The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-07-11

lubOnCuNely as lney lOOheu AZ IT,
You found this in my coat pock-
et7" Harcourt asked at last
Yes, m lord"
did you ever see 1t before. Fer
gus?"
mo. sir. I'm quite sure never
did. sir"
Nor did l." said Harcourt with
conviction. and passed the knife To
Darlington. Fergus. has anyone but
Mr.. Darlington called this morningg"
"Yes, sir. Several persons who said
they were from the newspapers and
this gentleman
inspector MacBee, Scotland
Yard" Harcourt read from the card
the valet handed to him. what did
you tell them all?"
II told the newspaper men that you
never gave interviews. sir, and could
not be seen az any hour. The inspec-
tor, sir, said that he would not diA-
turb you, but asked II you would
wait for him TO return before go
ing out"
"Then ring him UP and say that
am ready 10 see him as soon as he
can come here" Harcourt directed.
ASK II he can conveniently come at
once"
The valet withdrew and the two
men stared in silence at the dagger
that Darlington had placed upon the
table, reluctant TO hold II in his
hands.
Now what do you think, Dicky?"
Harcourt asked,
ITS more puzzling than ever"
said Darlington. The blood on your
clothes-and this thing"
I'm sure | can't explain it," Har-
court admitted in perplexity. did
you ever see a more wicked looking
thing? II isn't mine and I'm positive
that / never laid eyes upon IL until
now. Yet If the thing was in my
pocket, I must have had IT," He
paused and gazed silently at the dag
ger, then his Mortified eyes met Car
rington's. "Dicky," he whispered
nervously. "Do you suppose l
could"
'"The thing has unnerved you. Don't
get all upset. There is some explain
alton OF course, but If / were you I'd
see my solicitors before talking with
Inspector MacBee."
Harcourt shook his head. Look
here. Dicky," he said slowly. The
idea is so utterly absurd that | can't
and won't believe that | could have
been in a state where | could do such
a thing as this. It's utterly foreign TO
my nature-beyond all range OF pos
sibility-yet the thing that worries
me Is that | don't know"
but 1t will come to you gradually"
Darlington assured him. You'll be-
gin TO recall later--to piece things to-
gether and give satisfactory account
OF yourself"
mo Dicky, / won't" Harcourt in
sisted. i've noticed lately that when
I'VE been drinking, well. more than /
should, don't remember a thing that
happens. My mind is an utter blank.
and il seems just like so much time
gone out Of my life. don't remember
where 'Tve been-what I've said
what I've anything Why / re-
Gently forgot gambling debt, and
had to be reminded of it,"
But what has all this"
Perhaps you can't understand what
! mean" Harcourt explained but
there's a damned unpleasant feeling
that cant seem TO shake off. |
don't think I'm a coward although I've
never had any opportunity to prove
that I'm not until now | can't quite
figure out how man would feel if
he had deliberately committed a
crime and feared that he would be
found out, but / can readily believe
that the thought that one might have
done such a thing, and not be sure Of 7
It. could drive one mad!"
Jack" Darlington broke in.
Don't talk like that! You're simply
upset Take drink and brace up
before this fool mood knocks you out |
entirely. 1t is simply impossible that !
you could have killed Towney and |
you know it. know il, and SO does |
every man who was there last night /
And, what's more. every man OF us !
will stand by you no matter what
happens that"
Thanks, Dicky." said Harcourt !
with smile Il appreciate that, and
it's handsome OF you TO say IL. Hon
estly, IL the thing wasn't so serious
IL would be joke. II is funny, the !
idea OF the Earl OF HArcourt being
sort OF Jekyll and Hyde |
from an idle and
worthless young aristocrat into a
demon!"
The telephone rang and Harcourt
turned to answer IL.
BE careful what you say to any
one" Darlington cautioned.
Don't worry" HArcourt assured
him. This is a private wire that only
my most intimate friends use" He
took of the receiver and his express