Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-08-08
s. The KING of 81
DIAMONDS. !
BY Louis Tracy, !
Author 'Wiras Morning." "Thc Pillar OF
Light" Etc. zee Z
cooYercHr nv EDWARD }. -
BY Louis Tracy,
CHAPTER IN.
Author of "Wiras of the Morning. "The Pi
Light" Etc.

drawer or more rosolute boy breath.
- ed Put the silence the mystery
The gloomy aloofness of Johnson's
Mews-lcnt q sinister aspect to an ap-
partition formidable enough under any
circumstances but absolutely threaten.
ing and full Of danger to one situated
as be at that moment.
He never remcmhesn1 seeing the man
before. not that this repellcnt physiog.
Aonly was of n type to bc soon forgot
ten. A bullet head. with prominent,
bloodshot eyes a strong, cruel mouth,
a huge nose, badly broken--a certain
strength of character in features de
based Ivy drink and criminality-these
were the tokens writ legibly on the
countcnance garjnG intently at the boy
from without
The two gazed at each other for an
Epprcciablc time. The mans &c wan.
t"red from Philips face to li' costume
ard then rested on the open portinan-
te0u at the hoy's feet. There was in
lis expression an air of astonishment-
certain Sloating bcwilderment-as Of
one who had stumbled unawarcs upon
some object of such potential value
TAT the finder could hardly believe it
Il he true. lie was thinking. wonder
ilg, debating. with himself. The cog
t'e eyes seemed to sec more than the
l.ain was inclined to credit.
Philip despite his alarm folt that the
right course was to resent this imperti-
rent prying into his affairs,
Hello. YOU he shouted. What do
you want:
The man grnned He seemed to be
hout TO answer when he suddenly
turned his head and looked down the
yard toward the entry.
Instantly he swung round and van
i~hed noiselessly with the silent alert
ress of cat. for the boy heard no
sound He simply disappeared in the
darkness. and Philip, who knew every
inch of the ground. realized that his
most unpleasant viSagcd spy had not
only divod into the further obScuri.y
of the news which formed Tide.
sac. but also was either in his stocking
feet or wore something over his boots to
deaden any possible clattcr on the paw
ing stones
Here was nice thing, his habitat
discovered by some tramp or criminal
skuking in the untenanted building
marked out for the house breakers
within a few days. It was too bad.
He was sorely annoyed that he had
not thought sooner of the potentalities
Of the window when the interior of the
house was ilumined by Il candle and
ruddy fire. How long had the man
stood there watching him? He had
certainly seen some portion of the con
tents Of the last portmanteau. Had he
also witnessed the removal of the 9th.
ers to the pantry?
Philips experience as a newspaper
vender told him that all London was
now familiar with his own personal
appearance rs well as with the sem
blance and value of his meteorlc dia.
monds. The white stones. the clumps
of iron ore, had baon described minute.
ly by clever journalists, who supple
mented Isaacstein's clear statement by
facts cleaned from encyclopedias and
interviews with BIOLOGISTS.
Most probably this man had read
long articles about him, for the story
was such as to bring watery curses 10
the lips OF every penniloss vagrant in
the kingdom Indeed, tho careful scru-
tiny bestowed on his face ana clothes
bore out this suspicion. Had he not
changed his garments the stranger
would have known his identity beyond
all question AS It was, the man was
puzzled and disturbed at the worry mo
ment he was about to say something.
What had happened to cause him to
run away? What had he seen or heard?
Above all. how much did he know Of
Philip and his affairs?
Well, the door was locked. and It
would be folly to go out again that
night The house was absolutely I'M
0pproachahle save nv the front Phlip
resolved to remain awake until day.
break. OBrien's spade stood against
the fireplace. 1t was n formidable
weapon, and he would not hesitate to
use 1t II forcible entry was attempted.
lie must sit quietly in the dark, listen
Ing for each sound and threatening
boldly when he heard any one endeav.
bring to open door or window.
He sighed, for he was very tired, but
Che vigil was imperative.
:. He dropped the drugget and scissors
and bent again over The portmanteau
The packing operations might as we'll
be finished now. and indeed when the
light was cXtnguished IT would be bot
ter to keep away from the window
through which a sudden thrust with
an implement might do him an injury
He took his discarded clothes and ar
ranged them on top of the last parcels
Of ore and diamonds Then he reached
out for the small bundle of documents
resting on the chair behind him. in
tending to place thcm In a little pocket
IN the lap which already covered one.
half OF the bag
At that instant he again heard foot
steps. or course very few seconds
had elapsed since he first caught sight
OF the living specter without The
Ideas recorded at such length whred
through his active brain with lightning
speed just as the knowledge now came
that the footsteps proceeded from the
entrance to the news and not from its
extremity. while their firm regularity
betokened the advent of some person
who had no special reason to conceal
his movements
The boy listened breathlessly. The