The diamond drill., 1919-05-24
CHAPTER l..
oOpyngA, " G. chaSm.p
A poq and a DamseI.

stopped at my feet and whined.
There Is nothing remarkable In hav-
ing n strange dog run to one, nor in
seeing the creature rise on It's hind
legs and paw at you for notice and n
caress. Only. this happened TO be an
Eskimo dog.
stroked the beast. which lay down
nt my feet, raising its head sometimes
20 whine and sometimes dartlng of a
little way and coming back to tug at
the lower edge Of my overcoat. But
my mind was too much occupied for
me to take any but a perfunctory In
terest In its maneuvers. My eight
years OF thankless drudgery as n
clerk, following on brief adventur-
GUS period after | ran away TO sea
from my English home, had terminal
cd three days before upon receipt OF
legacy, and / had at once left Tom
Cnrson's employment.
Six thousand guineas-thlrty thou
sand dollars-the will said.
I had seen Tor some time that Car
son meant 70 get rid Of me. II had
heen satisfaction TO me TO get RID
Of him instcad.
lie had been alternately a prospec-
Cor and q company promoter all the
working years Of his shabby life. Tom
was as secretive as clam, except
with simon Lcroux.
Lcroux was a parish politician from
some place near Quebec, and his
clean-shaven wrinklcd face was as
hard and mean as any city boss in the
United States. lie Bnd old Tom used
10 be closeted together for hours nt
time.
never liked the man and never
cared for Carsons business ways
was glad TO leave him the day after
my legacy arrived.
My plans were vague. ] had been
occupying, at low rental, tiny
apartment consisting Of two rooms,
bath and what IS called a Kitchen
ctte,7 at the top Of mn old building
in Tenth street which was about TO be
pulled down. ! had half planned TO
take boat for jamaica. ! wanted 10
think and plan.
Tho Eskimo dog was growing IN
onsy. II would run from me, looking
round and utterlne succession Of
short barks, then run back and tug 40
my overcoat again.
Evidently II Wished me 10 accom-.
pany t. and ! wondered who its mas
ter was and how It came to be there.
rose and followed tho beast, which
showed IT'S eager delight by running
ahead Of me, turning round mt times
10 bark, and then continuing on its
way with d precision which showed
me that IL was certain OF its destina.
tion.
The dog turned down street in the
Twenties, ran on n few yards, bound.
cd up q flight Of stone steps and be-
gan scratching at the door Of a house
that was apparently empty.
This place I knew by reputation. II
was Jlm Dalg's notorious bur docunuy
conducted gambling establishment.
which was running fuil blast nt a time
when every other institution Of this
character had found g convenient 10
Shut down.
SO The creatures master was inside
Days and II wished me 90 get him
out ! looked In some disappointment
M the closed doors ana turned away.
meant 10 20 home and | had pro-
cecded nbout three piccs when the
lock clicked stopped The front
door opened cautiously and the gray
head ~ Jim's negro butler appeared.
Then emerged one Of the most hpnu-
tlful women that ! have ever seen.
She could not hove been more than
twenty ycnr III nge Her hair wns
Of q FAIR brown tbo features modelled
splendidiy he heod poised upon Il
nawlcss throat that gln1mad white he-
meath pechplece of magnificent
sable.
She carried q suhlc mum. too ana
under these furs was d dress On un.
stylish fashion anil cut That contrnsted
curiously with thcm ! thought that
those loose sleeves had passed away
before the nineteenth century died. In
one hand she curried a bag, into which
she was stuifing a large roll of bills.
She passed SO close to me that her
dress brushed my overcoat, and for an
instant her eyes met mine. There was
n look IN them that startled meter
ror and helpiessness, rs though she
had suffered some benumbIng shock
which made her actions more auto
matte than conscious.
i was bewildercd. What was a girl
like that doing IN Dmy's at half past
twelve In the morning?
she hogan walking slowly and rather
aImlessly, II seemed 70 me. along the
street Tn the direc' ION If SIKH ave-
nue hiV "l N.l'N FG, nlanuuded. |
followed aet oi u d'c'ir n'crnl -
soc I" RI 49, ir ~ But