The evening world., 1912-09-17
THE Diamonds;
By J. S. Fletcher
.>nI Romance OF Hoard OF Missing JetUels iva.
"" and the Mystery Which Foliosped Them |u%

an understanding OF his actual poeAs
tlon In the world.
He had murdered a fellow being AMI
forfeited his right to live In conse-
to secure his own safety. As at the
beginning OF matters he had inspected
his immediate surroundings, 30 at the
end Of them he again examined the
country around him. II was ~ lonely
and deserted rs ever. no far a. he
could see. and he determined 20 &c:
away from Il as auicidy a. possftfs.
His face. neck. hands and arms were
beaded with sweat. his throat and
mouth were parched with q particular
ly annoying form OF thirst. He took
out his handkerchief and cieansed his
skin OF moisture as well A. he could:
he put thlmbieful OF loose tobacco
In his mouth and chewed Il, and some
mind and body.
The picture OF a roadside Inn In far
away Yorkshire came into the orbit OF
his mental vision--an inn where you
could get real home-brcwed ale out Of
. cool cellar. AZ the thought Of this
mis- tongue CURED TO the roof of his
mouth.
"A pint OF Dicks home-hrswsd ais"'
he said. Much good TO think Of that"
lie picked up hH tunic. cot into u
with manifest distaste. and then CLICKED
up the diamonds from the loose earth
10 which they had sld a. he 0rsw
the tunic from under them. His eyes
devoured them with fierce giAness: his
fingers strayed soothingiy over The
gems and their scttlngs
There's no doubt about you being
the real sort" no muttered. II won
der whose neck you ought to b round
II everybody had their ownf'
Something conveyed to hin with
great sublety that this moro acQulsi-
uon OF tho diamonds had led him TO
talke the hrst step toward plaoing
something around his own neck. and
tho thought hmpellsd HIM to motion.
Flo put the neckiet in his breast
pocket. picked up his riis. ana with
one slow. Deliberate Inspection of the
tho rocks he turned and looked round:
somsthing told him tirst ~ wouAd
never again set eyes on that infnitss-
imal fragment OF tho earth's surface
and that the msmorted picture OF 70
would never leave him. Tie would
never set foot on u again. but Ne
would visit It . thousand times in he
dreams.
IF Lloyd hadn't CHANGED TO set eyes
on 'em. tool he said.
Then he made his way down 70 ne
rocks and the slopo. and round ths
shoulder OF tho tor. ana was a eood
mile on his return journey 20 Prince
town before he pulled himself UP short
and asked himself what he IVES going
to do next And that question nsces-
stating . sood dsal of Thought. he at
down on the heather a. tho side OF the
track which he was following and pro.
ceeded to think Il out over the mok-
ing OF a ptpe Of tobacco.
That there would be questions asked
when he got back to the prison was q
certainty, lie might put them Oh by
saying that Lloyd had been ovsreems
by the heat and was Remaining az
some noorland farmstead or cottags
until he could recover Mmsslf. bus
THAI excuse would not bold goed for
more than twcnty~foE ho1yL Tue
question was. could he within twss,y-
four hours contrive 20 gst away A0
the place and the district?
lie had begun 60 think whae might
be done. He could plead tndasposition
himself on his return: ne could change
into civilian attire 1t his quarters;
when night fell he could rst away ~
tradn. lilo had plenty OF money in .
box In his room to serve his present
needs. his savings were Invested n .
friendly society In q Yorkshire town
to which he had been In the hAhtt of
sending them for years
So far as ne could soc. Roiiins knew
~ nothing to keep him from tmmedi-
ately leaving Dartmoor. Tho question
which chiefly aSitated his mind was.
would II be wise to wait. would II be
wise 10 20 at once. or TO wait and
abide the inquiry into Lloyds dlyap-
pearance which must necessarily fol-
low? II no himself disappeared. taking
French leave. would II not seem 20
connect him with Lloyd's disappear
ance; And would not q nus and cry
be- RAJ scd?
He would get on that very night; he
would walk across country to get q
train and book at some station where
he was not known and where no par
tIcular notice would be taken OF his
appearance He could mako his way
to his native place. Castletord, in
Yorkshire, by lacking about from one
point 20 another; at Castlotord he
could draw his savings from the build
ing society. ard with them and the
diamonds safely secured would 70
west 10 Liverpool. or southwark 10
southampton, and get a ship for tho
Cape
Later on again he would return to
England In the chara cter OF a diamond
merchant and realize hds possessions
That 20 his mind, seemed the straight
eat and most feasible plan. the plain
es, path 10 take.
Go lie Continued