The Rockingham Diamond

Taranaki Daily News, 23 February 1935, Page 23 (Supplement)

The Rockingham Diamond

(By

Collinson Owen)

CHAPTER XIX (continued.) Rockingham poured himself out feftother driftk, after delivering himself hl what was almost a tirade, and took it down at a gulp. Hertford sat thinking. "Of course, if I kfiew your friends, it would be feafcie£ to judge,” he said at last. “It sounds ah almost impossible combination—and yet impossible things have a way of happening. It ife Jplaift: that they know Sir Marcus. Bift thfe point is, do they liftbw him as Sir Marcus as wfell as Mr. Clifford-do they know what he is doing when he isft’t being a gentleman?” “That’s the point; most of the tiiftfe I laugh at the idea . . . and then . . .’’ “What’S really haunting you is this—that the diamond should have returned to you so soon after Sib Mabeus found that you and they wfef-fe friends. You afe wondetihg what share they had ift tending it back.” Rodkingham hesitated fe moment—a lafct show bf resistance io fading ficts. Then he bwnfedtip. • ' “YbftVb put your fiftget on it.” “WbH, that’s thfe question you have got to hfiswer bfefore you kftdw where they are.” Doctor Rutherford crime into the room. “The patient is giving signs of coming round;very faint, but something to be going bn ’with,” he said. “I do not think there is any grave injury to the skull,—it Will probably be a bkte of warmth aftd quifel. I’Ve giVeft ybub riteft instructions what to do, and hfe seems quite capable bf tarrying them UUi.’ “How long Will thfe pattent havfe to stop here?” inquired Rofckirigham. “I shall be able to tell you thfet better in the morning. But I don’t propose to go for a little while-ptbb&My. ftbt Idt hours yet. I thought ybu wbuld like to know- how thihgk are.” Df. RUlnefford disappeared, again into thfe sick room. • . ■. a It was long after dawn when the doctor departed with. ftfeHford ohe raised to be back agMn bfefdre Steven. He had left SMfeJS ih charge and advised Roekifighafh te go- tb bed-. ■. mam■. ‘ Df. Rutefefd’s Ort after the Sbtchd Visit liter ift the fnqihifig ?was bn thfe whblfe reassuring. thing, Rbbkihgham frt tak : ing £ sympathetic!'interfet in 'the batfent s - fortunes* aftd glad to hear the doctor s favWittbte WdH. ~ ■ _ • There had been teirly teWft sion, m the ddbtdh hut reaction thit Md Sfet m fellowmg the return to itonteibrtatess bhoffused Vfejr? well. He Would ftted absolute dUtet fend careful nursing. It was blit bUhe question to ishift him at present. Perhaps m twn toys’ time it might be done. “By the way, this isnt the„ nrst trouble bf the kind he has had,” Dr. Rutherford went on. He must havfe had a very nasty blow bn the head a few years than this one. I found the bear uftder the hair very close to where he has been hit thi§ time. Do you know w’hat caused the first injury. “I’ve no idea,” said Rockingham. 1 haven’t known Mr. Clifford Very Idhg. ■•Your man has been very Useful, but you ought to have a nurse,” thfe dbctOf continued. “I could find you hn English nurse if you like. ’ ...... “Thank you very much,’ said Rbck> Ingham a little -doubtfully. It occurred to him that with a ptofessibnil dn the premises, there would.be ftp possible change of keeping thfe affair dafk ifbfn the hotel people. He thought of the Vari Duf-ens. They would hriVe to bb told. Vera herself might do the nursing. Why not? It would help thfe situation if she could. Her presence would nbt attract the same attention, • . . - . ; ■ “hi the circumstanced, I Would father not have a nurse if it criri be avoided,” he said. “You know that I am anxious to keep this matter as quiet as possible. There is a friend of Mr-. Clifford’s in Paris who I think would come arid help. I’ll find out this morning, and if she is not availfeblfe, I Will ask yoii tb tehd a nurse. Will that do?” “As you please,” said the doctor, refraining from pressing the joint. “I’ll look in again this afternoon. If the lady is here then 'I shall bfe able tb give her somfe instructions.” Aftfef thfe fldetor’fe departure, Rockingham braced himself for what he felt was to be something Of an ordeal. He had slept Vfefy badly for i few hdtfrs arid after the excitements bf the night was not feeling his best. But this matter had to be tackled at once, and he departed gloomily on his mission. At. the Hotel Meurice, he tent his card up, followed it in a few ’ moments, arid found himself in Vera’s presence. She welcomed hifft With a Smile arid handshake, and his heart befet tufnultuously. All his doubts and suspicions vanished likfe mist ift thfe sun aS she Smiled at hini. If only he could take her in his arriis and kiss her he felt that everything would come right at once. “You have come to ask pardon for disappointing us last night,” she laughed. “BUt We quite uftderstbbd. What horrid luck that it should cbfne back again so soon.” “But it has gone again, bfice fridife,” he blurted out a little iifervdusly, and wohdered if he had been, too precipitate. Mrt. van Dureri fefefiie into the foom at the moment, and he turned to greet her. She was very ebrdial, arid thfe intervention gave him a moment’s breathing space. . “But mother,” cried Vera. “I was fbfgivihg Mr. Rockingham for disappointing us last night—and he tells me that since theil the diamond has been stolen again.” “Again!” echoed Mrs. van Duren. She stared at him. “Yes, that is really What I came to see you about. Or rather, not quite that—but the fact is, Mf. Clifford is lying injured in my rbofris and I thought I ought tb cbmfe and, tell ybU.” It Was but, but Rbckirigham Was not prepared fdr thfe result. Mrs. van Duren turned very pale, and clasped her hands convulsively together. Vera moved to where she sat, and took her arm—a movement which Wa§ not lost bh Rockingham. He appreciated the tender bolir ciiude—but what was behind it? Why did Clifford mean so much tb them?. “Injured!” exclaimed Mt 6. van . Durfen. with a visible atempt at cdntrolling herself. -“What is the matter? Is he ih Rockingham was thoroughly disturbed again Bht his-.natural.instincts,,in the nrfesfenefe bf these two disturbed women came Into plaj* and he at Once exerted himself tb dominate the Situation. Hife fefefey fflarififef, SO he persuaded coUld hot have given them the slightest EUBpicibri. that he felt there was anything equivocal in the situation. “Not dangerously hurt,” he went on smoothly. “The doctor is quite cheerful. But as Mr. Clifford is a friend of yoUrs, I felt I ought to come and tell you. . “Quite. Mafty thahks. It is very kihd Of you/’ feald Mrs. vah DUferi quickly. “But What is the matter with him. Rockingham tbld them the story. Neither of them spoke, but their eyes did leave his fade as he described the scene ih his fbbms. Vfefa. he noticed, Wfes also looking vary pale arid troubled. “Aftd thfe dbctbr is not too disturbra/ aaked* Mrs. Vafi Bufen.

