Rhyl Journal

IPTTBLTSHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT.) THE KING'S DIAMOND. BY FLORENCE STACPOOLE (COPYRIGHT.) CHAPTER XIII. Half an hour later John Straight was again si ting under the apple trees in the orchard at a.esbrcok Partn, as he had been three day: ,.eto,-e, on the morning after his arrival in the country, but he was not now sitting cross-legged wiih a pipe in his mouth, a novel in his hand, and his hat tilted carelessly on the back of his h. a i. His elbows rested on his knees, his head in ',i" hands, and he was asking himself over and o it a, a in, What is the matter? What has happened? WIi :t have I done 1L, had not been able to put these questions to Do a herself before she vanished among the ti e. b -cause his voice had failed suddenly just as i bad tailed when he was defending Sandeman th forger. His vocal chords, unstrung by the excitement of the moment, had refused to act, and to have purchased paradise by the effort he could not have compelled them to call on her to Btoi' and explain why to-day she was so changed from what she had been yesterday. His feet, too, had refused to move, the "stunned, impotent surprise" that had seized him rooted him to the ground as her fleet stepa carried her out of sight. He felt he could not follow her to the house-he could not go in and face Sir Richard, and prob- ably Robert Greenhough, and enter as if nothing had happened the interminable discussions of yesterday. He must think it out first, and try to discover some reason why his sunshine had been so swiftly obscured by cloud. So he re- traced hi-, steps to the farm, and throwing him- eelf on the grass under the old apple tree, where he had read and sneered at "Ilearts Win," racked his brain fruitlessly with questions which he could not answer. It's not that she is offended by what I said Inst night—that hasn't made the difference," he thought again and again. "I'm sure it hasn't. She left her little fluttering hand in mine when she saw it was not an empty compliment I was paying her, but deathly earnest. She did not tear it away indignantly when I kissed it as she would have done if she had been insulted by my presumption." For a few brief seconds he Jived the heavenly moment over again, and then returned with a groan to the blank and barren present. This morning the rapture was to have be"n renewed. He had hardly slept all night, so radiant had been the anticipations of what the day might bring—it had come and brought—this. Try as he would, he could find no solution of the problem, no way of accounting for the change that had come over the girl. She had turned deliberately from him, not with the embarrassed shyness that might be caused by his avowal of the night before, but with the evident and set purpose of avoiding him. She had not given him the smallest token of greeting, but had turned and fled as if to show him that his pre- sence was undesired, that he was an unwelcome intruder, an interloper. He would have ground his teeth at the thought, but that his heart was too sore to be savage. He had sat in this way, casting the dust and ashes of misery on his head for a much longer time than he had any idea of, when on the quiet air arose a cry "Mr. Straight, sir! Mr. Straight, sir!" And hurrying in and out between the silver grey boles of the apple trees came Mrs. Wilkinson. She was carrying a telegram. It was not a des- patch intended for her lodger evidently, because instead of an orange-coloured envelope there was fluttering in her hand the flimsy, pinkish paper containing the message. I've been looking a'most all over the place fot you, sir," she panted, "and one of the boys said he'd seen you under the trees here. I've just had this, sir, and I knew you'd like to see it, from Master James, sir!" and she put the papei intohishand. I'm coming at three thirty. Of course, you can put me up. Smith." "It'll be a nice bit of company for you, sir!" she went on, while Straight sat looking at the words as if they were as hard to decipher as a cuneiform inscription. I'm that glad that able to come, and Sir Richard will be as pleased as Punch—he always is when Master James comes down" The barrister rose from his lowly seat on the grass with an agility that astonished his land- lady. He returned the paper to her, and snatch- ing up his tobacco pouch and meerchaum com- menced ramming the bowl with bird's eye as if he had made a bet to force the entire contents of the pouch into his pipe. So That was it Here was the explanation of the whole busi- ness! The solution of the puzzle. The reading of the riddle! His fingers shook as he continued to stuff the pipe with nervous energy, He quite forgot Mrs. Wilkinson's presence or that he had made no reply to her joyful tidings. What she would have thought of his silence it is hard to say, but she had not time