little tents which had sprung ilra ,tro1ar fl,A 0I1 1f and which earned for the town it's early name of camp"
 Two men were lying stretched out ono afternoon in front of a drinking bar which faced the postoffice, smoking and talking idly together. One of the men bore anything but a prepossessng ap- pearance the other was a gentlemanly looking youth of three or four and twen- ty. with weak, but not vicious face, though at the present time it was far from attractive, showing plainly the signs of recent dissipation.
 The older man looked at his compan- ion furtively from time to time without turning his head, and at last, after d longer pause than usual, he said care lessly:
 T hear Gluckstein and Levy are send ing home big consignment of diamonds this mail Lucky beggars!''
 His companions face clouded q might have been doing the same if had had fair chance" he said passfonately 'I only wish l could find the scoundrel who robbed me in Cape Town; he should have something to remember me by. What Is the use of being here without any money?'
 Not much, certainly" assented the other. And I suppose you can't get any more?"
 Not a farthing. I am almost at my wits end. I can tell you, Markham. I wish l had never come to this cursed country
 When Godfrey Faulkner awoke late in the morning of his first day in Cape Town and found that his bedroom com panion had taken his departure and also that his pocket book had gone from under his pillow, he was almost beside himself with grief and rage. That 92OO which he had acquired with some dif- ficulty was to have been the nucleus of a fortune, and now he was left helpless and beggared in strange land. He gave information to the police, of course, but with the present shifting population they did not hold out much hope of being able to help him. The landlord was sympathetic and willing to be generous to the extent of few pounds, feeling that he was partly to blame for the loss, 80 Faulkner determined to make his way still to the Fields. He did not know where else to go. and he thought possibly he might find the thief there But almost Immediately on his arrival he fell into the hands of bad companions and tried to forget his troubles in drink