Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-10
CHAPTER ~.
The Problem Of the Diamond.


had the inner room to myself. and direct
ed that Godfrey be shown in at once.
Il was expecting you." l said. rising to
shake hands with him. That stare OF
yours last night warned me that you'd be
around to demand an explanation"
Demand is hardly the word" he correct
ed, as he sat down. "Beseech would be
nearer 1t. I confess was never more sur
prised in my life than when ! saw you sit
ting there calmly chatting away with Mrs.
Tremaine."
Then you have met her? She thought
she was mistaken
You mean she knew me?" he asked
quickly.
''She asked who you were-she fancied
she'd met you somewhere.
Godfrey laughed little dry laugh.
She has," he said, but it's strange she
remembers 1t, for III swear she never look
ed at me-or perhaps he added. knitting
to remember l happened to be in the
hall of the Marathon apartment house
talking with Higgins, the janitor,
when she and her husband came
in from dinner the night that man Thomp-
son was killed there-perhaps you remem-
Der about it?"
! nodded. smiling.
Yes 1 remember"
Something in my face caught his atten-
ton.
You mean you know something about
it?' he asked quickly. But movement OF
feet across the floor outside INTERRUPTED
him. I'VE can't talk here he said VIII
you be at home tonight?'
Yes"
Then I'll look you up" and he turned to
90.
Wait minute 1 said. Il m not with
Mrs. Fitch any more
Aren't your
"No-Tm quartered at the Marathon
AT the Marathon
4 0Uin xrTi11
up"
He stared at me an instant with starting
eyes, Then the door opened and Mr.. Royce
came in, followed by two clerks.
I'll look for you this evening"" l added,
hugely enjoying his stupefaction.
He nodded mechanically, and turned
away, walking like a man In dream.
Well" began Godfrey, as he settled back
in his chair and looked around the room,
this is about the last place on earth I'd
have expected to find you.
And yet it's not wonderful" l point
ed out. Il had to change my lodgings ana
found that these would suit
IT'S in your blood he went on, smiling.
1T has been ever since that affair of Miss
Holiday. You'll never get it out But
I'm glad you're here I've an IDEA that
we're just on the threshold of very re-
markable mystery, and you can help
lott
Then the murder wasn't the end?
NO. 1 fancy it was only the beginning.
with Mrs. Tremaine last night"
''Tremane had an important business
engagement" / said, which he couldn
break. He'd promised to take her TO the
theater and had secured seats Rather
than disappoint her he asked me to take his
place.
And she didn't object?"
She made the best of it. l guess
she seemed to be getting a sood zeal oi
fun out of it,.
tional creature | ever met. Shed interest
you, Godfrey.
maine interests me, too. You don't happen
to know what this business engagement
VASE" and he looked at me with a queer
smile.
No; I suppose that II had something 10
do with his railroad
His railroad?"
1 related briefly the project in which Ire
maine was engaged.
that" Godfrey said, when l had finished.
but indirectly-very indirectly. He spent
the evening in Dickie Delroy's box at the
opera"
1t was my turn to stare.
Are you sure?'
quite sure-I saw him there. Iremalne,
understand, was taken up by Delroy some
time ago and has been cutting quite
sWath in society-it's easy enough to I'M
derstand why. That's not the first time he's
been in the Delroy box
But" I asked, more and more aston
ished, how did he accomplish itr
"I don't know A polished fellow like
that has an open sesame, sometimes. More
than likely, he's interested Delroy in his
railroad scheme, and Delroy has become
fascinated with him, just as you've evil
IDENTIFY been
Yes" | admitted candidly II have"
Il saw at a glance that he's smooth
one. believe that railroad business Is
Just a blind-he doesn't look the man 10
httill LING q q
'.Oh, if you could hear him. protested
Il wish / could
II can introduce you-as reporter look
ing for story, say.
mo, it won't do. I'll try to get at MN
some other way.
II don't believe It's blind" I per
sisted. His hearts too deeply In 1t. Be
sides. l don't see that we have any reason
to suspect him of anything. II it's bnnd,
what's his real gamer
Il give 1t up. That's just what we've got
to find out"
points ia like to submit TO you-both
rather important ones, l fancy. But first
want you to tell me the story OF the
crime. just as it occurred. l suspect there
were some details that didn't get into the
Record. Start a cigar first
He took cigar and struck match.
There were" he assented with smile,
"a number of details that didn't get be
fore the public. Most of them have an
unfortunate tendency to implicate Miss
Croydon
Miss Croydon?"
Yes; l don't mean implicate her In the
actual crime-I don't for instant be-
lieve she had any hand in that; but they
seem to indicate that she wasn't frank with
us-that she's concealing something-pro-
tecting somebody. Now there wasn't any
use In telling the fool public that; they'd
jump at once to the conclusion-why," he
broke off, abruptly with some heat, even
as ii WAS
YES" 1 said, somewhat surprised at
his irration. II noticed the shots at her.
Some of them were outrageous! It's
shame that such woman as that-but you
shall Judge" and he told me the story sub
stantially as l have set 1t down In the first
chapters of this history. There isn't the
least doubt" he added, that she took the
clipping from Thompson's pocket book, and
think II very improbable that she has told
us the whole truth concerning the minor
details Of the crime. but nevert heless she S
innocent"
He got up and walked across the room
and placed his finger over a little hole In
the woodwork of the bed room door.
There's where the bullet from her re-
yolyer struck" he said There's no doubt
about that-it was taken out and found TO
At I'd give good deal to know who 1t
was she fired at and why she fred I tell
you Lester the more one thinks about that
affair the more incomprehensible it be-
comes there are so many questions which