to notice it, for at that moment an appalling clatter arose in the poultry yard, and she hastened off to inquire into its cause, leaving Mr. Straight standing on the grass which he was liberally sprinkling with tobacco. So that was it That was the reason of the extraordinary change. He saw the whole thing t• ow. She had been deeply immersed in a letter at the moment he had come upon her. It was from Smith—of course. She was engaged to him I -ni- on the point of I)econiin,- ,o. No doubt they hud wired or written to him about this trotible, and he was coming down post haste. It was just what a fellow would do. Perhaps he had taken this very opportunity to declare him- gslf. Good heavens! That was his proposal she wafl reading. Could there be a doubt of it! And she had looked up and seen the man who had had the audacity to speak of her angelic face—to actually kiss her hand-when he had known her but three days! No wonder—no wonder she had turned from him. She had been astonished, pro- bably disgusted, at his manifestation of the night before, only she had been too sweet to say so at the time. She had tried to hide what she thought cf his effrontery, but she had not been able to hide it in daylight. She had not been able to conceal from him that he was in the way, des- perately, horribly in the way now that he had blurted out his feelings in so unwarrantable a 3*1 a nner. Hf was fast bound in the clutches of the monster who manufactures his own provender, and was goading himself to madness by the in- tolerable suggestions of his fertile and imagina- tlv,, bi a in Truly if the specialist who had recommended a vegetative life had seen his patient now he would not think that end had been secured by a residence at the Naresbrook Farm. I'll go!" he thought suddenly, it's the only thing to be done. I can't, I won't meet him!" The ordeal by fire or any other mediaBval torture generally seems easier to a man than the meeting with a successful rival. Straight never took long to make up his mind, and rarely delayed in carrying out his decisions. To her unadulterated amazement Mrs. Wilkin- son in another hour found herself bereft of her boarder. He softened the blow of his abrupt departure by paying for a month and telling her he would let her know when he could come down again. "But Mr. Smith will be mortal disappointed, eir, to miss you," she said, plaintively. "No doubt," answered the K.C., grimly, "but business must be attended to, Mrs. Wilkinson." Smith was coming at three-thirty. By the two o'clock train John Straight left Pembridge. He had written to Sir Richard, saying he regretted being obliged to return to town at once, but that Jadd was doing his utmost, would soon com- municate with him. and he had every confidence that the detective would bring the matter to a successful issue before long. 7 ile felt that he was acting 1 rutally in desert- ing the baronet at such a moment, but h was possessed by a frenzy to get out of the pt<lce before Smith arrived. To come face to face with the laughing, blue eyes of the critic, to see t'3i-:t and him together, as he must inevitably do if he remained, was a thought so intolerable as to be perfectly unbearable. Come what may he must get out of the place. He had done his best for them, had secured Jadd, and knew that tie was leaving no stone unturned to recover the diamond. Of what avail could staying be? Jadd was a person who would not brook interference nor ask advice. Remaining to be tortured would embarrass Dora probably, and could do no one any practical good except perhaps Smith, who ro doubt would be glad to have someone to take Sir Richard off his hands and give him more Opportunities of-perish the thought! So ivi r, Straight simply bolted, knowing well that if he were not off at once a visit from the baronet would follow the note of invitation to luncheon which had arrived early in the day. In fact, the eminent King's counsel acted very much an if he were a boy running away from school, and did net breathe freely until the train was puffing out of Pembridge Station—and then he groaned. CHAPTER XIV. Sir Richard had not wired to Prime .Akbar. but had instead written him a full account of the loss Of the diamond. telling him that the whole matter was in the hands of Detective Inspector Jadd, of the Criminal Investigation Department, Scotland Yard, and that as-he was ceooad to noue in his profession there wpa liiIae doubt that the mystery would be soon cleared up. That the Prince would arrive by special train on Friday afternoon Sir Richard did not doubt, and this expectation was one of the reasons why he had been so eager tor Mr. Straight to remain at the Court all day. The barrister would help him to maintain his mental equilibrium in the presence of the infuriated oriental. The day had passed, however, and no whirlwind of wrath