The Rockingham Diamond

Taranaki Daily News, 20 February 1935, Page 13

The Rockingham Diamond

(By

Collinson Owen)

CHAPTER XVII

True this theory did not entirely explain Swann’s apparent suspicions, and Rockingham found that he could not now lightly dismiss these as mere stupidity. But, Rockingham told himself, Swann had seen Vera and her mother with him on the night the diamond was first stolen at the Duchess’. Later he must have found in some way that Sir Marcus knew the Van Durens, and so perhaps had taken too big a jump in putting two and two together. Rockingham found his summing up of the situation fairly reasonable and comforting. . . But all the same that lurking worry persisted in his mind. And then for the time being Rockingham forgot his troubles of the heart in a new pre-occupation. ' He came to the conclusion that he was being followed. It suddenly occurred to him that wherever he had been, he seemed to be conscious of a red taxi lurking on the scene.

His leisurely afternoon promenade was nearly over, and he was thinking of returning to his hotel when this feeling definitely came over him. At that moment he was driving down the broaa Boulevard des Invalides. Rockingham looked round. There was little traffic in the road, but following them at a distance of about a hundred yards, was a red taxi cab. It was one of the ordinary shabby taxi cabs of the Paris streets, which ought to have long been put on the retired list, but it had one remarkable feature. It was travelling at his own slow pace, and not plunging along in the reckless fashion which is normal to the Parisian chauffeur. A taxi cab travelling at the pace of a cab horse was a sight quite novel enough to be startling. A little further on Rockingham told the cocher to turn sharp to the left, and then descended, as if to examine at leisure en bon touriste, the facade of the Invalides.

The taxi cab passed on, still at its slow pace, but a little further On it stopped, still visible through the trees. The taxi cab was closed, and no face appeared at the side window but Rockingham had the conviction that he was being watched through the little window at the back of the vehicle. He drove leisurely on again, noticed that after a judicious interval the taxi started after him once more, and so traced its pursuit across the river and almost back to his hotel. In the last moments, in the rushing traffic of the Champs .Elysees, hfe lost sight of it. Bui whoever was inside it had had the patience to follow him all afternoon and back to the hotel. He had little time io think over the incident just then. In the entrance hall he ran right into Sir Harry Vanbrugh. That engaging youth was bubbling over with joy and eagerness as he came forward. “Twenty minutes I’ve been waiting, he began. “They told me you wouldn’t be long.” He spoke aS though twenty minutes were a century. “How did you know I was here. Rockingham asked. “Simple. I saw it in the New York Herald’. List of guests, you know. And I toddled round here as soon aS I could. I am very keen on having you out to dinner to-night,, if it can be done. Something very special.” “I doubt if it can be done. But come and have some tea and look on at the dancing.” ... ■ , They found a table in the imposing oval central hall of the hotel. But Vanbrugh was full of his subject, and paid little attention to the pleasant scene before them. He had, it appeared, backed a new revue in London to the tune of a fevv thousands and with the youth, was confident that there would te . very big return Bui the romenbe side of it also appealed to him. » » come over to Paris with the impteSSarlo of the new venture, and was even now engaged in the exciting and agreeable task of finding new talent. “It’s great," he exclaimed, with en> thusiasm. “I’ve heard of an pleasure combined, but I’ve never met it before. What’s more, I may take.a small part in the new show. He looked, fo/the first time, with a critical eye at the dancers in the centre of the tea “At any rate, How to dance in London,” he added. Rockingham who knew his accomplishments in that Ime, anile with the indulgence of the oldeiVian. And that evening, Y anbru |^^ tt at d joyously, he was giving a dinner at the Cafe de Madrid in the Bok; Various beautiful and famous lights Of the i Par s Vaudeville world were to be there. It would be an occasion rich in every reZc of brilliance and education a chance not to be missed. And having seen that Rockingham was in Paris he had jumped at the idea of Sing him there. Vanbrugh: showed quite • plainly that he would regard it a. a privilege to have such a guest. Rockingham shook his head smiling y. “I can’t, my boy. Something dreadful has happened to me to-day. „ The old diamond has turned up again. “The devil it has!” exclaimed Vanbrugh. “That’s rotten luck.” And then his eyes lit up with excitement. But, l say, if you could only come with it m your shirt! Now that would startle ’em a bit. I say, that would be a succes fou, as they call it over here. I say, uo Icomc • • Rockingham looked at the enthusiastic I open face of the young man and decided that he would not be angry. I was only high spirits, and Vanbrugh had 1 not realised what his words meant. But he said, rather shortly: I “You’ve never seen it have you. Come upstairs and I’ll show it to you. Then perhaps you’ll understand.” ■ Vanbrugh jumped at the chance. He evidently regarded it as a huge joke. I As they entered the salon, Rockingham I saw to his surprise that Pilgrim and

