Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-02-11

| you KNOW. May 90 into the houSe!"
He moved toward the door and thus
| came face to face with Martha Hill,
the suspected maid who was Just COM
ing out. She was a worn. faded, pa
tient woman Of fifty, not without intel
ligence and meant perhaps for better
station, yet now creature Of lifelong
seryitude. Her mouth had peculiar
droop ut the corners, SO that she must
have looked sad at all times. She had
shed many tears that day, and her eyes
were red; her nose too, poor woman,
and altogether she was picture of
woe.
Donald kept his eyes upon her as she
crossed the veranda toward her mis-
tress When she had taken her place
behind the chair in which Mrs. Kelvin
had sat down, she turned and looked at
Donald. It was clear that she knew
who he was and why he had come.
you were quite right, Mrs. Kelvin"
said my boy. "Your maid is perfectly
innocent"
At these words Martha's feelings
oyercame her. She walled distressful.
~ and fell upon her knees. not because
she thought the act appropriate, but
because she could not help 1t.
Donald turned hastily toward the
house and made three attempts to open
the door. describe his action as 1t
appeared. There was an ordinary
screen door, very easy to open, but he
| tried three times and failed. Then he
! shook his head and walked across the
veranda to the steps. returning imme-
diately to the door. by which he stood
for some seconds, hesitating.
"The diamonds are not in the house."
| said he at last.
"Thats easy" said Reedy. 1--WE
been hunting for 'em since II o'clock"
ut may be that that's why l feel
that they're not there" returned Dom
! aid. as if gratified to receive this ex-
PLANTATION. you never can tell where
these foolish notions come from. Have
you searched outside the house?"
Outside the house is wide propo-
sition," rejoined Reedy. ut includes
most everywhere. But I've looked
around n bit"
Donald groaned.
Il do hate this business so like the
old Harry!'' he said. "But it's got to
be done. Would you mind If walk
around the house? l don't know what
I'm doing 1t for, yet can't sit still"
He ran down the steps of the yeran-
da, and we all followed him, as he
raised no objection. In an absurd,
struggling procession we made the cir.
cult of the great old mansion.
well" said Reedy us we stood
again before the main entrance, did
you see 'em anywhere?"
Donald shivered in the heat Of the
summer day.
i've been mighty close to them," he
said. "Let me try that once more"
This time he led us less than half
i way around, and we came to halt
beside pile of coal that had been
dumped that day before an entrance
to the cellar. Kelvin is thrifty man.
He buys coal not when he needs it,
but when It is cheapest. The pile may
have amounted to about three tons.
Donald regarded it steadily for some
seconds and then walked hesitatingly
toward the cellarway.
you've been down there, Mr.. Reedy?"
he queried, and then suddenly and
with decision he said, "The diamonds
are therew
: He pointed directly toward the heap
of coal.
.gThere?" echoed Kelvin. "In that
coal? Why, the stuff wasn't brought
here till this forenoon. How do you
suppose the diamonds could get into
it,"
Donald dashed the perspiration from
his forehead with gesture Of de-
spair.
| II don't know blessed thing about
it, Mr. Kelvin" said he. except that
they're there"
Kelvin seemed somewhat taken
aback. He regarded it as perfectly
obvious that the diamonds could not be
hidden in the coal, which had not been
delivered until after the arrival Of De-
tectiye Reedy. Why had Donald COM
mitted himself to such clear absurd
ity? 1t looked like trick, and Kelvin
glanced quickly at Reedy as If to read
advice in his eyes. The detective ele-
waited his eyebrows and his shoulders
simultaneously and spread out his
hands with the palms forward. 1t was
equivalent to saying II pass" in a
game of cards.
The iron lips of our amiable host
came together firmly and he settled
himself upon his broad, fiat feet in the
manner Of an orator who has reached
the great. convincing argument Of his
discourse.
"Now, call this clear cut issue
said he ''f' se got this thing local
lied, so to speak. Either those dia
monds are here or they are not!"
And his head came forward us he ut
tered the last word with decisive
snap that would have endangered his
aeck If it hadn't been SO thick. He was
man of ready executive ability, and
the way he went to work to insure Q
proper inspection of that heap of Goa
commanded my admiration. 1t was re
moved basketful at time, and Kel
win saw every lump of it.
-Four sturdy grooms were selected
for the task, and they were subjected
to scrutiny that would have sufficet
for count of cash in the United Statel
treasury, yet they were driven at goot
speed, SO that the coal vanished rap
idly into the cellar. Kelvin was tot
thrifty to put 1t anywhere except IL
the bin.
1t was warm day. and the nyini
coal dust stuck like glue. Kelvin
whose head was in every basket. grew
blacker as the moments sped away
Perspiration rolled down from unde
his hat and striped his broad face gro
tesQuely and in ever changing patterns
Occasionally, as If dissatisfied with hi
war paint, he would obliterate the Dc
sign with wild sweep of his hand
kerchief, ana new ana ncrcvr uveora
ton would take its place.