THE PURPLE DIAMOND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21099, 5 February 1932, Page 15

THE PURPLE DIAMOND.

CHAPTER VI. the kino of karonia. Antiss breakfasted as usual next -om'ing alone/ He had awakened from a Jajjjj.free slumber with a strange sense of alertness, much in the same way he hud sne on that morning that was to herald the d*y w^en k a( * come * nto possession 0 f The Purple Diamond, and Clement lAntiss, being something of a philosopher, felt that the day was going to bo a notable 006. « up to lunch time however, nothing had gjbpened. /On his way to the office he jj»d been as cautious as usual. He had jpsed about him with eyes that had, during the past week or so, become curiously alert. But everywhere seemed perfectly normal in suburbia. No strange forms ittrt lurking around the corners of the there. were no strangers in his jgjlway carriage, and he began to feel that Wg early morning optimism had been misplaced or, perhaps, premature. The office routine had been quite as Bjoal The typists chattered about the latest star that had shot above filmland's horizon, had made their morning cup of coffee, eaten their apples and settied down again to discuss the rival merits of Brighton, , Margate, Blackpool, and J>westoft. Lunch time arrived, and Mr. Antiss felt (hat he had earned his roast mutton and onion sauce.

During the remaining hours of his servitude) he pondered on weighty matters as mechanically he balanced his books. After all, he argued, he wasn't yet King: Bub that, of course, was merely a question of time; of formality. Next Wednesday—yes, that would be the date —he would have been in possession of tho Purplo Diamond for the required twenty-one days. After that tho office didn't matter. No one could reasonably expect a King to come down at nine o'clock in the morning and work until six o'clock at night for a pittance. lie was sure that if he insisted on following this course the Royal Chamberlain, or some one like that, would raise the most formidable objections. It would represent a flagrant transgression of royal etiquette for which, he was sure, tho penalties would be most exacting. How ho was going to set about bocoming the King of Karonia, Clement Antiss had only tho vaguest of ideas. Of course ho must go to Karonia itself, and, armed with the throne stone, ho felt sure that no difficulties would bar his way. Had it not been written on the ancient tablets of the Karonians that whosoever should retain possession of the Purple Diamond for twenty-one days after the death of the monarch should have the prescriptive right to ascend the throne? There it was, as unalterable as the laws of tin- Medes and the Persians. Some benign fate had singled him out for this great, task. Providence had, no doubt, made him what he was — a humble cashier in the city—in order that ho might serve his apprenticeship for tho high offico lie was now about to fill.

Already he saw himself as the deliverer of an oppressed people—the King from across the mountains who was to bring peace and prosperity to the land. It was all transparently clear to him now. The workings of destiny might have been abominably slow but they were most certainly sure. On the other hand he forsaw complications and the greatest complication of them all was Mabel. _ . The King of Karonia bit hia lip in thoughtful meditation. There was no doubt about it. that was where fate had blundered, and blundered badly. Not for one moment could he picture Mabel as the Queen of Karonia. For one thing she lacked the majesty and the dignity of a queen, and what was more there was nothing mentioned in the document he had read about a consort. _ _ Presumably the new King of would be expected to take a wife from the nobility of Karonia. It was awkward—extremely awkward. But he consoled himself that perhaps things could be arranged. He must speak to the Karonian Lord Chief Justice a 5 soon as he arrived in order to ascertain the legal position. After all, if the King of Karonia couldn't make a law applicable to himself, then who could? Yes, it would certainly need looking into. Not, of course, that Mabel would surfer, one would be paid a handsome allowance from the Karonian Treasury, This thought reassured Mr. Antiss considerably, for deep down in his heart he had to admit that Mabel wasn't such a bad sort really. She had her shortcomings it was true, but bo had he for that matter, but all the same Mabel must not be permitted to interfere with this great opportunity to prove to Nature that she had not erred when she had supplied him with intelligence. It was the great chance for which he had been unconsciously waiting; the great adventure that had lain latent within him for years. Gone would be ..the years of striving, of saving the pence until, after a laboriou wait, they became pounds. He was a king, which just went to show that those people who talked ponderously about being "born into the purple didn t know what they were talking about. The typists were busy chattering ove !j their tea and the King of Karonia looked at the clock on the wall at the other side of the office. The face of that clock was as familiar to Clement Antiss as his own, and now he seemed to acquire a curious reverence for it. It. £ e like parting with an old friend. ihe same feeling came to him when he consuited the frayed cuffs of his grey alpaca office jacket. That was another friend —a friend of the years that lay mercifully behind him. Still, he couldn t afford to be sentimental about such things in the hour of his advancement. AH the same he decided that when he left—and no one must know that he was leaving he would pack the old jacket in his luscace, for there might be moments when even the King of Karonia could relax, and in periods of relaxation that old alpaca jacket might prove once again a friend. . , . , . When the King of Karonia left his office he looked about hinj cautiously. One could not be too sure now that he was a marked man, and he argued that it was on the cards that what he haci read in the newspaper about Karonia would also have been read by others—those others including Brown-Face who had marked him down.