Jermyn were waiting there. It recalled to him his promise about the'' “story.” Pilgrim produced several sheets of typewritten paper, and. with a little sigh Rockingham sat down to read them through. “If it is to be, I suppose I must regard this as letting me down fairly lightly,” he said at last. "Anyhow, I don’t go back on my promise.” He handed the sheets back to Pilgrim, who gave a chuckle of satisfaction. Here at last was something tangible after all his worry and’trouble. And so far not a line had appeared in any of the Paris evening papers. There was / every chance of it being another “scoop’' in London. “And now, what about the sparkler?” said Vanbrugh eagerly. Rockingham rang for Saunders: “Produce the bauble, Saunders,” he said in a tired voice, when the valet appeared. “Yes, sir,” replied Saunders. And putting his hand into his inside breast pocket he produced the morocco box. There was a general laugh .at this. “Well, it was better there,” explained Rockingham, “otherwise I should have had to explain everything to the manager, and get a receipt and all the rest of it, and he would have come to the conclusion once again, that Englishmen are mad. . . There you are.” ' The diamond lay in his palm. Vanbrugh picked it up to examine it, and gave utterance to the usual, conventional exclamations of delight and pmazement of which Rockingham was now thoroughly weary. ‘ ' ■ “You will understand now, at any rate,” he said, “why your proposal to wear it at your dinner to-night does not appeal to me.” “Rather. But look here, you must come,” insisted Vanbrugh, , switching back to his main preoccupation.. “It will help things along no end. After all, if I’m launching out in business,, it’s your duty to help me along if you can. I shall be frightfully disappointed it .you can’t come.” “Business!” laughed'Rockingham. “All right, I’ll come. But it will have to be in barbarian clothes.” “Come in a bath towel,”' cried Vanbrugh, "and it. Will .be all the ’ same to me. Of course, now that I’ve seen it, I can quite understand your not wanting to wear it. I shouldn’t like to go about with a fortune like that blazing, bn. me.” Rockingham snorted at this. • “Dammit, the risk doesn’t . worry me greatly. There are much higher considerations than that. However, I’ll come.” Vanbrugh departed happily, promising to return and pick Rockingham, up at seven. Jermyn also went, taking Pilgrim’s “story” with him to be telephoned immediately to London. Pilgrim had hurriedly arranged this with him. He wished to stay with Rockingham as long as he could. .. “By the way, I was followed- this afternoon,” said Rockingham when the rest had gone. He told Pilgrim about the ted taxi cab; “Anyway, we may take it that our friend Sir Marcus has nothing to do with this,” said Pilgrim. “But there is a point I have been thinking over this afternoon. Sir Marcus, presumably returns the diamond—*for reasons which I don’t quite appreciate. In that case, what will our friend the Honourable George have to say about it? He is a gentleman of not quite the same stamp. It is possible he may not approve of what has been done.” n “Well, I don’t s&s how it affects me. “But I was thinking that he may possibly have been the man who followed you in the cab.” . “Ah, I see. Yes, that’s quite possible. Quite’likely I should say. Well, even if it were so, he is. not likely to catch me wearing it again. If old Arlington jumps at my offer, as quickly as I expect him to do, it won’t, be very long before we make a start for East Africa. And that reminds me.” He looked at his watch. A frown crossed his face. “You know, Pilgrim, I .positively loathe going out to dinner without the usual habiliments. ' It is the primary natural impulse with me, and in no way secondary. I think I shall have o have a word with Saunders over, this. He rose and pressed a bell. Saunders appeared almost immediately. “Saunders, I should like your advice this evening. You know all the circumstances. Should I dress for dinner or should I not?” Saunders reflected a moment. * “I should say decidedly nO, “That is your considered opinion..,. “Yes sir.” “Then you propose to fall in with my uncle’s plan and debar civilised usages to me for ever.” “Not that, sir, by any means. But 1 think it would be best to mark time little and see what b * PP T talk of going further abroad. That’would give you real breathing space. Later you can decide, sir.” ' . “But doesn’t it go counter to all your instincts, to turn me out tb dinner m anv way but the right one. "Vdoes. Sir. But I think e.reumstances are against me. H ' ei ‘ “ me I should prefer that you do not go out dressed to-night.” .. , ■ (To be continued.)