The Holly chieftain., 1914-03-06
yD FLETCHER Robinson

Inspector Addington Peace beamed
upon me as he concluded his deduc-
ton concerning the theft OF julius
Tauberys diamond. with an expires.
sion of hopeful enthusiasm, and lit a
cigarette at my reading lamp.
This unknown criminal genius has
got the diamond. anyway" said.
Il am not SO sure of that. Consider
the position of the actual thief on the
discovery that the stone was false. He
must have been In state of blind ter.
ror. II we may suppose that Colonel
Gunton is innocent, the believing OF
that worthy gentleman must have
frightened him the more. To be
searched. discovered, and actually dis
graced-a pleasant prospect, surely!
We may take it that he was heartily
sorry for the part he had played; that
he wished the diamond thousand
miles away. To get rid of it previous
to the ordeal before the colonel and
Professor Endicott In the library
that would be his object
Yet here | am met by the simple
difficulty that cannot find the dia-
mond. l have made the closest inves-
tgation without result. As Colonel
Gunton told us, Mr.. Taubery remained
IN the dining room to see that none
OF the guests returned after they had
been searched. The door was subse-
Quently locked and policeman sta
toned in the passage outside; the
windows We're fastened Therefore
the thief could not come back to re-
cover what he had temporarily hidden.
All OF which might seem to prove that,
though Colonel Gunton affirms that he
went through the guests with an ex-
pert hand, one Of them managed to
Keep the diamond about him AID carry
1t away. Yet such an achievement
suggests rather the professional than
the amateur criminal And, II for
that reason alone, | believe that the
stone is still In the house. We ought
to be able to decide that point within
week"
can't see why, Peace | said.
NO? Then. pray don't trouble
about 1t. And really Mr.. Phillips, as
| have long days work before me, 1t
is time was off to bed. Do you know
1t is one oclock?"
l knew how useless 1t was to ques-
ton the little man when he Thought
he had told enough. So l bade him
good night with the best grace that
disappointment would permit. It had
been kind of him to trouble about me,
after all.
Three days went by, and | had not
mad the chance of asking Peace for
news. For two nights, as | discovered
by inquiry, he slept out, only appear
Ing for an hour about noon to change
his linen; for he was most careful of
his appearance and as cleanly as
cat. Indeed, had a secret belief that
his nails We're regularly manicured In
Bond street. When I did see him 1t
was by accident, and, to be frank,
nothing he had done gave me greater
surprise.
was walking through kenslngton
gardens about eleven o'clock on
visit to friend whose studio lay to
the north of the park. 1t was charm
ing weather. The fresh leaves on the
smoke-black boughs, the flower beds
rich In variegated coloring, the deep
throated coo of the pigeons, the chat.
ter of tnnumerable sparrows, all told
that winter had passed and spring was
calling welcome to summer. | had
just turned from long shrub. walled
walk into an open space when | came
upon the amazing spectacle OF Ad-
dington Peace flirting with very
pretty nursemaid.
Whatever the little Inspector had
been, whatever he was, there wns
nothing of the Don Juan In his com.
position. | had already noticed that
he took pains to avoid the opposite
sex. with that uneasy consciousness
Of their presence which marks the
bachelor with principles. Yet there
he sat. sharing the same bench and
talking earnestly into her ear, while
before them little boy pedalled in
dustriously up and down upon a tr,.
cycle.horse, a long-maned. long-tailed
toy set on three wheels and propelled
by Indifferent pedals. 1t was idyllic.
domestic. but distinctly surprising.
AS passed the bench. Peace stared
at me without a glimmer OF recogni-
tion in his kee.. gray eyes.
l had just finished my breakfast
next morning when in walked the in
spector. laughed: indeed l could not
help 1t; and he answered me with a
quick glance, half annoyance. half re.
proach.
Something is going to happen to.
day In the matter of the diamond" he
said nRnt [ warn rnn Mr phiIlI-.