The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1904-12-13
CHAPTER VII.

DAd4uC Lie man VINO pT0LecES nImSelL
when his life is in danger9 That dia-
mond is life to mel What could I do
| II it were lost? You hold that dia-
m0nd-my life in your keeping. You
! are bound to take every precaution
| for its safety. You have no right to
despise my warning because it does
not agree with your reckless trust in
| humanity"
Take the diamond into your keep
ing, il you think it is not safe in
mine," said.
You make that offer because you
know that am powerless to accept it
in my blind and helpless condition.
How can keep it against man like
| Brace?''
IF You have more faith in my power
to keep the diamond, why do you ac-
cuse me OF neglecting its safety?"
Because you blind yourself in the
danger that exists. GodH' he ex-
claimed, protruding his sightiess eyes
to the light, and clenching his hands
in frenzy, ITO think that those who
can see will not seev'
"What possible connection can there
beY' / asked, between the safety of
our diamond and the event OF last
night?'
"A palpable connection. The event
Of last night was an abortive attempt
to obtain the diamond"
AS heard this, and looked at Van
Hoeck, almost doubted If be were in
| his right mind
The plot failed" he continued, "be-
cause the girl mistook the room.'
An incredulous exclamation es-
capped me.
You shall hear me,v he muttered,
stretching his arm to the right and
left until he encountered mine with
his hand, and then clutching it tightly;
"you shall see-with my eyes, if not
with your own. You have urged that
the girl could know nothing OF the dis
position Of the rooms; but she might
receive instructions from her father
He went into the wood to give her
those instructions yesterday. Look at
your plan"-he handed me the dia-
gram had drawn at his request
'Brace. having his room at the back
of the right block, would naturally
tell her that when she got to the top
of the stairs she was not to pass
through the picture gallery. but to so
straight to the landing over the stairs
she had assembled, open the window in
the bay, which would then be on her
left hand, and make her way to the
oriel facing her.
'sThat, according to his calculation,
would bring her to your window"
Certainly"
"But he did not take account Of the
fact that the door by which the girl
enters. the house is at the back Of the
right block, and that the stairs by
which she would ascend to the first
floor bring her to the landing between
Sir Edmund's room and Miss Las
celles' Thus, though carrying out her
fathers Instructions to the letter, she
must inevitably make her attempt up
on Miss Lascelles' room, and not upon
yours. Look at your plan"
II follow you perfectly WELL" said,
astonished by the ingenuity Of his ex-
PLANTATION, which had made a perfectly
/ incredible supposition possible-nay,
for the moment probable.
"Are you convincedY he asked tri-
umphally.
you have yet to explain how Brace
thought to obtain the diamond by the
meas he employed. He would scarcely
expect that should faint with terror"
| "Who said he would? Brace cal
culated upon dealing with heavy
sleeper, not a nervous girl. The tap
ping is described as soft and regular;
1t was intended to test whether you
were asleep or not. The moment a
light appeared the sound ceased the
| girl had gone back to the bay From
the landing she could see when the
light was put out, and it was safe to
recommence the attack. The candle
/ was lit with some difficulty the second
time Miss Lascelles possibly stood
with her back to the window as she
held the vesta. Lola may have de-
tected the first glimmer, and uncer-
tain or not whether it was safe to
continue, turned the blind and looked
through. At that moment the wick
burnt up, and Miss Lascelles turning
saw the girls eyes between the iaths.
The knocking was not repeated, for a
simple reason-L Lola had discovered her
mistake and retreated. Do you doubt
now the purpose with which Brace has
gone to seek the girl to-day?"
was forced to adnit that this ex-
PLANTATION was feasible, yet could not
believe that Lola, who seemed sincere
" attached to me, would consent to
aid in my rnin merely at the instiga-
ton Of her father, whose authority
she habitpally disregarded. ! said
this to Van Hoeck.
It is because she is attached to you
because she loves you" he replied,
with emphasis, ''that she would readi-
" enter into her fathers project to
rob you Of the diamond. The dia-
mond is her enemy It has separated
her from you. and placed you side by
side with Miss Lascelles, for whom
she has manifested Jealous hatred
from the very first. What could be
more gratifying to her savage DISPOSE
Mon than to take away the diamond
that has created this difference be
tween you and her. and to reduce you
once more 10 her level2 It is the only