Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-09-11


and replacing the plates and the rest
denly flung open, and Il wardcr cried:
Come along, Mornnd. You're want
ed at the court"
sat the court" he could not help
saying. This is only Thursday"
What a boy you are for arguing!
Pick up your hat and come. Your car
riage waits. my lord. 1 hope you will
like your quarters as well when YOU
come back. A pretty stir YOU have
made in the papers the last five days"
Philip glanced at the man, who seem.
ed to be in a good humor.
Il will not come back" he said quiet
ly, "but l wish you would tell me who
supplied me with food while have
heen here
They were passing along a lofty cor
: rfdor, and there was no superior officer
in sight. The warder laughed.
II don't know, my lord" he said,
"but the menoo came from the Royal
Star hotel. opposite"
Philip obtained no further news. He
passed through an office, a voucher
was signed for him, and he emerged
into the prison yard, where the huge
prison van awaited him. He was the
only occupant, just as on the first
memorable ride in that conveyance.
When he came to the prison from the
police court he had several companions
In misery, but they We're stretched"
His case WAS the only remand"
tho lop,r flri,,o Dl,ilin onIaov
ored to guess the cause of this uney-
pected demand for his presence. Nat
urally, lie assumed that Johnson's
News no longer held safe the secret Of
his meteor. Such few sensational ro-
mances as he had read credited detec-
tives with superhuman sagacity. III
his mind, Iohnsons News was the
center of the world. 1t enshrined the
marvelons-how could 1t escape the
thousands of prying eyes that daily.
passed through the great thorough
fare of the East End but n few yards
away? Judging from the remark
dropped by the warder all London
was talking about him. A puzzling
feature was the abundant supply of
good food sent to him in prison. Who
was his unknown frierd-and what
explanation was attached to the In
cident:
Philips emotions We're no more cap0-
BILE of analysis than a display of rock
cts. Immured in this cage, rattling
over the payements, he seemed TO be
advancing through tunnel into an ull-
known world. gua ii5t
At last the van stopped, and he was
led forth into the yard of the police
court. He followed the same route us
on the previous Saturday, but when
he assembled into the court itself he
discovered u change. The magistrate,
u couple of clerks and some policemen
alone We're present. The general pub
lie and tile representatives of tile press
We're not visible.
He had scarcely faced the bench
when the magistrate said:
You are set at liberty. The police
withdraw the charge against YOU
Philip'sseyes sparkled, and his breast
heaved unanimously. For the life of
him he could utter no word, but Mr.
Abingdon helped him by quietly direct
ing the usher TO permit the lad to leave
the dock and take n seat at tie So
licitors' table.
Then. speaking slowly and with
some gravity, he said:
"Philip Morland-that is the only
name by which know you-tlle au-
tliorities have come to the conclusion
that your story is right. You have I'M
questiOnably found a deposit of dia-
monds, and. although this necessarily
exists on some persons property, there
is no evidence TO show whose property
1t is. 1t may be your own. 1t may be
situated beyond the confines of this
Kingdom. There are many hypothesis,
each of which may be true; but in any
event, IL others lay claim to this treas
ure trove-and l warn you that the
crown has Il right In such Il matter
the issue Is u civil and not a criminal
one. Therefore you are discharged
and your property Is now handed DacI,
to you intact"
A clerk placed before Philip his par
eel of diamonds. his key, the rusty
knife, the pieces of string aud the two
buttons-truly Il motley collection. The
tremulous as he asked:
MAY go now, sir?''
Mr.. Abingdon leaned back in his
chair and passed his hand over his
face to conceal smile.
II have something more to say tO
you," he answered. sit is an offens.
against the law to withhold Your name
and address. ! admit the powerful
motives which actuated you. so make
the very great concession that your
earlier refusal will be overlooked il
you privately tell me that which you
We're unwilling to state publicly"
Philip instantly decided that 1t would
be foolish in the extreme to refuse this
offer. He pocketed his diamonds, look
ed the magistrate straight in the face
and said:
Il will do that, sir AS the Informal
ton is to be given to You alone, may l
write it?"
The policemen and other officials
staggered at this display of caution,
but the magistrate nodded, and Philip
wrote Ills name and address on sheet
VI looiscap, WHICH ne lolueu before
handing 1t to the usher
To his great surprise, Mr.. Abingdon
placed the paper In a pocketbOok with
out opening 1t.
II will make no use of this document
unless the matter comes before me
again officially. wish to point out to
you that have brought you from prls-
on at the earliest possible moment and
have spared you the publicity which
your movements would attract We're
your case settled In open court. You
are not aware perhaps that you figure
largely in the eyes OF. the public at this
moment There are newspapers which
would give Il hundred. pounds to. get
hold of you. There are thieves who
would shadow your every movement.
waiting for chance TO waylay and
i'oi, you-murder YOU IL necessary. L