As was his custom his eyes roved around the little Restaurant for some sign of the strange little man who had en'.rusted the jewel into his hands. He had performed his ocular exercise so often that bad he suddenly been confronted bv the v:sion of the the stranger he would, mort probably, have refused to belie >-e the evidence. Once again the restaurant) was empty of this mysterious figure. Mr. Antiss gave his order to the trim Gladys and picked up an early edition of one of the evening newspapers. He opened it leisurely. The Arsenal, he discovered, had Bigned on another Scottish forward for whom, so it was said, another record in transfer fees had been paid. In another column he noted that the Government had narrowly escaped defeat. He was unmoved. On another page .LIII Nosturna, the celebrated actress who was plaving the lead in " A Wife for a Week at St. Martin's, was writing some pertinent things about divorce. Mr. Antiss sighed and told himself that Miss Isostena probably knew more about it than h He ld was about to turn to another page when a headline arrested his eye. It announced: CKOWN JEWEL STILL MISSING. WHO WILL BE KARONIA'S KING ? Evolution Threatened. Before he could read further Gladys arrived with the roast mutton But as soon as she had gone he turned his eager attention once more to the report. ' Karonia. that little kingdom of Central 'Europe, is threatened with a revolution. A month ago, it will be remembered, a sensation was caused when .it was that the famous Purple Diamond the throne utora of Karonia, was missing from its ac customed place in the Royal f possession was claimed by P" n , c ® Chart magne in the absence of his brother Prm P n^ P the tU death of King Michael. Prince Paiitparatus announced his intention of abandoning the monarchy in Karonia and setting up a Republic. The Prmce, who has long held highly democratic ideas, determined that with the death of his father the monarchy m TWs C <tec!sion was not received well by the great majority of Karonians and demonstrations against Prince Paul s decision, were fre Twas realised that, according to tradition nothing could be done until the Purple Diamond was found because it has, for centuries, been decreed that whosoever shouldretain possession of the Purple Diamond for twentyon© davs after the death of the reitning monarch has the statutory right of claiming h or°d n e 6 r' t&at such a tradition sho « ld J??* be abused, the jewel has always been heavily guarded by the King's own trusted and loyal 7 Onf theory is that a friend of Prince Charlmagne, believing that a P lot . by Prince Paul to obtain possession of the •tone for the purpose of destroying it and so ending what he believes to be an absurd tradition in these enlightened times, secured the diamond and left the country until it could be handed to Prince Charlmagne. Interviewed by a Reuter's .correspondent the Prince confesses that he is entirely lg Uorant of the matter, and says he has no idea where the stone can be, and by jhom it was taken. He says, however, that bis brother left Karonia some weeks ago and is believed to be in London. Whether he is on the track of the diamond is not known. Meanwhile Karonia is growing restive and grave fears are entertained for public Ba i e *yThe Karonians, "cut off as they have been for centuries from the rest of Europe by mountain barriers, are an extremely superstitmus people. They do not desire the reformation —economic and constitutional—that fcaul wishes to impose on them. Ihey desire * king, and what is more they believe that, ill will be well with the land as soon as the Purple Diamond—the throne stone ot aacient Karonia—is returned, and they will 'accept as their king the person who has fclfilled the age-old conditions regarding its Possession for twenty-one days consecutively after the King's death. ~ The story reads like a page from Ihe iisbian Nights." but we understand that comparatively little is known about tnis Basil, self-contained kingdom, and it is, therefore, assumed that the people will demand the fulfilment of the time-honoured tradition.

