The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-07-11
CHAPTER |.
SHOCK UPON AWAKENING

Aohu hdLCouIts manBlOn on GrO6ve-
nor square. He smoked necessarily
and looked anxiously at his watch
every few minutes. Occasionally he
paused kbefore the window TO watch
the traffic in the street below, and
then turned to resume his nervous
pacing.
Nearly half an hour later, when
Carripgton's patience was nearly ex.
hausecd, Lord Harcourt appeared In
the doorway. his tall figure wrapped
In dressing gown OF startling hue
and his head bandaged In damp
towel With a half-stifled yawn no
lifted bis monocle to his eye and
stared lazily at the figure before him.
Dick" he asked slowly. why the
deuce don't you sit down and COM
pose yourself?"
Compose myself" Darlington al
most shouted. MY nerves.
-Dicky, you haven't any nerves. II
you had you wouldn't rush about like
this Moreover, IL you had the slight
est consideration for me. you would
not insist upon seeing me at the UNI
earthly hour OF eleven o'clock, when
You know / never arise before noon"
With a gesture or annoyance, Car
rington tossed his cigarette into the
fireplace and unfolded copy OF the
Times Have you seen this?" he
asked
Certainly not" DO you suppose /
read In my sleepT
Don't be funny. Jack Something
serious has happened"
~Really7% drawled Harcourt "Have
a drink. DickyT"
With a shake OF his head Darlington
declined. What time did you leave
the club last night7' he demanded.
I'm sure / don't know" Harcourt
replied IF you're really very curious
I'll asked Fergus Why the curl
osityr
Because, some time between one
O'Clock last night and daylight this
morning, George Towneshend was
stabbed To death In tho smoking
room OF the Grill Climb"
with n glass half raised to his lips,
HzrrDurt paused "Murderedi" he
said How annoying. Did they dis
turb tho fuTnituroZ"
DON'T be a fool, Jarki Are you
mzde Of stone or are you really as
brztnleKB az people say You are?"
HaTr~urt shrugged I've wondered
myself sometimes" he said
~But surely you realize what this
mHansT~ Darlington went ON hastily.
--TDwneshend was a guest at your
DINNER. This morning the servants
found him with a knife wound deep
in haB breaEf-q1ite dead-sitting UP
In a chair an though he had fallen
aklegp thers- HiB eyes were wide
open. though, and when the man went
over 10 aEaken him, be saw what had
happened, and they say there was the
most terrible look on Towneshend's
features-~
slowly Harcourt drained his glass.
-Nuw who the devil do you suppose
would want to murder Towney?" he
asked wondRringly. Everybody
liked him Even did and / can't bear
most people"
That's just whar want to talk to
YOU about" Darlington answered.
'sKandEahr Indian, you know
waE with him for quite a little while. |
but be went away al j o'clock He |
haa said that he believes you were |
with TOwney then"
with ToEneyT" HarcouTt repeat
cd. increduioualy. Lord. / don't |
know may have been"
Surely, Jack. you must remember. !
Can't yvu Soc
-Of course I see, mcky," Harcourt |
interrupted. Il know / have tho repu- !
tafion OF being an idiot, and that be |
canse / don't go about with my emo
tons upon my sleeve I'm a sort OF |
human ISutomaton: but even my warp |
Al intelligence In sufficient 70 grasp
what this means. Surely, though. !
Dfcky, no one can seriously imagine
that I did lit What possible motive
could have for stabbing anybody
Every one knows I'm a most peaceable
person, and | really liked Towney
tremendously"
y "of course you didn't do Il. Jack.
and such an idea VIII never occur to
any one who knows you. but the fact
that you don't remember where you
were and can't explain what you did
last night. is going 10 make things
deucedly awkward. The police are
bound 10 question you. Why, even
the papers are full of nasty insinua-
tons. Just listen TO this"
Dropping into chair before the
window Darlington unfolded news
paper and read THE murder is be-
lieved TO have been committed some
time following the dinner given in a
private room OF the club by Lord Har-
court last evening. The affair was !
giveHNt,ktnly few OF Lord Harcourt's
intimate friends In honor of the an
nouncement OF his engagement TO
Miss Grace Marston. daughter of