The Washington times., 1912-09-10
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY.
THE DIAMONDS"
Copyright. 1912. Frank A. Mun..y Co,

By ]. S. FLETCHER

where we can put him by-and-by. Come
down Jim, and have drink"
He locked the door on the dead man,
and the two went back along the mar
row corridors and dark staircase to-
ward the Inhabited pat OF the house.
As they descended the last flight of
stairs they became aware of a heavy
knocking on the street door. Mr.. Claye
and Mr.. Kilner paused in their descent
and stared at each other with consider
What's thatY" Asked Mr.. ciaye, sus.
piciously.
"Prrobably customer" said Mr.. Kill
ner. Must be- Who else could II be?'
Are YOU going to open the door?''
| INQUIRED Mr.. Claye.
''It'll look queer II I don't" said the
new partner in the diamonds. "rm
supposed to be open until 10, and It isn't
yet"
"Well, I'll be snug" remarked Mr..
Claye Give. the signal If anything
back, and Mr.. Kilner, not without con-
siderable fear, and trepidation, walked
into the shop and opened the door.
There stood tall man in plain clothes,
pleasant smile-Sergeant Davidson.
Good evening, Mr.. Kilner," he said,
nTably enough. Its rather a surprise
tc md You closed at this early hour"
Mr. Kilner. MY man hsee; Is away. a"swsfss snd ss
| had to go to the back of the premises
"a had one slight robbery of the till
this very afternoon" he continued with
an .sgrieved voice, ''and I didn't want
son. ''''
This very afternoon said Mr.. Kill
| ner, IN comes a rather down. on his
his eye and orders bottle of ale
| When I'd served him with the bottle OF
ale he asks If couldn't get him bit
OF bread and cheese, he was that hun
We'll, just to oblige him I stepped
into the back of the house for the bread
and cheese; and when I came back my
money;.-what there was of it in the
till. which," concluded Mr.. Kilner with
an air Of RESIGNATION, was certainly
few hoS don6ers mn6aS pc, pounds I., shilings and
had listened to this story with great
interest. Now. it's rather singular, but
Mr. kilner. One of my men had him
under observation this afternoon and
saw him enter your saloon-he waited
never came"
IT dare say" said Mr.. Kilner dryly.
He wouldn't see him go out, cause he
took himself off by the side door there
and went down the alley. He done me
with that trick" he continued with sar-
castle reflection.
II ran out of the front door while
ne % was most likely a-scooting down the
alley. If Roberts was the man. who
had him under observation" he con-
cluded, Il see Roberts a-standing on
the other side Of the street just before
the man came In, but didn't see him
when looked out after the thief or
my loss"
1T was Roberts" said the sergeant
| - h. .tI
IT.. and looked up the alley. II don't
think Roberts knew of the opening" he
said ref1ectively as he came back into
the shop.
Very likely not sir" replied Mr.. Kill
nsr. ITS not we'll seen from the
aran m den saS sgpP1ss Sss see se the
sure to get him, and I'll see about get
ting your, money back. If there's any
Which don't suppose there will be-
said Kilner with Q wry face. But I'm
obliged to you all the same, sir"
Sergeant Davidson went away. and
Mr.. Kilner. after having locked the
front door again. treated himself to a
drink. mixed another. and carried 1t off
to his friend, Mr.. Claye. And as he
traversed the passages Of the old house
his mind continued to work at plan
friend "it was Davidson. and he was
after Baxendale. I've put him off for the
certain, and Jim, we must get Baxen-
dale out Of the way quick"
And what about me?' inquired Mr.
Claye, gulping down his whisky-and
s0da sOae! at one draft Where am 1 to
"I can put you where nobody but the
devil himself could find you" replied
Mr.. Kilner. "if the need arises, jim
| ID,,k Iz&b h~x
They went upstairs together. and they
put the dead man into a large sack
which Mr.. Kilner unearthed from cup
board on ne h, way Snd of be
house by back staircase. and in one Of
the cellarings, green and noxious with
damp. they laid him down and t. reeov-
pointed to a fiagstone in the. flooring, in
which was inserted a gigantic iron ring.
Help metto get that o1. uR lin" ,ha he
opens on an old sewer. There's nobody
| II ever find him in there-and the rats
II clean his bones in day or two.
clothes or no clothes"
and in the light of a lantern which Mr..
Kilner had carried disclosed a short
slippery flight of steps leading ding, down in,
Whit of pestiIential air.
STEADY down, Jim." said Mr.. Kilner.
Mind your feet"
| Mr.. Claye uttered an exCldmdtlOn OIL
disgust as they reached the bottom and
set down their load.
What hole!" he said. ''I would
Mt"
"Hushv' said Mr.. Kilner. Whats 8
that? More knocking Here, Jim, wait
a second while I see what 1t is!'
He ran UP the slippery steps with
wonderful agility for one SO corpulent,
through the cellar above and along the
basement passages toward the shop.
Mr.. Claye, listening in the loathsome
cavern. heard his footsteps retreat, die
away, come into hearing again with
great ,clatter and hustle down the
steps into the cellar. Mr.. Kilner re-
appeared frantic with haste.
Jim, JimP' he cried in hoarse
voice. Down there with You quick
here's Davidson and a whole gang of
'em-hide down there till I>can get 'em
away-theyll not examine that hole"
Mr.. Claye, who had advanced half
way up the steps of the noxious dun
geon, retreated hastily, and before he
could say a word the heavy f1agstone
fell across the cavity and he found him
self in darkness.
He heard footsteps above him-Mr.
Kilner's footsteps-and they seemed a
long, long way off. Then came silence.
He was alone with the body of his VIC
tim.
Mr.. Kilner went slowly back to the
shoD, unlocked the street door, and