The Washington times., 1912-08-18
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY
THE DIAMONDS"
By ]. S. FLETCHER
Copyright. 1912. Frank A. Munsey co.,

of bracken, sleeping the sleep of physi-
cal exhaustion.
While it was still broad daylight. and
the sun was still above the tops OF the
trees, a figure came moving slowly
! across the landscape from the north
ward. 1t came in a strange fashion.
now appearing in full view for a time,
then disappearing altogether and crop
ping UP again in another place. From
afar off 1t looked like a blot of gray
moving across the golden brow Of tho
hillsldes. Sometimes It moved at 9
rapid pace-that was when the GROUND
was level; sometimes 1t came forward
painfully and slcwly--that was when
the ground was rough and broken.
But, slowly or quickly. the progress
never stayed; IL came on, moving
point across the silent waste Of moor
and fell.
Had Lindsay been awake and watch
full, he would have perceived that as
the figure drew nearer to the hut on
the side of Green Hill II resolved Itself
into that Of a nan.
The man Was running like a hunted
beast, and every now and then his head
turned over his shoulder.
The noise Of his painting breath came
with slight breeze as he made a new
effort at the foot OF the slope.
Lindsay might have seen, too. that the
, man was a convict, wearing the ugly
prison dress with it's stampings OF the
broad arrow making It still more ugly.
nothing
The convict came on. laboring pain
fully up the hill. A little, well-built
man with a deeply lined face and dark.
scissors of the prison barber. curled In
little rings about his temple and ears.
Not an Englishman-one could tell
that by his gestures. his quick turn of
plexion shaded bv the pallor OF prison
life. He came on. bit by bit, glancing
now and then over his shoulder In the
direction of Princetown.. lying far off
there In the haze and simmer Of the
setting sun, and every time he looked
back he set his teeth together with
more desperate resolution. and went on
his way more doggedly
In the hut Lindsay's heavy slumbers
turned to troubled dreams. The exhaus-
ton was wearing itself out, and the
brain was beginning 10 reassert itself.
He dreamed that he was running on, on,
on. somewhere out or reach of some
thing that tracked him down. He was
not sure what It was that pursued him
dogs men. wild beasts. demons.
But something was in pursuit, and he
must ny. He sped forward with the
speed OF deadly fear. but already he
could hear the hot breath and hear the
painting and growlinEs and SCREENINGS
OF the things behind. He stirred, NOAH
Ing In his sleep, and tossed about rest
lessly.
At that moment the convict came
toiling up the hillside to the ruined
hut. He had seen II from afar off and
but made for it with the intention OF
resting In II for a while ere he went
onward. In his mind. too. there was
some faint hope that he might there
find something that would further his
esCape-old garments, cast away by the
shepherds, a piece of sacking, anything
that would HIDE or replace the damning
broad arrow.
II only he could get away to a haunt
n Ia n Y,ln a ka
knew of and could depend on-all might
go well, but how was he TO get there
In that hateful dress? All day, since
he had managed TO slip away from the
guards notice, he had run along by the
widest ways he could find. and so far
he had been successful.
But now he was in sore need of rest
The ~tndings in and out by the Black
blings over rough places on the tors, the
struggling through Fox Tor Mir, the
continual advance in the burning sun
light OF hot midsummer day had tired
Tim out
AS he came to the hut he looked
around searching the landscape with
desperate eyes. AS far as the eye could
reach there was nothing In the way of
huroan life to be seen in all that wide
desert swept by the fading sunlight.
The convict stole up to the unshut-
tered window place OF the hut and
drew MS eyes to level with II by
| srEsping the rough Intel with his fin-
gers. For n moment he gazed within
then he dropped back and stood medi-
tating with new light in his eyes and
| new ferceness In his heart. He had
| seen something that gave him new hope
The picture which had presented it.
self to him in the partial gloom OF the
ruined hut was one that would have
made no impression on the mind Of any
other man.
Continuation Of This story VIII