had broken upon the court, and on the Saturday morning a note, in halting but dignified English, had come from his Highness saying he trusted in Sir Richard Chesney's honour, and asking would Inspector Jadd and Mr. Straight (whom Sir llichard had mentioned as being interested in the matter also) be at the Court on Monday afternoon. To this the baronet was obliged to reply in the negative. Mr. Straight had been recalled to town by important business. Detec- tive Jadd had also written to say that he was c iled back to town, and would not return to Riverdale Court for at least a week. This in- formation concerning Mr. Jadd's movements had been received by Sir Richard a few hours before the little note signed "A. Maitland" had been put into John Straight's hand in the dark avenue as he was returning to his quarters at the farm. As both the persons for whom Akbar had in- quired were absent, Sir Hichard thought that the Prince's visit, to which he was looking fo, ward with terror, would be postponed. To his amazement, however, on Monday afternoon, a Pemb; idge fly drove up to the door, and Robert Greenhough, turning hastily fiom the window of tiip dining r« um in which he was standing picking his teeth aftu luncheon, announced in an awe-struck voice- "The Prince himself, by Jove!" Sir Richard was still seated at the table, and opposite to him was Smith, blue-eyed and smil- ing anc. discoursing, with much show r,f know- ledge, but considerable inaccuiacy of statement, on precious stones in general and big diamonds in particular. The critic was one of those people who could converse fluently and learnedly on subjects of which he was profoundly ignorant, tspecially to people whom he knew to be as ignorant as himself concerning them. He was explaining the modern process of diamond cut- ting and how much more expeditious it was than the cutting done by hand in the 18th cen- tury, when the famous Pitt diamond occupied workmen for two years. Dora was not present— a headache had kept her in her room all day. The Prince!" exclaimed Sir Richard, starting up, his face paling. ow, my dear Sir Richard, don't agitate yourself," said the good-natured Smith. The stone will be found all right, you may trust Jadd for that; he's the keenest card in the kingdom. Johnny Straight did you a good turn in putting you into his hands." Ah, I wish to the Lord Straight was here now," said the poor baronet. "I don't think much of this Jadd," snarled rr. Greenhough. Why, the fellow hasn't been near the place since Thursday, when he made a list of the servants, and then walked off-and now he's back in London.—If he's so uncom- monly keen he ought to be on the spot, I should say." How do you know he's not ?" asked Smith. Because he's in London." Or says so," remarked Smith, drily. Before Mr. Greenhough could ask what he meant the footman appeared with Prince Akbar's card. You'll both come with me," said Sir Richard, piteously, won't you ?" Of course we will," cried the critic, cheerily. Come along, sir and he patted the old man on the back. "There's not the least use in a squadron of us hearing down on the fellow in this way, objected Greenhough. "It will look as if we were trying to bounce him." Nonsense—come along," said Smith, putting his arm through Sir Richard's, and wondering at his nephew's callousness, for Robert Green- hough showed no feeling whatever for the really serious position in which his uncle was placed. I shan't," said the young man, doggedly. I'm no use in the matter—I can throw no light on it." Come, Smith—come on," said Sir Richard, feverishly. He'll wonder what we are delaying for." They found the Arabian solemnly pacing the drawing room floor. He was a tall man with a tremendous black beard. He wore a black and gold turban, which added to his height and the dignity of his figure. He salaamed profoundly to Sir Richard and his companion, but without speaking. This is my friend, Mr. Smith, Prince," said the baronet hurriedly, Mr. Smith—His High- ness Prince Akbar. And again his Highness bowed profoundly. Smith felt an unreasonable desire to laugh, and hastily adjusted a pair of pince-nez to conceal the unseemly twitching of his facial muscles. To laugh in the face of a man who has incurred a big loss would be un- justifiable; but the solemnly pompous appear- ance of this Arabian princeling tickled Mr. Smith, whose sense of humour was inconveniently easily aroused. "This is a terrible business, Prince broke out Sir Richard. "At least," catching himself up short as he realised after the words had been uttered that they were not the wisest that could have been spoken under the circumstances-" At least, I hope it won't be terrible. It will turn out all right. At any moment Jadd may come in with the diamond in his hand." Is he not in town ?" queried the Prince sharply. In London-oh, yes." You