Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-30
A Theory Unset

You said just now that you knew
where the diamonds were" said
Quinton. Does that mean
All, l spoke rather hurriedly." in
terrupted the inspector. Il ought to
have said that / have a very good
idea where they, will be found; as
Stead was arrested and locked up
very suddenly, l don't think he'll
have had time to move them. /
orchard at his lodgings"
What, planted?" said Quinton.
Just So" replied Inspector Cor
telyou. And l believe that a certain
diagram now in my pocketbook
refers to the exact spot. It's very
curious thing, but lot of men like
Stead, if they secrete something of
value, cannot refrain from making a
more or less elaborate diagram of its
Whereabouts and preserving it in
stead of trusting to memory. Now,
in this CASE"
And he proceeded to tell Quinton
about the diagram, and by the light
of the carriage reading lamp show
cd it to him.
IN that orchard" he said, there
is q disused well: that circle evil
IDENTIFY represents it. The orchard
has tumble down wicket. gate;
these strokes evidently represent
that. I believe we shall find the
diamonds hidden between the well
and the wicket gate"
Quinton made no answer to this;
it seemed TO him that Stead might
have found a much more likely place
wherein to bestow the stolen dia-
monds, and that he was more the
sort of man to place them in a bank
than in hole in the ground. But he
reflected that Inspector Cortelyou
was an astute man, who had good
grounds for whatever he believed.
and he looked forward with interest
TO the next stage of the matter.
The inspector had ordered the
motor brougham to stop at some
distance from Stead's lodgings. He
wanted. he said, to approach the
house quietly.
There ought to be a man of mine
somewhere about" he said, as they
drew near the garden in front of'the
house. I've had the place watched
ever since ! heard of Stead's escape.
because I'd an idea that he might
come here. And now that I know
about the diamonds. l shouldn't
wonder if he does"
of the darkness from behind a clump
of laurel.
That YOU. Perrett?" asked In
spector Cortelvou. Anything hap
pened?"
NO. sir" replied Perrett. Moth
ing's happened"
We'll. III send some one to relieve
YOU presently" said the inspector.
Il must have an eye kept on this
! place all night. In the meantime
you can borrow lantern from the
| house and bring 1t round to the
orchard at the back. There's some
thing there 1 want to examine.
Come this way. Mr.. Quinton-we
needn't trouble the house people"
The Getaway
The inspector led the way round
the house to the little orchard which
lay in front of the windows O.
Stead's sitting room.
! laying his hand on the crazy wicket.
you'll see when Perrett brings that
lantern that
He stopped suddenly. grasping
Quinton's arm. In the darkness, soft
and clinging. Of the summer night
they saw man rise as it were out
of the ground in the center Of the
| orchard and move swiftly away.
stop him--stop him" exclaimed
the detective, rushing forward. Get
to him. Mr.. Quinton-you're more
active than I am. Hi Perrett, Per-
rett!"
The figure in front crashed through
the fence at the opposite side of the
orchard and was gone. Quinton. at
the first word from Inspector Cortel-
you. had darted forward; strong,
athletic, and in good trim. he meant
to run the fugitive down. But in
the darkness he caught a foot in the
lledgewood and fell heavily. When
he rose the quarry. judging by the
sound of his footsteps, was a long
distance across the field behind the
orchard. He ran on. the inspector
and Perrett toiling in his rear.
The field ended in a long, narrow
wood. beyond which. as Ouinten
knew. lay the river. Il being then
the height CT summer. the trees were
in full leaf, and would have made
excellent cover. even in broad day
light: at that hour IT was. of course.
impossible to see anything. The
three men paused at the edge Of the
wood and listened intantly.
There's not much chance OF get
ting him here" said thu detective.
peering about him in tha darkness.