Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1905-07-25
THE DIAMOND RIVER

BY DAVID MURRAY

with his back to the fire, and nursing
a polished silk hat in both hands, was
a stranger, who bowed tremendously and
silently.
May 1 ask If you have business
here. asked Harvey.
II have, sir" the stranger answered,
with a certain brisk politeness. Il be-
lieve this room is occupied By Mr.. Har-
vey Martin Jethroe."
THAT is my name" said Harvey.
Excuse me-" said the stranger, "but
you are net the man who took these
'The rooms were taken for me, SIR"
said Harvey, "and, as you see, occupy
them"
sir. Ny name is Taylor-Joseph Taylor.
l have business, serious and important
business, with Mr.. Harvey Martin Jeth-
roe, late of Brazil. That is a portrait
of the gentleman, and that is the gentle
man who took these rooms"
Harvey took from his outstretched
hand the cabinet portrait the other ten
dered to him, and looked at it, and as he
knew very well without raising his eyes
to verify his own certainty, Mr.. Joseph
Taylor looked at him, and looked hard.
The young man took mis- line with little
more than a seconds hesitation. For
one reason. or another his uncle had been
profoundly agitated by the mention of
this mans name and business. He had
evidently gone away to avoid the man,
and had evidently had in his own mind
some hint of the strategem which his
nephew had put in practice.
You are quite right, sir" he said,
handing back the photograph. THAT is
the gentleman who took the trouble to
retain these rooms for me-"
This is the person with whom have
business, SIR" said Mr.. Taylor. with con-
siderable asperity.
IF you have business with that gen
tlemaD," Harvey returned, Il shall be
very glad to convey to him anything you
may say, or any communication you may
confde to me-"
Every well, SIR said Mr.. Taylor
You may tell him from me that the
Ezekiel firm is not likely to put up with
any subterfuge, sir. You may tell him
from me that he was accompanied on his
passage from Brazil by a member of
that firm. You may tell him from me
that the firm will insist upon its rights,
and that if its ends are not to be secured
by peaceable means, it is prepared to
leave no stone unturned in order to
achieve them. You may go so far as to
tell him, sir, that Little William is on
the warpath."
Mr.. Joseph Taylor, who was a req
haired man of sanguine complexion, had
talked himself into a red heat by this
time. He snatched his hat from the ia
BILE and waved it to his head with
gesture which bespoke finality.
Little William, SIR" he repeated;
"dont forget Little William. Perhaps
mind when he hears of Little William"
Harvey thought he had heard a tap at
the door through the storming voice of
Mr.. Taylor, and as that gentleman turn
ed to go he walked straight into the
arms of last nights inspector. The Off
Ger was in plain clothes now, but Harvey
recognized him in a flash.
Good morning" said the Inspector.
marching strainght to business. I'm
afraid this is a little bit of an indiscre-
ton on your part, Mr.. Jethroe. I warn
ed you last night sir, that if you wanted
to make any sort of a move it might be
sensible to let me know beforehand"
II think" said Harvey, 1--WE can dis
pense wit hthis gentleman's presence
Good morning, Mr.. Taylor. You may re-
ly upon me to deliver your message"
MIR. Taylor withdrew, having appar-
emily exhausted the resources of diplo-
macy for the moment. and the inspector
went on impassively:
I'm afraid you've made an error in
running away from inquiry, and it will
be my duty to see that the maneuver
isn't repeated. There's my warrant for
the action l am taking, Mr.. Jethroe."
But my uncle is alivew cried Har-
vey, when he had mastered the contents
of the half-printed, half-written docu-
ment the inspector held out TO him. He
arrived last night, and these rooms are
him."
The gentleman at the morgue isn't
alive, you know" said the inspector
Now, don't make a song about it, Mr..
Jethroe. AS soon as you care to make
yourself ready, Mr.. Jethroe, Wen make
4 start
"Where do you mean to take me?"
Harvey asked, with a tightening at the
throat.
Well" the inspector answered, Its
central station, as it happens"
Il suppose" said the prisoner a min
ute or two later, as he and the inspector
drove together, you can recommend me
to a lawyers?
"Well, that's not a part of my duty,
Mr.. Jethroe," the inspector answered,
but l don't think you'll find a smarter
man than Hargraves."
Can l send for himT'
Certainly, if you wish il. l dare say
you might get a cheaper man, if that's
an object"
"I'n get the best man 1 can" said
Harvey. It's not worth while to spoil
this ship for a halfpennyworth of tar"
He laughed as he spoke, though he was
by no means in laughing humor. He
checked himself, but the laugh came
back, and he had hard work to fight
against it. This is a curious affair,
he said with another squirt of laughter.
If anybody had told me last night"
You take my advice" said the inspec-
tor. You keep q tight hand on your
self. Keep what you've got to say for
Mr.. Hargraves. Anything you say to
me I'm bound to repeat in evidence.
With this they came to the station,
and Harvey, trying to look as if he were
not under arrest, but persuaded of ex-
treme failure, walked up the steps into
the building. was formally handed over
to the officer in charge, and then left
for some three-quarters of an hour TO his
own reflections. At the end of that time
the lawyer was annOunced-a quiet.
gray, keen looking man of ffty-and TO
him the prisoner told his story. Every
thing was clearly narrated until the mo-
ment was arrived when Harvey had
reached his home for the second time;
but then. remembering his uncle's evident
desire for secrecy, he began to boggle
and to hesitate and stammer.
Now. Mr.. Jethroe,' said the lawyer.
there is no sounder axiom in the world
than that a patient should tell els doc
tor everything. The same rule applies
with equal force in such a case as this"
Very good, sir" said Harvey; II must
trust TO your discretion"
This time he disguised nothing. and
the solicitor listened with a growing in