Evening star., 1923-11-03

him Marshall Stead. Could 1t be that
that Stead had been hiding in the
disused working. and had caused the
, explosion? She turned again to the
big miner, whom some friend had
now supplied with food and drink,
and who was busted herewith.
IF anybody was in that working,
she said, what would happen to
| him?"
The miner, whose cheeks were bulg-
| ing with bread and meat, shook his
head expressively.
Wouldn't have a chance, miss,
said all of the other men In chorus.
Not a chance"
Phillipa and the old vicar went
hours went by under the light blue of
| the heavens and the glitter Of the
| hot sun, and still the cage rose and
1 fell, and the men and lads came up
in steady streams. AS they came the
| officials kept a list; at last solitary
individual came up alone and spoke
| toN them. One of the submanagers
| mounted a wagon.
| We believe every mans got out of
the mine!" he shouted over the heads
of the crowd. rs there anybody here
| who hasn't claimed their, relatives?
| Have you all got your mon and boys
| back?'
| For a moment there was no answer
Then, to PhilIipa's alarm. Tandy's
| wife, more disheveled, more frightful
\ than ever, darted into the open space
| and raised her skinny arm.
Il haven't!" she shrieked. MY
| mans down there! And he can stop
| there and starve, same as he's starved
NE"
| Some of the women began to laugh
unthfnkingly. Phillipa stopped them.
Hush! Hush!" she said. Don't you
| see the poor creature is either out of
| her mind or nearly so? Help me to
get her away"
| Some of the more serious minded,
who knew very well that poor Mrs.
! Tandy had had ample cause to lose
what wits she ever had long since,
| came forward and took her off to a
4 cottage outside the yard.
The rest of the crowd waited. They
knew now that it was almost abso-
| lutely certain that no lives had been
| .ost, but they fingered to see the
rescue party return.
It's members began coming up at
last, in threes and fours, with inter-
walls between the arrival of each. And
as the afternoon drew to a close Clin-
ton Mannersley and Quinton appear
ed together. coal blackened, weary,
out safe.
The great crowd had been waiting
20 deliver itself of it's pent-up thank
fulness and enthusiasm. At sight of
The young baronet and the manager
it burst into tumult of wild cheer
ing. But Quinton turned and looked
at the cage which they had just left,
and gave the crowd an expressive
glance as he whispered word or
Two to some of the officials, and the
crowd understood both glance and
word. They had found some bodies
and were bringing them up.
Amid the silence Clinton took his
cousins arm and led her toward the
engine room.
Come away. Phillipa." he said.
We've found two bodies. 1 don't want
you to see them brought up"
Phillipa said nothing until they
were in shelter. and Clinton had been
given a drink. Then she whispered:
Who are they. Clinton?"
Clinton passed his grimy hand
across his forehead with a gesture of
WEAKNESS. "One of them's a miner
the man they called Dogger Tandy,"
he answered. Il found him-ugh
The others Marshall Stead Inspec-
tor Cortelyou found him. Phillipa"
Yes" she said, wondering at his
look What"
Stead had been murderedr
Without a doubt. There's no doubt
whatever that Tandy murdered him"
But why?"
Clinton made a wry face. For
those diamonds he answered.
Diamonds, Not-not my dia-
monds?" she cried.
Yes. We found 'em on Tandy's
body. Cortelyou- All heIe Is Cor
telyou.
The detective entered with his usual
soft tread and impassive face. He
unbuttoned his coat, and. drawing a
hastily rolled up packet from his
inner pocket, laid the diamonds on
the tabe at which Phillipa sat.
Phillipa rose to her feet with some
thing very near a shrek.
No, no." she cried. ''No-I can't
touch them-I can't bear to see them
I'm never, never wear them! Please
please take them away!"
And she hid her face in her hands
as if in mortal fear.
Inspector Cortelyou smiled, and hid
the diamonds in his pocket.
1t was six months later. Manners
ley was its old self again. The well
oiled wheels of the great industrial
concern were rolling along as smooth
ly as ever; the mine was pouring it's
daily tribute of gold at Phillipa Man
nersley's feet; the tragic events of
the past were becoming memories.
And in the coming year the rich
young heiress and her cousin-a
much graver and manlier Clinton
were going to be married.
The only change was that the man