The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1913-04-11
Mr.. TAUBERYS
DIAMOND
(ContInued.)

Quite half an hour had dragged by
when the cab door was swung opeA
and the detective sprang In. At the
same time l noticed covered cart
with black pony In the shafts pass
the other window at leisurely pace.
Our driver must have had his orders,
for he turned his horse and followed
in the same direction.
Peace remained silent, SO left him
alone and contented myself with star
ing out of the window. We were
going northward towards Hampstead.
The lines OF houses broke up into sep
arate villas. Lilac and laburnum
bushes peeped over the garden walls.
The thrOng Of traffic grew thinner, the
pavement less crowded. 1t was past
dve when we drew up at little pub
lie house. Peace toddled out. and l
followed at his heels.
He is unloading his cart in Ashley
street, yonder," said the driver. lean
Ing from the box, as he pointed with
his whip to side road. do you want
me to wait, sir?"
The inspector nodded and disap-
peared through the inn door. leaving
me on the pavement. AS he had given
me no orders l strolled back to the
corner and peeped down the road,
which ran at right angles to the one
In which 1 was.
About forty yards away stood the
little covered cart with the gray
haired dealer of the auction room
talking to lad beside it. Presently
the lad crawled under the canvas
hood and handed down the Identical
long-tailed horse that had brought
about the public discontinue OF the
gallant Colonel Gunton. The dealer
pushed 1t across the stone pavement
into little furniture shop, and the
boy, whipping up the black pony,
drove quickly away.
turned back to find the detective
at my elbow.
Peace" l said. what is your inter
est in that bicycle horse?"
1T happens to play the comedy part
In our little mystery"
What do you mean?"
only that 1t has a hole In the sad
die for pommel should a little girl
ride In 1t, and the hole leads down to
. hollow inside. Do you guess what
1t was that dropped into the hollow
inside?"
Not Mr.. Taubery's dlamond?"
Exactly. Yet we have still to
ind out the man who put it there"
But, In the meantime the old dealer
may"
Tut. tut. Mr.. Phillips. The old
dealer has nothing to do with It. He
10 only obeying an order to buy the
toy whatever 1t cost. and to keep It
until called for. We may have to
waste some time, so have ordered \
steak and fried potatoes In an upper
room that conveniently overlooks the
door OF mis- shop Let me show you
the way"
We passed through a long oar NJ
which . dingy assemblage lounred
and smoked, and so upstairs into a
private room. the windows OF which
commanded Ashley street. We ate our
meal In relays-one watching at the
window. while the other disposed az
his section OF stringy steak and
heavy beer. The daylight softly faded
the gas jets sprang out along the
street. the tramp of HOMECOMING
fathers dropped into silence-but thers
was still no caller at he furniture
snop. The shutters had been mt nm
Tor the night. 1t seemed plain to ne
that nothing would happen for that
evening at least, though Peace did not
seem to despond.
Nine o'clock-ten u'clock-+en.
thirty. and the customer arrived
had watched his cab come rattun.
down the street with q casual intaro.t
Tor many had come and gone sinc. -.
nrst mounted guard. It had n....S
the little shop and was almost na.
meath US. when a head was thrust ont
OF the window and voice cried ,r-,-
taoiy to the cabman. A street lamn
showed him to me clearly white.
laced youth with a stragRly. brown
mustache and an indecisive chin.
The cab turned about. and pulled mn
opposite the shop door. The inspector
touched my arm. and We walked down
the stairs, picked up our driver. who
was smoking In the bar, and 90 bum
oled INTO our own vehicle. A few
whispered instructions. and we. drove
slowly round the corner into Ashlev
street.
The customer had been expected.
Al We passed the shop at . walking
pace | could see that the dealer and
nis assistant were hosting the bicycle