The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-08-30
The King of Diamonds

ridor, and there was no superior Of
ficer in sight. The warder laughed.
Il don't konw, my lord" he said, but
the menoo came from the Royal Star
hotel, opposite"
Philip obtained no further news. He
passed through an Office, voucher was
signed for him, and he emerged into
the prison yard, where the huge prison
van awaited him. He was the only or
cupant, 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 were Stretched" His case was
the only remand"
During the long drive Philip endeav-
ored to guess the cause of this unex-
pected demand for his appearance. Nat
urally, he assumed that Johnson s
News no longer held safe the Sc
cret of his meteor. Such few SEN
sational romances as he had read
credited detectives with superhuman
sagacity. In his mind, Johnson's
News was the center of the
world. 1t enshrined the marvel
ous-how could it escape the thousands
of prying eyes that passed daily through
the great thoroughfare of the East End
but few yards away? Judging from
the remarks dropped by the warder, all
London was talking about him. A puz-
cling feature was the abundant sup
ply of good food sent to him in the
prison. Who was his unknown friend
and what explanation was attached to
the incident?
Philips emotions We're no more ca
pabi> of analysis than a display of
rockets. Immured in this cage, rat
ting over the pavements, he seemed to
be advancing through tunnel into an
unknown world.
At last the van stopped, and he was
led forth into the yard of the police
court. He followed the same route as
on the previous Saturday, but when he
assembled into the court itself he dis
covered a change. The magistrate, a
couple of clerks, and some policemen
alone were present The general pub
lie and the representatives of the 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
Philips eyes 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 a seat at the solic-
tors' table.
| Then, speaking slowly and with some
| gravity, he said:
Philip Morland-that is the only
name by which l know you-the author
| tiles have come to the conclusion that
| your story is right. You have unques
| tionably found deposit of diamonds,
and although this necessarily exists on
some PERSONS property, there is no evil
| dence to show whose property it is. II
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
| if others lay claim to this treasure troye
and ] warn you that the crown has a
right in such matter-the issue is a
civil and not a criminal one. Therefore
you are discharged, and your property
| is now handed back to you intact"
A clerk placed before Philip his par
| eel of diamonds, his key, the rusty
knife, the pieces of string, and the two
buttOns-truly a motley collection. The
boy was pale. and his voice somewhat
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
Il have something more to say 70
you" he answered. 1T is an offense
against the law to withhold your name
and address 1 admit the powerful mo-
| tives which actuated you, so I make
the very great CONCESSION that your
earlier refusal will be overlooked if you
| privately tell me that which you were
unwilling to state publicly"
| Philip instantly decided that it would
be foolish in the extreme to refuse this
offer. He pocketed his diamonds. looked
the magistrate straight in the face, and
said:
| II will do that, sir AS the informa-
ton is to be given to you alone, may ]
write it?"
! The policemen and other officials snig-