During the journey home nothing happened, and Antiss was congratulating himself on his invulnerability. He walked along the station platform and out into the street. Once more the friendly street lamps were beginning to wink in the crisp spring air, and the King of Karonia threw out his chest and strode along with a step reminiscent of the majesty which would doubtless be expected of him. As usual the Common was deserted. The deep, velvety purple shadows were lowering beneath the trees and the clumps of gOFse that were alieady hung with tiny golden lanterns. Following custom, he turned off from the path for a short cut across the heath. How springy it felt to his feet giving him an air of buoyancy. Ho noted now quickly the twilight deepened; how the daffodil in the sky was changing to a wonderful green, and then it happened. Just what did happen exactly the King of Karonia, even when he came to reflect upon it at a later date, could never lift, quite sure. Ho was certain that no sound of approaching footsteps came to his eager ears, yet from behind something soft and yielding was flung over his head. Instinctively ho threw up his arms to ward off the attack, but as ho did so he felt his wrists grasped and held in a cruel, cold grip. And then as he struggled an odour assailed his nostrils —a sickly, volatile and pungent aroma. Realising that it was chloroform he held his breath until his lungs were bursting. He was still struggling and the exertion added considerably to his difficulty in suppressing his respirations. His head felt curiously cold. There was a roaring sound in his ears and he knew that the end had come. With a great gasp his lips parted and the anaesthetic filled his lungs to the full. He felt himself slipping away with a peculiar gyrating motion while the blackness about him was spangled with flashes of crimson uame. After that he remembered nothing more. _ . _ Brown-Face and his companion, Gount Joacirn, paused for a moment to survey the limp form which they allowed to slide down to the brown, soft earth at their feet.

The roast lamb and onion sauce grew i cold on the plat© in front of Clement •Antiss. His fingers which clutched the BBws sheet were trembling; a thin film of moisture hung on his brow like a caressing cloud; his vision was alternately dim *nd clear.

There could be no mistake. The news in newspapers nowadays was extremely reliable. And the Purple Diamond had been in fcis possession for. . . A sudden exhilaration possessed him. He pushed aside his untouched meal for a moment and pushed tack his narrow shoulders. What did lunch Jaatter to him now ? What did the office matter? The ledgers; the bundles of •tupid accounts? Anything? 1 Nothing mattered at all. What could matter now that he was King of Karonia \ CHAPTER Vn. THE KING IS CAUGHT. Clement Antiss looked at his watch. In «n minutes he was due back at the office, but he had not yet made up his ®ind whether the King of Karonia ought return to an office. Somehow it didn't quite the thing to do. It was, in { «Ct, much too democratic. " Why, Mr. Antiss, you haven't eaten Jonr lunch. Is there something the matter *ith it ?" , .Jt was the voice of the kindly and con•joerate Gladys at his elbow, who stood staring down at the untouched meal, fie smiled up at her. there's nothing the matter with the ? ea l, Gladys," he told her. " I'm sure is very excellent, but after I'd ? r aered it I didn't feel in the mood for *■ Of course, I'll pay my bill just the es if I'd had it." he supplemented, Onerously. not feeling any too well, Mr. fj&tiss," the waitress told him. " You're colour, t and no wonder in this leather." '°( a loophole for escape, the King •rm ron , ia acquiesced. just it," he responded. " We'll "JMeel bettei* when the summer comes, *orit we?" fjj olo ' o day, he told himself, Gladys wouldiV -£-°ud she had onco waited on , e King of Karonia in a London eating friend would retail the story to her S|® ! with rare accomplishment, and, t> a few original embellishiPaid his check and returned to the

" Neat and very easy," Count Joacim commented, coldly. " You are sure we won't meet anyone on our way to tho car ?"

Metrovitch shook his head. " I know every inch of this cursed common," he retorted. "It was fortunate ho always chose this way to go home—or nearly always, I should say, otherwise we'd have had him before."

" Well, let's get of!," announced Joacim who seemed uneasy. "You's sure he's got enough of tho Bleeping draught?" " He won't como out of that dose for four or five hours," was the small man's reply, as he bent down and took the King of feet while Joacim, much broader, lifted the shoulders. In silence, but ever watchful, they moved slowly across the common through tha hazel twilight. The journey seemed

By RALPH TREVOR. Author of " Under Suspicion," " The Deputy Avenger," etc.

A STORY OF THRILLING ADVENTURE.

(COPTRIGET.)

interminable and the limp form between them seemed to gain in weight with every step. At last they reached the fringo of the common and saw the twin lights of the car waiting beside the narrow, seldomfrequented roadway. As they approached, Brisser jumped down from the driving seat and swung open the door. No word passed between them, and within a minute Brisser was back again at the wheel and the car moved silently away into the gathering darkness. For safety's sake tho car made a detour before finally drawing up before the doorway of the old house beyond Hampstead Heath.

