The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-02-05

as red as n beet 1 expected worr
protest from the young man. for th,
word trance" to him is as n Horvorf
banner to bull. but he preserved hi,
SELF control marvelously.
would you mind if walked abou,
oitF' said he. Its no earthly use
you know. May 80 into the house? ?''
he moved toward the door and thus
came face to face with Martha Hill
the suspected maid. who was lust com.
ing out. She was a worn. faded. M.
tlcnt woman of fifty, not without inteI.
hSence and meant perhaps for a better
| s'ation, vet now creature of lifelong
s'rV'tude Her mouth had a peculiar
| uroop at the corners, so that she must
| nave looked sad at all times. She had
shed many tears that day, and her ewes
were red; her nose, too, moor woman
and altogether she was a picture NJ
woe.
Donald kept his eyes upon her as she
crossed the veranGa toward her mis-
tress. When she had taken her place
Dehind the chair in which Mrs. Kelvin
nad sat down, she turned and looked at
donald. 1t was clear that she knew
who he was and why lie had come.
ou were quite right, Mrs. Kelvin"
said my boy. "Your maid is perfectly
innocent"
AT these words Martha's feelings
overcamc her. She walled distressful.
~ and fell upon her knees, not because
she thought the act appropriate hut
Dec0nSa Sha pn,lI not toi-~
Donald turned hastily toward tbe
mouse and made three attempts to open
the door. describe his action as II
( IeQpeared. There was an ordinary
veranda to the hers steps, tepsH rtR d2Psn but he
diately to the door. by which he stood
for some seconds, hesitnting.
'"The diamonds are not in the house."
said he at last.
THAT'S easy" said Reedy. "I've
been hunting for 'em since II O'clock"
at may be that that's why 1 feel
that they're not there" returned Don
aid, as If gratified to receive this ex-
planation. "You never can tell where
these foolish notions come from. Have
you searched outside the houseP
"'Outside the house is a wide propo-
sition," rejoined Reedy. 1T includes
most everywhere. But I've looked
around a bit"
Donald groaned.
T 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? I don't know what
I'm doing it for. yet l can't sit STILL"
He ran down the steps Of the veran.
da, and we all followed him. as he
raised % objection. In an absurd
struggling procession we made the cir.
cult Of the great old mansion.
| "Well," said Reedy as we stood
again before the main entrance, "did
you see 'em anywhereT
Donald shivered I'm the heat Of the
I summer day.
1--WE been mighty close to them," HI
said. "Let me try that once more"
This time he led US less than hal
way around, and we came to a hal
beside n pile of coal that had beel
dumped that day before an entranc
to-the cellar. Kelvin Is thrifty man
He buys coal not wben--he- -needs II
but when 1t is cheapest The pile ma.
have amounted to about three tons
Donald regarded 1t steadily for som
seconds and then walked hesitatingl
toward the cellarway.
"You'vebeen down there, Mr.. Reedy
he queried, and then suddenly an
with decision he said, "The diamond
are therep'
He pointed directly toward the hea
Of COAL
"There" echoed Kelvin. 'In this
coal? Why, the stuff wasn't brougi
here till this forenoon. How do 20
suppose the diamonds could get int
itY
Donald dashed the perspiration frol
his forehead with gesture Of d
J spair.
IT don't know a blessed thing abo'
1t, Mr.. Kelvin" said he. Except th'
they're there"
Kelvin seemed somewhat take
aback. He regarded 1t as perfect
obvious that the diamonds could not
; hidden in the coal, which had not bee
delivered until after the arrival Of d
tective Reedy. Why had Donald col
: mitted himself to such q clear -absur
!. ity2 1t looked like trick, and Kelv
= glanced quickly at Reedy as IL to rel
advice In his eyes. The detective el
J. vated his eyebrows and his shoulde
simultaneously and spread out b
Q hands with the palms forward. 1t ~