The Washington times., 1912-09-06
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY
The DIAMONDS"
Copyright. 1919. Frank A. Mun..y Co.,
*s*+&ss**x&xsx*&&&x%xsx x4&4sx4xxx4xx
CHAPTER Xxx (continued).
By J. S. FLETCHER

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awaited the advent of waiter.
When that functionary' entered the
young curate regarded him shyly.
l-I-er-am not feeling very we'll this
morning." he said nervously. IT think
the sea voyage yesterday afternoon up
set me a little"
Yessir, very sorry, SIR" said the
waiter, sympathetically. Anything 1
can do. sir?"
Il was wondering II little soda
water with little brandy would bene-
fit me-" said Young !dxendale, lingering
his chin.
"Brandy-and-soda. sir. yessir," said
the waiter quite uncorcernedly. Large
brandy, sir?'
If you please" answered the pseudo
curate. And a small soda
Young Mr.. Baxendale drank this fas-
chatting mixture and felt much better
after 1t Life assumed fresher colors-
all, he said, might yet be we'll. He
thought he would like some breakfast
yes. decidedly he could eat some break
fast now, and after that he would pay
his bill. get his baggage. and drive to
Kingsbridge station in search of his
friend. Mr.. Claye.
So he finished the last drop of the
room. And there sat Miss Driscoll,
looking very stern and very determined,
and from Miss Driscolrs lips fell the
startling words:
MY God. Ninian Baxendale"
Ninian Baxendale felt that the situa-
ton was full of unpleasantness. His
soul sank from the heights to which 1t
had been conducted by the brandy-and-
soda to depths of something like de-
q ar ~ atn
and weak at the knees-his face was
first green, then red, then sickly yell
low.
He looked furtively about him: there
was no one in the coffee room but Miss
Driscoll and himself. Young Mr.. Bax-
endale endeavored to put a bold face
on matters.
"You are under some mistake, mad
am" he said in his best curate voice.
my name is Somervile."
He would have passed on, but Miss
Driscoll rose and barred the way. Her
eyes Steamed Her mouth was grim
r. You liar!" she hissed rather than
said. And. you fool! Look at your
signet ring"
Young Mr.. Baxendale lifted his hand
mechanically and gazed at the orna-
ment which Miss Driscoll was indicat-
ing with outstretched forefinger.
1t was rather conspicuous ring at
which he stared in a dull, mechanical
quite in the best taste nor in the best
gold, and 1t bore very large mono
gram-N. Bon the shield.
Your signet ring, say!' repeated
Miss Driscoll What fool you are!
1 thought there was something familiar
about your voice last night
Even the greatest criminals, the most
successful kings of crime, make small
mistakes of detail which upset years of
careful preparation for achieving a
grand success.
loyS
criminal, nor vet clever man: he had
much more of the character of the
sneak. thief about him than a Charles
Peace or a De Goncourt, but he had
sufficient common sense to know that
he was, as Miss Driscoll observed,
fool
It had never struck him. in the midst
Of all that elaborate contriving, that
the ring would give him away.
The unfortunate young man glanced
round him as a rat glances round the
cage in which 1t is trapped. HIS eyes
wandered to the door.
"If you dare toS take one step with
out my PERMISSION said Miss Driscoll,
I'll have you inside a lookup within
ten minutes. Sit down"
Young Mr.. Baxendale collapsed into
the nearest chair, and Miss Driscoll
rang the bell and summoned the wait
ress.
Ask the manageress to step this
way. If you please" said she, and took
a seat exactly opposite that of her pris-
oner.
Don't dare to move now, young
man." she commanded. "1'll make it
hot for you If you do
this"
Protest as much as you like, my
boy said Miss Driscoll cheerily And
much good may it do you. Come here. !
If you please" she added as the man
geress came into the coffee room and
stared wide-eyed at the supposed GU
rates downcast attitude and pain rawn |
face. us there a private room any
where in which this young man and my |
self and you If you please, can have |
little conversation"
Come this way, madam" said the |
manageress, and walked out OF the i
room in advance, feeling that she was
going TO hear new developments. II
will Show you a private room"
Miss Driscoll signaled to young Mr.. |
BaXendale; her demeanor was stern and |
fierce.
mo nonsense nowH' said she Fol
low the manageress, and remember that
I'm behind you: Quick"
Young Mr.. BaXendale, forming the |
cession thus inaugurated. felt as II he |
were being led from a condemned cell !
to the scaffold. He was unpleasantly |
conscious that two mattresses had en- |
tered the coffee room and were viewing |
the proceedings with amazement which |
was not entirely without amusement
ne nung MS mead a he followed the |
manageress out of the room and into |
the hail. and his shifty eyes stared |
toward the front door through the |
glass panels of which he could see the |
sheds along side of the Liffey, with |
blessed free men loading and unloading |
wagons laden with merchandise.
Oh! II he could but make dash |
through that door, even If it were to |
throw himself into the river His step |
Jagged, his feet twitched
you try it on, nv boy" WHISPERED |
Miss Driscoll. March. tell you!"
Young Mr.. BaXendale marched head |
down, heart crushed to a Jelly. de-
spair adding leaden weights to the |
soles of his feet He was deserted by |
his dear friend, Mr. Clays; he had fallen
into the hands of this she dragon, the |
Dirscoll woman. and everything was
lost.
And the worst of 1t was he had lost
his pluck. Too many cigarettes too |
many whisky y-and-sodas, too much of |
what he called life" had DESTROYED
the young gentleman's stamina to some |
considerable extent, and had left |
him resourceless' feeble and miserable !
AS he followed the manageress up |
the wide staircase he was more and |
more reminded of what he had read of |
the last mournful professions to the |
scaffold. and he could not help associat- |
ing the determined Miss Driscoll with |
traditions of Calcraft, Jack Ketch and |