Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-09-10
Philip looked the policeman squarely

! Philip looked the policeman squarely
in the eyes.
"You had Just taken of your great
coat when the glass cracked" he said.
Police Constable Bradley stopped to
pick up his coat. He did not wish this
portion of the nights proceedings to be
described too minutely. In moving the
garment he disturbed the packet Of let
ters. Instantly Philip recalled the
names Of the solicitors mentioned by
the constable.
"You said that clerk from Messrs.
Sharpe & Smith called here twice" he
asked.
"Yes."
He picked out one Of the letters,
opened it and made certain of his facts
before he cried angrily:
"Then want to have nothing what
ever to do with them. They treated
my mother shamefully."
The inspector had sharp eyes.
"What is the date Of that letter" he
inquired.
Jan. 1S of this year."
"And what are those-pawn tickets"
"Yes, some Of my mothers jewelry
and dresses. Her wedding ring was
the last to go. Most Of them are out
Of date, but intend to- will try to
save some of them, especially her we'd
ding ring"
Jocky Mason's romance was now dis
| sipated into thin air. The contents OF
the portmanteau, the squulid appear
ance Of the house, the date Of the So
| licitor's letter, the bundle Of pawn
| tickets offered conclusive evidence to
the inspectors matter Of fact mind
that the ex-convict's story was the ef-
feet cf a truncheon rapidly applied to
| q brain excited by the newspaper COM
ments on q sensational yarn about
some boy who had found parcel Of
diamonds.
This youngster had not been favor
ed by any such extraordinary piece OF
luck. Simple chance had led him to
put the police on the track Of much
wanted scoundrel, and he had very
bravely prevented a member Of the
force from being badly worsted in the
ensuing encounter.
A subscription would be made among
the officers and men Of the division,
and they would give him a silver
watch with a suitable inscription.
The inspector noted the address CIV
en- by Philip. It was on the tip Of his
tongue to ask his Christian name,
when the constable suggested that they
should examine the stable in which
Mason had hidden.
They went up the news. Philip
locked his door, eItinguished his can
die and lay down on the mattress,
fully dressed, with his newly bought
rug for covering.
He was 80 utterly tired, 30 exhausted
physically and mentally by the sturm
und drang Of this eventful day that
he was sound asleep when the two
men returned.
They saw him through the window.
"He's a fine lad" said the inspector
thoughtfully. II wonder what he Is
going to make Of himself. We might
have asked him who his friends were,
but they are not badly of. or he
couldn't have got that bag and his new
clothes. What on earth caused Masso
to connect him with that diamond
story"
It's hard to say" observed the con
stable.
'I will look round and have chat
with him In the morning. Poor littlr
chap! He's sleeping like top now"
The inspector called at No. John
sons News soon after 10 next morn
Ing. but the door was locked and the
bird flown. He spoke to Mason after
that worthy was remanded for week,
but nights painful seclusion had
sealed the burglars lips. He vowed.
with fearful emphasis, to get even
with the kid who "ahted" him, for the
policeman's evidence had revealed the
truth concerning the arrest But not
another word would Mason say about
the diamonds, and for little while the
inspector placed his overnight revela-
tions in the category of myths familiar
to the police in their daily dealings
with criminals.
Philip awoke shortly before Z.
He was cold and stiff The weather
was chilly, and there was no ardent
meteor In the back yard to keep the
temperature of the house ut u grateful
point during the night.
But his active young frame quickly
dssipated the effects Of deep sleep
ON drafty floor. He washed his face
and hands at the sink in the scullery,
and his next thought was for break
fast, proof, il proof were needed.
that he arose refreshed In mind and
body.
In the Mile End road there are plen-
ty Of early morning restaurants. At
one OF them he made substantial
meal, and, on his return to the news,
he lost not moment in carrying out q
systematic search through all parts OF
the house and yard for any traces OF
the meteor which might have escaped
his ken in the darkness.
Amid the earth and broken stones OF
the excavation there We're few frag-
ments Of ore and some atomic speci'
mems Of the diamantiferous material
not sufficient, all told, to ill the palm
Of his hand, but he gathered them for
obvious reasons and then devoted ave
vigorous minutes with O'Brien's spade
to the task Of filling up the deep hole
itself.
BY lowering the fagstones and
breaking the earth beneath he soon
gave the small yard an appearance OF
chaos which might certainly puzzle
people, but which would afford no pos
sible clew to the nature Of the disturb.
ing element
At best they might imagine that the
lresd evidence of some weird crime
lay In the broken area. II so, they
could dig until they were tired. But
indeed, he was now guarding against Il
most unlikely hypothesis. The prob
ability was that Johnson's News would
soon cease to exist and become al
most as fabulous as the island Of At
iantis.
Moreover, he had project dimly
outlined In his mind which might be-