With the same care the sagging body | of the King of Karonia was lifted out of the car into the house. Prince Paulparatus was in the ball waiting to receive thorn. " That's good," ho cried, rubbing his hands. "Very good. You'd better take him up to his room and search him." Tho bearers nodded, and the somnolent form was carried up the broad staircase, along a dimly-lit, landing and into one of the bedrooms that had, for a week or more, been in readiness for the honoured guest. Thoy laid him fully clothed on the while counterpane of the bod, and, with lean, eager fingers, went through the clothing with extraordinary dexterity. Even the lining of Clement Antiss' coat was slit open, so thorough and so painstaking they were. But beyond a few papers, a note-case containing two ten shilling notes, a bunch of keys, three shillings and fivo pence halfpenny in loose change, a blackened pipe, pouch and a box of matches, they found nothing. Locking the door behind thorn they went downstairs to acquaint His Highness with the result of the survey. For a moment he stood gazing afc the homely pile of things which tiiey had laid out on the table. " Well, I suppose it was too much to hope that he would be fool enough to carry the diamond around with him. Evidently this Antiss fellow knows its value. Those keys might be useful, though. You'd better take charge of them, Metrovitch. We may have another little mission for you later." Brown-Face grunted, but not sufficiently loudly to attract His Highness' attention. " How long will it be before we can question him ?" he asked Joacim. " It might be wise to leave him till the morning, Your Highness." Prince Paul wrinkled his face with annoyance. " Can nothing bo done bofore then he demanded, petulantly. sit cooling our heels here all night ?' " I regret the necessity, Highness," returned Joacim, coolly, but it has been no light task. He struggled like a dozen furies." „ , "I'll bet he did," observed His Highness, remembering another occasion in Karonia where Joacim and Metrovitch had done a certain little " job " for him which necessitated tho forcible removal of a certa : n nobleman who did not agree with His Highness' democratic opinions. And though the King of Karonia was visited hourly by some member of the household, there was, as His Highness democratically put it in perfect Karoman, " nothing doing." CHAPTER Vin. UNPLEASANT THOUGHTS. The King of Karonia stirred uneasily. He felt that twin cannon balls were slung round his neck and that someone was sitting on his head. When he opened his eyes a grim, impenetrable blackness greeted them. Whoever it was sitting on his head made no attempt to release him. He tried desperately to gather his wits together into some semblance of coherence, but failed. Slowly, it seemed, he was «revolving like a planet in the black night sky which occasionally was flecked with thin ribbons of white light. What had happened to him ? His hands sought the counterpane and clutched it. In bed, of course. But it wasn't his ov -' n bed The one at home was a feather bed; this was hard and mattressy. Slowly he raised himself up on his elbows. The world continued to spin, but reason was progressively returning, lhat, at least, was something to be thankful for in this nebulous state in which he had so unexpectedly discovered himself. Piece by piece he fitted his thoughts together like a jig saw puzzle, and he remembered leaving the office, catching the train, cutting across Wimbledon Common and then. . . . There was quite de-

finitely a piece missing. For what seemed an eternity he lay in the darkness making no attempt to move because of those curious gyrations. His head felt better however, clearer, Ihe weight had been lifted, and then comprehension rushed upon him like a flood through a broken dam. They had got him. * In some strange and mysterious way he had been waylaid on the common. Swift.y he remembered that " something ' thrown over his head; remembered struggling, and how his wrists were gripped from behind. Yes, that was it. They had got him.

Just where he was didn't much matter. Confidence was returning to him. If they wanted the diamond they would be disappointed. The Purple Diamond was his, and not even those people who resorted to violence and threats should lay their filthy hands upon it. It was safe. What an inspiration it had been to leave the key of the safe deposit in his drawer at the office! His hands sought his pockets, and as he had half expected, found them empty. Quietly the Iving of Karonia smiled up into the night. He must have dropped off to sleep alter that —deep, refreshing sleep after the drugged unconsciousness, and when he awoke the dawn was clambering into the room, grey, but with a hint of rose in its f °Antiss looked about him and surveyed tho room. It was largo and airy, wellfurnished and quite comfortable. Ihe windows were concealed by drawn holland blinds, and Mr. Antiss aroso from his bod and stood gazing about him. The sleep had done him good. The world looked more stable, but there was something resembling a vacuum under his waistcoat, which reminded him forcibly that he must have had nothing to eat for nearly twenty-four hours. Crossing over to the window, ho pulled aside tho blinds. A number of stout iron bars successfully prevented any access to the glass beyond them. But he was interested in the view. The window overlooked a largo wilderness of a garden that revealed obvious traces of years of neglect. The garden was bounded by a high brick wall, and was screened at the bottom by a row of tall poplars. What lay beyond that garden Mr. Antiss did not know. He did not know whether ho was within tho area of the Metropolis or in some remote country district, but he thought that his ears vaguely caught the crescendo of London's early morning traffic. Tho sound comforted him. Escape—if such a thing presented itself — would be less difficult than if he were housed in some rural region which was wholly unfamiliar to him._ But London— Clement Antiss had not lived all his life there without knowing something of its topography. Ho was just turning away from tho window when ho heard tho metallic snap of a key, and the bedroom door opened. (To bo continued daily.)