The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-27

appeared not to hear. Britz and Fitch
exchanged glances, and the detective
took up the attempt to awaken re-
sponse from the aged inmates mental
vacuum.
Pretty busy man, chr" said Britt.
lie had touched the right chord
ANY reference to the industry that alb
sorbed his fading senses was sure to
arouse the intelligence of the old
curlo dealer. He nodded briskly, and
went on with his work more zealously
than before.
Got to finish contract on timer"
the Headquarters man pursued.
Another vigorous little nod, follow
cd by n swift search of the detectives
face on the part of the old mans
sunken eyes.
Rather interesting work you're do
ing" pursued the detective.
Thereupon Mr.. Martin rejoined:
ut is the only work that can inter-
est me. ] have given my life to t."
Find It profltable?" inquired the
sleuth.
For an instant those gray fingers
paused in their manipulation of the
clay pellets.
We'll, it depends on what you call
profitable. young man." answered the
ward of the State. There are things
more important than monetary gain"
"Oh, yes, know, know" said the
detective hastily. "T suppose your
work is purely scientifc?"
ut is more than science answered
Martin. 1T is art, philosophy, philan-
thropy-everything It is the crystal
lization of the beautiful. Love is beau.
ty and beauty is life. All mankind
needs is beauty In greater measure
and higher degree to attain perfection
Of happiness"
And you are engaged in forward
Ing that theory?"
Yes" said the old man simply. "T
have taken upon myself the task OF
glorifying every home in the world
with the prisoned sunshine of the cen
turtles Every abode OF man, however
humble, should be Illuminated by the
light of diamonds. The diamond IL
the most exquisite expression of crea-
tive love we have. The only trouble
is that we have not enough of them.
II has remained for melt has re-
mained for the poor old student of
mysteries TO find the key to the true
jewel wealth of the universe. For
thousands of years men have been
seeking diamonds in the ground.
take them from the air."
In similar vein he ran on, his words
betraying the strange cropping of a
clouded mind that in its time had
been nearer the truth than most mems.
about the little old fellows brain. It
had not cracked; rather, 1t had been
attenuated by overstrain. IL was after
a process Of patient questioning COW
ering so long time that 1t ended in
the twilight, that Brits led the tireless
worker back to days before his arrival
in the asylum The protracted inquiry
taxed all the detectives skill in worc-
handling, for each time he lifted the
patients PROSTATE intelligence above
the horizon of sanity, 1t was only to
see II slip back In a few seconds.
Fitch, scientist though he was, long
conversant with the phenomena OF the
mind as he had been, marveled at the
/ Headquarters mans adroltness. Long
before Britz had finished his task, the
doctor, In sheer WEAKNESS dropped
into a chair and stayed there in silent
attention. But the detective remain
ed on his feet. immutable as the in
carnation Of will itself, and slowly,
cautiously, persistently piloted that
darkened intelligence out Of its depths
back to at least a cleaning of coher-
ent memory. SO guided, so aided and
lifted along the diflcult backward
path, Martins mind reverted to IN
stances that hung like stalactltes from
the cavern ceiling of restrospection.
II was In a fash of intelligence. brief
ly eliminated as a twinkle of daylight
seen from the recesses of cave, that
the old man recalled the great triumph
OF his strange craft.
81 have made diamonds, yes" he
said in response to a query from the
detective, swift and searching as n
rapier thrust, beautiful enough to
hang about the neck of a princess;
brilliant enough to glorify the hut of
toiler in the fields; but there was
one-.ah!" His recollection reveled in
widening circles until its force was
spent. For long time, his hands
motionless again, he sat gazing into
the past Britt, feeling that he was
on the edge of an important disclos-
ure, waited patiently. Fitch scarcely
breathed.
81 mind me-" the one-time curio
dealer resumed, "oI the one great dla-
mond that came as the grand reward
OF all my labor. Al, that was dia-
mond! But though It was a wonderful
achievement, | dishonored myself in
the making of It for" and faint
flush deepened on his parchment
face, 81 fashioned It for gainW
Without an instant's warning he
pushed away the bench, dropped his
face into his hands and gave way to
grief that moved equally the man long
hardened to dissection of the body
and the veteran crime hunter acous-