never can tell where a detective is," remarked Smith, lightly, "he may be up the chimney, or under one of the sofas, for all we can tell, or listening behind one of those window curtains I" You said he was in London," said the Arabian, wheeling round and surveying the hangings and sofa in turn. "He said he was going to London," put in Smith, but one never can tell what these police beagles are up to, they don't show their hands openly, you know, Prince, I mean," as he remembered that foreigners seldom under- stand idiomatic English, "they don't tell every- one exactly what they are doing or where they are, you know, if they did, they wouldn't be able to unearth—I mean to find out-things as they do. but you may be sure that Detective Jadd wherever he is, or whatever he is doing, is on the track of your diamond, and will get it back be- fore long." But I want it back now," exclaimed his Highness. "I cannot wait in your country, I mu^t go to my tribe, they wait for me, they st retr h their arms for me to come, to carry on the war that will release them from their foes. I must have my diamond now, now," he said, emphatically. So you shall, so you shall," said Smith, so.ithingly, and glancing at Sir Richard whose lips were twitching nervously. "Jadd will have liewof it in a few days, that's certain." But I can not delay. I will lose my throne, my kingdom!" cried the Prince, angrily. "Why, hir, did you lose my gem," he demanded, turn- ing to the baronet with flashing eyes, by now the sale should be done; by these days I would have my money; the stone would have made me rich. I would be now on my journey to my tribe. You take my stone, you lose it!" You talk, sir," interrupted Sir Richard, indignantly, "as if I had lost your diamond on purpose." But you have lost it!" It has been taken out of my possession in some miraculous way-how, I can't imagine, but the cleverest detective in England is on its tra.ek-it will be recovered It will nevar be recovered," said the Prince Akbar, solemnly. "What do you mean?" "How do you know?" The other two men asked the questions in a breath. "Because the thief is a clev-ar one; by now, sare, my stone is broken up; it is cut into little pieces; these big stones that can be traced are always cut up; it can nev-ar be put together again, ne-var." Of course a diamond can't be put together again once it's cut up," said Smith, controlling his inclination to laugh, "but, my dear Prince, this is only supposition—you only suspect it may be cut up. You must, however, give the de- tective time to work in; your diamond will be found all right." Nev-ar—nev-ar, it is now in one of the !(.ft)rei shops of Amsterdam, where they cut Gtones. It is being cut, just as the Tavernier bine was cut, into three parts, after it was thieved in the Revolution of France, it was iuv-ar found. My diamond will be nev-ar found." fcir Richard groaned. v>li, nonsense!" cried the critic, "this is Joeing much too fast—the stone hasn't been lost w yet, and you give up all hope of its re- i-ovi ry without even waiting for the detective's report." ■' I care for no reports, I want my stone. 1 must haste to my tribe; I lose my kingdom through this delay. The stone is one of great price. It is a twin stone to The Sun of the Sea in the Nadir's Throne. I raise much money on it, go to my tribe, and conquer their foes." Well, well, so you can, all in good time," said Smith in a cheerful tone, which evidently exasperated the Prince extremely, for be-turned upon poor Sir Richard furiously. I have your receipt Sare! Your receipt that you took my stone!" I never denied it," said Sir Richard. "What do you mean by saying such a thing; I never denied that I took, or rather accepted; fcWcare of youi' stone." You took my stone, and now vour friend says to me, 'all in good titae,' as titflagjk it mattered not if I wait long-to" to be found." !f No. JaO. sat in Gwi&. "I tefl you I lose my tribe if I do not get the money at once. I can raise a great sum if I have the stone—I show this." lit drew a vellow parchment from his breast pocket. It i-i i t''<-N%-hat you call—pedigree. I show it you, sare, the day you took my stone. This make the worth clear, but," and he threw out his hands wildly, "how can I if I have not the stone ? How can I get the mo\iey if I have not the stone. I am destroyed without it; my kil gdom will be last, my tribe, it will be ru-in-ed," with emphasis, "if I can get no money, now, at once. I should have it this day. I should return to Arabia now, this week, and I must—I must—the stoue or the money I must gel—1 left it with you, sare, as Lord Hedington's fii(i,d, as a man of bei,cur. I left, it with you This was altogether toe much for Sir Richard, his face suddenly crimscned violently, his mild blue eyes flamed with wrath as he jumped up trim his chair rnd almost shouted, What do