The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1908-01-09
cHAPTER i.

q uouoiy hdiutu IittlO oSih SAhNSs q
man sat at a greasy table meditating
over a cigar. His features were emil
nently patrician; his fair hair, parted
down the center, gave him a look Of
effeminacy, and a slight mustache
failed to conceal a somewhat irreso-
lutte mouth. His dress clothes, hall
hidden by a long ulster, were strange
ly out Of keeping with his dingy sur
roundings.
A cheap clock on the ~chimneypiece
struck the hour of twelve, and as the
last stroke died away the door opened
and a man entered,
well, Twist, you've got back at
last?"
"Yes; and l am glad to see that you
got my wire," answered the new
conner. Where is Hammond?"
There is no use making an appoint
ment with Hammond until after clos
ing time. and, besides, I thought we
could have a chat first"
II ana glad Of that, Winton; IL win
be as well not to trust Hammond with
too much, and / have a lot to tell you"
well, SIT down, help yourself, and
begin at the beginning"
Montagu Winton lit a fresh cigar,
and Percy Twist, the newcomer, mix.
ed himself a drink.
well, what have you discovered"
my dear Winton, since we arranged
that I should go to Australia and find
out the whereabouts of Joe Drawn
and the famous diamond known as the
Empires Dream ! have discovered
many things. First and foremost l
was not long in realizing that | vas
not the only n engaged in the
quest"
You mean?"
Il mean that while | was working In
secret and on the crook, another agen-
cy was openly on the search with the
object of legitimate purchase
who were the principals in the
matter?'
II will tell you that later. also dis
covered that five years ago an attempt
was made to obtain possession of the
diamond from Joe Drawn by a man
named Jasper Garlick. This fact
seem to explain why you were so re-
luctant to go to Australia yourself"
Indeed! And why?'
tut, my dear Winton, reticence be-
tween us is foolish. made the ac-
quaintance of Joe Drawn, and In his
simple, childlike manner he told me
the whole story. When Drawn kept a
tavern at Ballarat. this Garlick was a
remittance man with a bad reputation;
nevertheless he captured the affec-
tons OF Audrey. the tavernkeeper's
daughter. When Drawn heard of the
fact he was furious, and, as he
thought, put an end to 1t, but love
proved too strong, and then one day
Audrey and Garlick disappeared"
They Disappeared" echoed Win
ton.
Both at the same time; and the
fair Audrey left a note for papa say
ing that, as he had always promised
her the Empires Dream fos a we'd
ding gift, she had taken 1t with her."
But she hadn't"
mo, my dear Gerlick-I beg pardon,
Winton-you betrayed yourself there;
no, she hadn't. Papa Drawn kept his
valuables In such a loose manner. and
the diamond was mixed up with such
odds and ends Of specimens. that the
poor girl in her hurry made a mistake
and took the wrong box
why 60 into these reimbursement"
Il only want to warn you. my dear
fellow. It appears that Joe Drawn
loved his daughter, and four years ago
he sold his tavern. and has since been
spending the proceeds. and his time.
In looking for his erring child. He APP
pears to be under the impression that
when Audrey discovered her mistake
she would have very little sugar In
her pie. and. II such proves to be the
case, he proposes to make 1t very un-
healthy for Jasper Garlick when he
comes across him."
There are q few thousand miles
between here and Australia"
Granted. my boy; but there are q
very few thousand yards between Joe
Drawn and Garlick."
what do you mean?"
II mean that Joe Drawn crossed
with me in the same ship and is now
in London. with the Empires Dream
In his pocket"
zoe Drawn In London!" murmured
winton.
Eyes: and he means nc good to you.
Where Is the grip" asked Twist.
Heaven knows; ! don't. She was
Of no use to me when found she had
brought an ugly piece of gold ore In
stead of the Empires Dream I LEFT
her IN Sidney"
"And didn't care about trying your
luck again. Well. perhaps you were
right; I'd rather face ha!f-a-dozen
bears any day than Joe B-awn with
his back up"
swell let us proceed to business.
Where did you ind Brawn?
Strange to say. | found him at his
old tavern In Ballarat. where he was
staying ~ q guest. After wandering
about nor fsar years. looking TOR his