The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-10-21

pushed away the bench, dropped hlssI
face into his hands and gave way toI
grief that moved equally the man long
hardened to dissection OF the pody
and the veteran crime hunter accus@
toned to yivisection of the soul. re"
things are more terrible than to see
an old man weep. 1t Is dual sur
render, for tears are the prerogatlVe
of youth and womanhood. Br1tz ana
Fitch with difficulty controlled their |
own emotions just for a moment, ZOE
tears streamed over the ashen couh-
tenance of the broken amateur al
chemist, and his wasted form Wrltned
and rocked in convulsive sobs.
81 have had my punishment, SAID
Martin when at last the tempest had
spent itself; "but, oh, the long years
the long years of remorse! urgeo
bv poverty, that enemy OF seekers ait
er truth and beauty, | succumbed 10
the temptation the stranger held out
to me. made the great diamond as
he desired-and / gave it, to him for
his gold!"
The doctor glanced swiftly at the
detective and started to speak. Br1tz
raised warning hand, and Fitch
checked his exclamation. Seating
himself for the first time the Centfal
Office mantle prober of mysteries
laid his hand encouragingly on the
diamond-maker's shoulder, and said:
.sThere now; don't let 1t distress
Won so much. Other men have done
things far worse than that!"
Nothing could be worse" screamed
Martin, springing from the low stool
on which he sat and facing his vis1-
tors in an agony Of abasement. 1
sold the delight of my eyes, the light
| Of nv life, the star Of my soul-the
queen Of all jewels, the purest truest,
most beautiful diamond the world has
ever known!"
Eyes" said the detective, "but don't
forget it was yours to sell. You had
right to do as you pleased with It.
81 had no such right cried the al
chemist. THAT diamond was the
/ product of my laboring hours l
/ brought It forth from the air, the sun
shine, the silver water, the, milk OF
the moon, as an Aphrodite Is fashion
/ ed of dew and mist II was not mere
stone: 1t had thought and sense and
soul. it was a microcosm Of the
marvellous!
i Fitch could not hide his astonish-
4 ment at the learning and poetry the
/
4 Britz himself, had not his thoughts
been focused vigorously on his pur.
pose, would have stopped to wonder
at them. AS it was he struck the iron
of the alchemist's remorse at white
heat.
what did the stranger want with
it?" demanded the detective.
81 don't know" said Martin. His
voice still tremb1ed, his features
worked. his hands fluttered and knot
ted themselves in the intensity Of his
emotion. "He came to me stranger
he went away the same, and with hin
went my queen of jewels, my beauti
full, beautiful diamond of diamonds
But I will find him." he shrieked
, For centuries I have been upon hi
!, path. He thought all things endet
between us when he lured me int
parting with my treasure. He SAT-
! because he had suggested the outlin
: and color of the stone he had RICH
: to make me give it to him for hi
money; but it was IL who thrus
into the center of the glorious gem tn
fire from heaven. I penned the sur
bursts in the priceless prism, and
is mine It is mine by right of cres
toni"
This outburst excited the old mar
| but in a little while there was al
| other outburst of his emotions. II
| fairly shouted:
| 81 will have him, though. | wi
| come up with him yet, and when d.
| 1 will give him back his money an
i make him return the diamond to nj
Il He thought he left nothing to tell N
H who he Is. He thought / never woul
D be able to find him In this big tow
He felt sure the old curiosity deale
= would not venture far enough ava
from his shop to track such fir
gentleman. But he forgot one thin
have kept it all these years. ar
through it will find him YETI
Abstractedly he thrust his hand I'M
an inner pocket and fshed out a b
of cardboard. Excitedly he waved
In front Of the detectives eyes. Brf
resisted for a moment the impulse
snatch it from his grasp, but
gripped himself sharply. Awaiting d
~ velopments was one of the detective
! strong points. AS he expected, Il
! old a1chemist was In a state Of mil
> to share his knowledge with an
| body. After few more four1she
| Martin laid in BIitz' hand man v
] iting card, face down.
: Studious1y avoiding any appearan
of haste, Britt turned it up and re-
the single line engraved upon
Without the tremor Of a muscle, a
with only one swift significant loo