The Washington times., 1912-09-07
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY.
THE DIAMONDS"
By J. S. FLETCHER
copyrsh. A. Muns
copyright. 1919. Frank A. Munsey Col
By J. S. FLETCHER

trunks or bags, or what the devil 1t Is
he's carrying. And whatll you take,
Jim. old man?' he continued when the
coast had been cleared and he and Mr..
| Claye were safely .closeted together. "A
B.. and s.. or drop Of the wine OF
this country?"
Claye. making a .wry face. Il can
| stand as much whisky at night as would
float a gunboat, but / bar spirits in
the morning. unless It's brandJ-and-
soda"
"Ha' a'-ha-ha!" laughed the big man.
| Unless Is a good word"
PLAY light with IT, Joe, old man.
I'm a bit Of an abstemious party lii
| the morning"
Right you are, my boy-that pionty?"
said the big man, pouring out the
hottie Tis Of soda Gand with nd the other
Your health, Jim
Your health, joe" responded Mr..
Jim7"
"A little matter of business. Joe.
Mr.. Glaze, slipping his drunk with
somewhat preoccupied air.
Very decent, Jim; very decert. Not
quite, perhaps, all that the executors
han represented 1t to be. but not far
Off" replied the stout man. i've moth
ing to grumble at-thc taklngs are a
good g1S de deal al more than they were at the
sretted coming over here, though
there's nothing so certain as ths. Ire
land isn't England. and especially the
Yorkshirs part of the predominant
No" answered Mr.. claye, He
slipped at his drink again and his eyes
became ineditative. joe" he tontin-
a day or two and to change my iden-
tity, A little matter Of business, you
cisRss RFht tsua You are my 1oS sal, said MI,
I'm the man. There's a nice little
room upstairs that you can call your
own II you're go minded; and as to
know ANYBODY who's quicker change
Thank you," said Mr.. Claye. 1T
don't know about using the room yet,
glad of 1t for an hour or two. And
look hero, Joe, old man, you see that
set Of well-worn golf clubs? want
also that bag Of mine when I'VE done
where they won't easily be foupd:"
1T shall be done, Jim; it shall be
thing that you wish shall be done.
Good business. this time, Jim?'
ut ism I quite finished. Joe. but It's
up tc that tepHa nice Mf tte ciays foom YOU
were talking of and make few trif-
YOU please"
The stout man once more laid him
self. his house and his fortune at Mr..
Claye's feet. He picked up his guests
bag and puffed his way up several
fights Of ,,s stairs with it. finally pilot.
under the roof, where he set the bag
on chair and pantingly inquired If
there was nothing more he could do -
h HlI ri
Nothing, joe" replied the old friend.
UNLESS IT'S to take these d golf
clubs into the yard and burn 'ep1. Put
,em right out OF sight. old man. while
son when come downstairs"
! The stout man chuckled as he re-
treated for he knew his friends pow
ers and admired them. He went down
stairs, finished his brandy. and-soda.
lighted n cigar and put the golf clubs
in a very safe place After that he
picked up the newspaper and read and
smoked until his visitor came back to
him.
When he heard the sound Of Mr.
Claye's feet on the stairs he looked up.
appearance AZ his eyes fell on his
descending figure the stout man ut
tered cultural exclamation which
signifed approval
boy he said. clapping his leg-of-mut-
ton fist on the nearest table. Your
own mother. II she's alive. wouldn't
know you"
Mr.. Claye reflected that he would
much rather be recognized by his
mother than bv some other people of
whom he was aware, but he did not
say SO He went. over to a pier glass
felt that the landlords encomiums
were deserved.
It was a very different looking Mr..
Claye who stood staring at his refiec-
ton in the glass to the Mr.. Claye who
had entered the little drinking shop
half an hour earlier. This Mr. Claye
was at least twenty years older: he
had lines in his cheek and wrinkles in
his forehead; his hair was gray: he
wore a thick grizzled mustache. and
he carried his left arm In a sling fash
ioned out of black silk handkerchief
There was military precision in his
airing; he looked like a half-pay offi-
Ger of good rank.
IT'S uncommon, good, Jim. my bow"
were always exceedingly good at that
would you mind putting that bag
out Of the way, Joe?" said Mr.. Claye
You w nut the golf things. daresay
daV dSS' or IL two you've got something of
the sort that you could lend me7"
claye's ye 0f friend. ST' "Tve lust the N thing
and, as said before anything I have
} is at your disposal"
He carried the bag away and Mr.
Claye once more regarded his new
makeup in the mirror. He was con-
scious OF his powers in that direction.
and he said to himself that II he went
straight back to the hotel he might
show his face in the coffee room or
J smoking room or at the office without
the slightest fear of recognition.
} It was with a feeling OF real salts
faction with himself and the world in
general that he sat down comfortably
and lighted a cigar.
A Continuation of This story VIII