you mean, Prince Akbar, what do you mean, sir? I am a man of honour. What (he d- do you mean by talking as if you doubted the fact! You shall have your diamond, or its value, if I h, ve to sell all I'm worth and go into the workhouse. Your cash is safe, you needn't be afriid of that; but don't you speak of I my honour if you please."And he strode up and down the room, 1 is hands in his pockets, his brow puckered with anger. Poor, hot-headed old boy," thought Smith, you're not fit to deal with this crafty Oriental. I wish to goodness Straight was here." Then he said aloud, feeling that the sooner the interview was ended tl-ie better. "Don't you think. Prince, that it would be better to adjourn this discussion until Jadd has communicated the result of his investigations? We're bound to have news of him very soon-at any moment, in fact." I'll wire up to the Chief of the Criminal In- vestigation Department at Scotland Yard, and j;s for Jadi's whereabouts," said Sir Richard. The Chief is sure to know, if he's in London I'll ask him to come down at once, if, as Mr. thinks, he's in the neighbourhood, I'll ask them to instruct him to show up here without delay. Will you remain as my guest, Prince," ;1.d he turned formally to the Arabian who had risen from his seat, and you can await the de- teeiive's arrival, and hear what he says." Thank you, sare, I cannot—I must depart- I ca n make no delay." But it's only till to-morrow, we'll have him here by then." Prince Akbar merely shrugged his shoulders, a i, (I Treated, I CEP make no delay." He again -,ii-d moved towards the door On the tin esiiold he paused and said ominously: I go to my lawyers, sare; they will write to yen. sare." ■;mith and Sir Richard stared at each other. The nex' moment the Prince had shut the door- he did not wait to be shown out. Something in his m; nner sfeniz-.d to have paralysed the 1) ironet. He made no attempt to follow his vi-itov. In a few seconds the fly drove rapidly down the avenue, carrying Prince Akbar, who sat majestically within *■*•*» 407, Lincoln's Inn Fields, June 9th, 19—. Sir,—We are instructed by our client, His Highness Prince Akbar, Emir of the tribe of the Abacis, to demand immediate restitution of the stone known as "The King's Diamond" entrusted to ycur keeping, and for your cus- tody of which our client holds your receipt. In the event of the lost gem not being recoyered avo beg to state that we shall hold you res- ponsible for the sum of- The letter dropped to the ground as Sir flic hard's fingers suddenly grown cold involun- tarily relaxed their hold of it. For a moment he Fat looking intently before him, but seeing noth- ing: then he raised his eyes, and his glance met Dora's. She had been watching him anxiously, for she had noted his change of colour as he opened the letter and saw by the address that it was from a firm of solicitors. She had quickly divined that it contained grave news, and her eyes had not left her father's face as he read it. When it fell from his hand her face blanched, and a sickening terror seized her and as she saw the helpless look of fear :n his eyes -she rushed to him crying, What is it; dear father, what is the matter?" He looked down at the letter, she picked it up and ran her eye over it, her heart beating v ildly, then she, too, dropped it, and clasping her hands she groaned. The sum for which her father was held respon- sible was £ 70,000! "I shouldn't have let her see it! Good heavens, how senseless of me," he thought, ter- rified at the deathly look in the girl's face. Never mind, my darling. There—there—don't be agitated. Jadd is a clever man; we may have good tidings from him at any moment. Remem- ber we haven't heard what he has done yet. Why —there may be something here. I haven't looked at. the other letters!" There were two on a salver on the table. Sir Richard was talking in- coherently in his efforts to distract the poor girl's attention from the terrible situation in which they were placed. He took up the letters and looked at them, and then an exclamation of iov broke from him. "From Jadd, darling! At i¡t!" With shaking fingers he tore open the envelope which bore on its flap: "Criminal Investigation Department, Scotland Yard." The same address headed the note, which was as.tollows-- Dear Sir,—I regret to say I find there is not the slightest chance of tracing the missing dia- mond. When Mdlle. de Jude was allowed to escape the only clue that could have led to it was lost. We have done our best, but she can- not be traced. Therefore, I write to inform you that I have relinquished all efforts in the matter, and our department cannot spend any further time in the prosecution of this case, which is considered quite hopeless. Yours obediently, James Jadd. To Sir Richard Chesney, Bart., Riverdale Court, Pembridge, Sussex. (To be continued.)