The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-08

the little woman who has been work
ing for you and accept her help" y
IF I get there, how am to find
herr"
1t is easy enough and comparative
ly safe. The little woman has brains
and foresight; she has chosen a busy
place for your meeting and a busy
time. The DIANA sails on Thursday,
the 18th, and you are to be at Plum
stead between / and 2. Meet her
there"
AS Twist finished speaking he rose
from his seat and buttoned up his
coat, with the evident intention of
taking his departure; and Winton,
who had been p~uncturing the CONVEX
sation with ever-recurring sips OF raw
whisky, eyed him furtively for a mo-
ment.
"You are going?'
81 am, and at once; I have no crav-
ing for the company Of a coward. and
if ever a man showed the white feath-
er in the face of danger, you are that
one"
well, at least let us part friendly
and have a drink together before you
go"
ooh. don't bear any malice, but I
have to protect myself, and I lessen
my chances in your company"
There is only enough for one here;
l must get another bottle"
Winton filled the cup and gulped the
contents down greedily; the raw spir-
its raced down his throat and turned
his blood to fire. A hot fash mounted
to his brain and a sinister determine
ton filled his eyes. He rose to his
feet and went to the cupboard. Twist
sat down at the table again.
"Haye you got a corkscrew?"
Twist unbuttoned his overcoat and
placed a hand in his pocket. Winton
was slightly behind him; in an instant
he swung the bottle round II
crashed it on the skull of the unsus-
pecting man, and Twist fell like a
log.
The blood-light swan in Winton's
eyes as with a cry OF triumph and
rage he sprang upon the PROSTATE
body. With the force of a maniac he
seized upon the throat of his victim
and battered his head upon the hearth
stone until the strength Of his fury
was spent.
1.-THE diamond. the Empires
Dream!'" With something of a shud-
der he recovered the jewel. There
was blood upon his hands and he trem-
bled. The still form lying there so
very quiet filled him with horror and
a nameless dread. He dare not eX-
tinguish the candle and De left alone
with that, even for a single instant.
So. leaving the poor glimmer to light
for a short space the chamber of the
dead, he gave one backward glance at
the quiet, still form, and passed out
into the night with the brand of Cain
upon him.
1t was late in the busy town Of
Plumstead; the cheap-jacks In Bers-
ford Square had packed their wares
and departed. the temperance orators
and religious reformers had decided
to let their words of wisdom sink into
the minds of their hearers in the hope
of some possible good arising there
from, and, furthermore, the listeners
themselves had realized the fact that
it was near closing time.
A man, apparently Of the s~eafaring
class, reeled out of a public house
and passed along the Plumstead road
by the arsenal gates. Three men Of
the loafer class detached themselves
from the shadow OF the wall and
silently went after him.
Suddenly there arose a cry for help,
and the seafaring man, with his back
to the wall, was fighting blindly to
keep of his antagonists. The three
men closed round him, and. still fight
ing. he fell to the ground.
AN ut's help We want, is ut? Three
to wan an that wan drunk. Ye dirty.
thievin' scoundrels, an ut's meself
that'1l take a hand in this, faith, aye"
To the three loafers it seemed as IL
an avalanche had struck them, and in
less time than it took them to realize
1t they were lying, three bruised
heaps, in the gutter.
"Sure. n me little man, have they
hurt We much? Get up, We black
whiskered whisky bottle, an let's have
a look at We, faith, aye"
The man rose slowly to his feet and
deliberately proceeded to feel in his
pockets, pulling out handfuls Of gold
and silver.
mo, they haven't got anything. I'm
pretty full up, matey, but l know what
I'm doing. Oh, yes, l know that"
Faith, but I've see that phiz Of
yours before. Sure, an ut's Jack Pill
rig, or We car call me daft-aw. yis,
sure"
The man stared stupidity at him for
a moment.
"And II 1t amt Joe Drawn Of Bal
larat!"
"It Is an all. faith, aye. An what
are We doing here, sure?"
you come along O. me, matey. Q
me aboard my ship, and I'll tell you .
fairy-tale. Come along; the Diana
she is. Right, OH"