The Washington times., 1912-09-01
THE TIMES DAILY SERIAL STORY.
THE DIAMONDS"
By J. S. FLETCHER
A. Munsey CoJ
Copyright. 1914. Frank A. Munssy CD,
By J. S. FLETCHER

pays the girl, the assistant and the
taxes. pay the rent"
said Ninian. II shouldn't grudge It,"
II never grudge anything that's spent
In the way OF business, my boy. But,
y know, / don't think can work this
people who look after our morals get
to know that most Of the folk who come
here for a ha' 'porth 90 matches, or to
pay for a share which they don't get,
are really coming to put bit on, it'll
served Mr.. Claye.
"There'll be rome way out of the diff
ficulty," said Ninian.
Come on. Are you .ready?"
Mr. GISye put on DoWeE nat PiSseo exec
ing ushered his friend out Of the shop,
locked the door and put the key in his
pocket.
Same old place" he said.
YES" answered Ninlan. "But--no
billiards. l want to have a quiet talk
I've got the best ana biggest thing that
you ever beard Of. Wait until we get
into a corner"
nor impatience-he hummed a cheerful
tune as they turned into the street, and.
crossing 1t, made for tavern on the
other side. 1t was not until he and his
young friend were seated in very
quiet corner of deserted billiard room,
with glasses at their elbows and cigars
in their mouths, that he referred to
Hinians last observation.
.or "we!li" H.. he said; out with it, my
ITS about G50,000 worth OF dia-
onds," answered Ninian.
That remarked Mr.. Claye, with a
sip at his whisky and soda, us a story
which should like to hear about. Re-
gard me, my boy, as an attentive lis
tener."
Ninian set forth the story in a fashion
that would have done credit tc any eye
witness alive. He wasted no words: he
kept strictly to his narrative; he never
stopped to moralize. nor went out of his
way to make comments: he told a plain
tale in a plain fashion---and the result
was that at the end of the story Mr..
Claye. who had preserved a praise
worthy silence all through and had re-
Trained from asking a single question,
was in full possession of the accurate
facts.
Well put forward, my boy" said he.
You ought to ha' been one of the
very anxious to get back to Ireland
we may take Il Is being pretty well GER
tain that she'll go there as soon as pos
sible. The first thing, then, Is to keep
an eye on her, 80 that we shall know
exactly when she starts"
Il can engage to do that" said Mn
| ian.
| anu uOn lOTGtI "ildl utpeIiuB OH Dt'
| ing careful about it, said Mr.. Claye
IF she got away without our knowl.
| edge the games up. Well, the second
| thing is that when she goes we must
go with her.
Good Lord! How shall we manage
that?' exclaimed Ninian. She knows
me we'll enough by sight"
IF you'll leave all that to me, my
| son. I'll so transform your physiognomN
! and your appearance that your owr
| mother wouldn't know yop." answered
| Mr.. Claye. "Ill tell you what. my lac
| ---we'n work the parson-on- holiday
| racket. You'll have to sacrifice tina
sweet little mustache ind play the in
play a middle-aged vicar. Leave 1t tc
| me about the clothes and collars aHt
| all the rest Of it---l'll see you're al
right, and I'll make myself all right
"Oh! of course. | know" Responded
! Ninian. But as regards getting hold o
'em, Dick. what do you propose abou
that?"
Have you ever travelled in Ireland
Twice" replied Ninian: Once to tn
Leopardstown races and once to tn
horse show at Dublin"
Then you'll know as well as I do.
said Mr.. Claye, that there are tw
try from this quarter Of the globe-on
by the mail. which goes by way o
Holyhead and kingstown; the other b.
| the express, which goes via Holyhea
and North Wall.
Now 1t is a moral certainty that tn
lady must travel to Holyhead by wa
OF Leeds-it's her quickest and mos
convenient route. What we must fin
out Isl: VIII she go by the mail or tn
or the night mail. Detail. my son. de
tail is the key to success in these littl
matters-always attend to details"
We'll" said Ninian.
NNrNN - In MI
by which route and at what time. an
on what particular day the lady wi
travel" said Mr.. Slaye She'll prob
ably call at your respected parents OF
everything-women always blab at me
ments like that-and you must take car
to overhear all that she has to say
Then you must come straight to me,
transformed. and the two OF us wi
meet her on the platform of the Londo
and Northwestern station and keep he
in sight until we get the diamonds"
And how do you propose to 60
them?' asked Ninian. with emphasi
Considering that she's going to attac
them to her person with a ste'
Mr.. Claye sprAsd out his hands; tn
gesture was careless and Indifferent.
During a train journey or a journe
by boat, especially II the boats joul
ney's made at night" he said, "a goo
many chances ought to occur of whtc
| shan't fail to take advantage. Wa
and see, my son. The first thing to
now is to come round to my place an
let me run a tape, over YOU so that you
clerical clothes will be ready when yo
want 'em, and that, you know. may t
soon"
In the privacy of Mr.. Claye's rooms
conveniently situated in a quiet stre'
leading out of Woodhouse iane-Nii
ian's measurements were CAREFUL
taken and noted down. and then h
friend gave him a careful looking owe
You'll be a young curate on hol
day." he said. you'll wear a Norfol
Jacket suit of very dark graY. with
clerical collar and a black straw ha
which you'll attach to your jacket aft
the fashion of curates, by an elast
ribbon. You'll wear your watch
the breast pocket of your Norfol
jacket. and you'll show a bit of chai
with a little Goh cross at the end Of
AS for myself-oh! we'll. leave that
me. Itll not be the first time ~
played the parson. II You can learn
trick or two from an ingenious bear
less young sky-pilot in your town, n
son. learn it."
You're a cute 'un. Dick" said your
Mr. Baxendale: "yOu are, indeed"
"If ! am, my son." responded NJ
Claye, its because I've got to be. Ar
, now let's go round and have a drinI
or I'll play you that game of bill'art
; that we've been neglecting for an hol
and half. No more business tonight
Three weeks later Mr.. Claye, closiT
his tobacconist's establishment for N