The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1933-10-31
Chapter IS
JlM's BATTLE

I'M AANOAA uau I0l0 Caroline
- that she was not to come again
to Hale Place, but he did not really
expect that she would obey him.
When, therefore, he returned from
q walk across his own dark fields &C
little after ten o'clock, he did not
lock the back door behind him. but
left It just ajar.
He lighted one Of the candles
which Caroline had brought. He
blew out the match and stepped
back, and then and there q voice
spoke aloud in his mind: Eight
green stones-five windows like
slits-no one knows where they are
but me-" Then the voice stopped.
He was left staring at the candle
flame with most frightful feeling
OF apprehension. The words linked
Elmer Van Bergs emeraIds With
the Blue Room.
The shock Of the thought was
tremendous. II the emeralds were
here he must have brought them.
II they were here. then he had shot
Elmer Van Berg.
They couldn't be here.
Jim took the candle and went mp
stairs to the Blue Room. He went
up to the four-post bed and threw
the candlelight upon the headpiece
with its carving OF the Tree Of
Knowledge. He twisted the bottom
apple on the right-hand side: at the
same time he pulled on the shield.
Il opened like door. His hand fell.
and the yellow candlelight shone
into the cavity.
Jim stayed. staring. Here were
the eneralds--here, in this secret
place. He tried to stir his mind TO
thought. but nothing moved. The
smeralds were in the secret place
behind Ralph de Burgh's shield.
Without altering his position, he
put out q hand. took hold Of the gold
chain, and pulled It out Of the cup
board. It swung as he had seen It
swing from Elmer Van Berg's hand
--eight square green stones with
pearls between them-'like . kids
green beads"
He had got as ear as that, when
tie frst sound reached him. As he
half stood, half kneeled ct the bed. /
aide with the candle end burnt 70 /
its last inch on the white coverlet,
he was IN full view. not only Of the
door. but OF the whole length OF the |
passage between the door and the |
main corridor.
The man who had turned the cor /
ner Q moment before had first
started back and then come eau
tiously on. He could see the lighted |
panel Of the door. and beyond it the
bed head with the right hand pillar, !
and Jim half turned away, knee
upon the bed a0d HIS left hand Just
out Of the picture. Another yard, and |
the hand was IN view-the hand and |
what It was holding-the eight |
green stones, trimmed with gold and |
dripping with pearls. The low can
die made black shadows every.
where.
a T Jim's first movement the man
4 = charged him. snatching at the
hand which held the chain. They
came down together across the bed.
The darkness came down too.
As he fell, Jim struck the iuttlng
shield with bis head. The chain was
wrenched out OF hts grasp. He had
the man BY the shoulder with an
awkward Ieft.hand sripa hard,
why fellow with q twist on him ike
an eel. He was twisting all the time.
He was little daxed with the sud.
denness and the blow TO his head.
With Q violent effort he heaved
over. and as he did 90. the man
wrenched aside and got his teeth
into his left wrist. He bit deep,
ierked backwards. and with . rip Of
cloth he WIS free. He must have
been as quick on bis feet g. q cot.
for In the same moment be was
across the room and through the
door.
Jim stumbled up. heard the sound
OF running feet in the passage. and
gave chase. He had cut his forehead
and the blood ran down into his
eyes and bothered him. The man
had the start OF him. and this time