Charlevoix county herald., 1914-03-07
CHAPTER XVIII.


had written a few hurried lines
from Sacramento, telling Sir Edmund
that Lola had taken the Great Hes
per, and intended TO restore it as soon
as the snow had melted and allowed
us to reach the cavern in which 1t
was concealed. In answering this let
ter he wrote
After reading your good news, Edith
and ] went for stroll through the
park, where we encountered poor Van
Hoeck, whose wOebegOne appearance
appealed once more to Edith's heart
and mine also. Why she asked,
should we any longer treat him as a
possible scOUndrel, now that the
Braces admit having taken the dia-
mOnd?' We turned back, overlook
Van Hoeck, and told him what had
happened. The poor wretch was
overcome with emotion, not because
Of the possible recovery Of the lost
diamond (Of which he entertains
strong doubt), but in being once more
treated as an honest man"
Now, did Van HOeck deserve to be
treated as AN honest man? That was
the question. | will give here Braces
account of what occurred in the
woods, and as near as l can in his
own words.
when we parted company in the
wood" he said. II hunted around for
Israel, as was my intention, you will
remember, l found him crawlin' like
a varmint of a reptile through the
ferns. fetched him into a conven-
lent spot, and says i, Israel | ses.
you air goin' TO prOpbesy what has
gone of the Great Hesper. It's not
a hard job, if you give yer mind to it.
Taint nothin' near so hard as prOphe-
sying what's goin' TO be-
81 had hold on him by the arm.
All Of a student, he filings himself
round, grapples on to me, and fore
Pm aware Of anythin', I'm on my
back, and his two thumbs is inter
my windpipe | never thought he'd
got it inter him-such strength and
agility-and III allow he would
have strangled me hef the KID hadn't
come up in the nick and frightened
him by singing out for you. | did
not lose any time, and when | had
shown / was as strong as him, with
a little bit to spare, | got him TO
prophesy. He wanted a plaguy lot
Of perswadin', and he got it; but
when he couldn't stand no more on
il, he let on that it was inside of a
rotten willer alongside a pond in
the holler. I didn't know no pond,
but ! ketched sight of the Kid sneak
in off, end ! jest sneaked after her,
takin' Israel along case he mighteT
made a mistake in his Biography.
There was no walking fast with Is
rael over the brambles, end / lost
sight of the Kid, but it stood to
reason the holler was dOwnhill, so
down I went the way the Kid had
gone, near as | could reckon, and
there was the pond and the rotten
willer all as he had prophesied, and
there at the foot of the willer was
the empty case, but NARY diamond.
| cooked my eye around, end once
more ketched sight of the Kid
sneakin' off | went for her nat
rallv. but ! might jest as well have
went for "A tom-tit. She got clean
outer sight about the same times !
got outer wind. But Israel wouldn't
give up. and we hunted about for
the Kid TIL we couldn't neither of us
hunt any more; then we sat down i'm
committee, and, arter pretty warm
discussion. we came to the unani-
NOUS conclusion that. fur the sake Of
every one concerned. we had better
get rid of the leather case and say
nothin' about il. ! laid it down that
the Kid had not took the diamond
for mere mischief. She lSAew, in
her own greaser way, that the thing
had a power i'm it TO bring happiness
10 the owner-like a charm She
see that IL clothed us decent end
LODGED up comfortable. and that
while il separated you and her. it
brought you and the squire's
daughter together And we laid it
down mutual that the Kid he'd too
much gumtiOn TO pitch the thing
away. but would hide it somewhere
where she could fetch it bimebv. Now,
hef we'd done otherways what