Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1907-10-10
DIAr1OND In THE WORLD.
CHAPTER XVI.
sEdKeH FOR THE BIGGEST
& Ru FRANK BARRETT.

Continued.
mot now-not now," she said be-
seechingly; "a little while-a week
no more"
mo, my gel; faint to be put off like
1t was a dose of physic. See here
see here. When we parted Gentleman
Thorne refused to give me his hand
for why, he knew we wasn't playin'
square," and turning to me, he said.
"You knew we'd got the stone, didn't
you, sir?'
81 saw you hide the case" replied
consequently you knew we'd got
the thing among us somewheres. Come.
nv gel. think how Gentleman Thorne
nussed you out there in the hot sun;
member how he stood by you and
pulled you through. Don't let the best
friend you ever had think you amt
got nothin' but greascr blood in yer;
don't let him think you amt got no
kinder gratitude or 'fection in yer.'
"Oh, you shall not think that" she
cried, starting to her feet. "l'll take
you there-not to-day, it is too far; but
tomorrow I'll show you where 1t Is.
and you shall take it to her, and never
see me again.
81 will take you with me If l go,
Lola" said.
She shook her head, and covered her
face with her hands.
'No, no, you will never see me
Nd han W
of coughing attacked her, and she left
the room, closing the door after her.
Brace looked at me significantly, and
in a low voice, that faltered little,
said:
st amt natral for her to give in
like that; it amt like the Kid, not
bit Her contrariness and obstinacy
used to make me wild. but it didn't
make my heart ache like this"
Lola came back in a little while.
weak and exhausted, but with smile
upon her poor face. She sat close TO
me, slipping her hand under my arm,
and resting her cheek against my
shoulder Her love was too innocent.
or she was too ignorant of social usages
to know restraint.
81 don't want to talk; 1t hurts me-
she said. 81 just want to sit mere
quiet" and she closed her eyes nest
ling still closer.
you've come to ruined and an on
hallowed country. sir" said the Judge;
"durned If l skercely knowed it again
nothing but machinery and Chinese
not decent white placer In all Ne
vada-them yaller varmint amt left
anythin worth lookin' for, not in the
Or'nary way. It's got to be looked for
in onor'nary places, and fetched out i'll
onor'nary ways, as I've said more IL
once before to you; and my meanin' is
that | could do the same if had the
means, and if so be the Kid keeps her
promise-as l do believe she will"
Lola nodded, without taking her head
from my shoulder, or opening her eyes,
and a little sigh fluttered up from her
heart. "As | know she will-l'll do it;
not for the sake of the gold, cause that
won't be needed when we've got the
diamond but just to prove the prem
cepe of the thing. It's down an al
mighty hole up the Sierra nearly up to
the suow-lino and I've been there pros
pectin' it day after day and studyin'
the thing out and l didn't leave it till
the snow forced us to come down, and
now the holes blocked up for months.
Suddenly raising her head, and turn
ing to her father, with eager eyes Lo-
la exclaimed:
"Blocked.'
"Ab, blocked for full three months by
the snow, and for another by the
swelled fall; it'll be pretty well June
afore I kin get down."
Lola burst into fit of hysterical
laughter, and, clapping her hands with
joy. cried:
1T is down there-the diamond! You
must wait-months-almo till June"
Then growing suddenly grave, she
looked wistfully at me, as if to see if
were angry with her.