“He seems tb think thferfe iS> nd danger. He fepbkfe Of a pffevioUS injury Mr. Cliffbrd had received, arid said that ,that Was a much morfeT dangerous affair. “'Yes, I have heard him speak of that. •An aeroplane accident, I believe,” Mrs. van Duren seamed Still to be struggling tb contain her agitation. “But what aft extraordinary thing to happen—-Mr. Rockingham—what an amazing thing. What do you . think it all means?” Here Was a pbiht for Which Rockingham had forgotten ■to prepare. What <was he to pretend tb think was the reason fdr the presence of Clifford in his roomfe at. e 11?... Rockingham took cover behind a laugh. “The fact is, things have been sb exciting Since thfe moment I arrived in my rbbms last night that i have not thought much bh that point. But all I cari think iS that for some reason br bther, Cliftbrd must have called on me, and that he arrived thfeffe just as the desperado chap was going but, and sb was unfortunate enbugh to be a second victim.” It seamed lame enough tb Rbbkiftgharft, but Mrs. van DUten grasped the explanation eagerly. “That is exactly what must have happened i . .” she cried; theft checked hersfelf SUddeftly. “And now comes the real point of my visit,” Rockingham Wfeftt bn. “You kfibw What a dreadful time I have had With all this publicity—my lite has been a misery fever since that diamond came along. Sb far, I havfe riot told the hotel people a word or what has happened, if I do, there Will bfe more publicity, the Police will Cbmfe and Wofry nte about it. and all the rest bi it. But the doctor Says that Cliffbrd ought to have a nurse And I thought that, perhaps, if Miss van Duren could cbme and look after him ift the day time, just for One of two days, it would then bfe possible tor us to carry on in my .little suite Without anybody else in the hotel being any the wiser. I am cdnvmfeed that, With discretion, it cfeft be dbnfe. Rferhaps after that time, it may be possible to remove him elsewhere.”. " ....... Mrs. van Duren’s face cleared wonderfully at this. Vera had hardly spoken all the timfe, but fehfe Supported hfer mothers instant and eager approval. “We Will cbme at onfefe,” Said Mrs. van Duren. “I caft help Vera at first and thfeft leave her in charge.” “Excellent,” said Rockingham heartily. ’"'NqW I feel that the situation is really well in hand.” Arid in spite of his doubts, it was Wbftderful to feel the glow that came found his heart at the thought of Vera being in and about his rooms for two br three days bn ehd. The nursing of Sir Marcus took bh quite a new aspect. It might .have its worries but there WfeUld bfe great &ompensa'tibns. _ Vera was back in the room, dressed to go out,-before her mother. She looked adorable in her smart tailor-made costume with a simple but wonderful hat Which Rockingham recognised was a triumph—a little flash bf genius from the Rue dfe la FaiX. He forgot all his doubts during their brief tete-a-tete. “Your visit to Paris has been a very eventful brie,” she said, as she finished buttoning her gloves. Hfe looked hungrily at hfef, and, but fbf the fear that her 'rftbthfef might appear at afty moment, hfe wbuid have seized her in his arms ahd put his fate to the tert there arid thfen. “Very eventful,” he said instead. And i think my uncle bas. been successful sbbnfer than he would have dreamed of. I fem sure that his idea was to drive me feWay from- the life to ■ which I'-have ate ways beferi accustomed; -;I am going aWay out Of this.” . . “Going away! site echoed a little blankly. ' .; . . > It wks thfe time honoured device oi the unhappy, lb’vferi. and h'b used it ruthlessly. Hfe told her of his shootmgrtrip, and marked her facfe as hfe spoke. There was no doubt, hfe told hitoself exultantly that thfe shot had gone home. He. gloated in the jalh fee Was mflhcting. ■’But hBw Ibrig will it last, she asked »» "Oh about twelve months, I suppose, he said jauntily, “but we .may do a bit of real exploring which, of course, will takfe ibrigfer?’ She smiled bravely. “HOW like aft Englishman! Because he feels he haS a grievance thinks he must go but and kin. something, am sure the poor lions in Africa Wil have rfeason to regret your uncles will. It isn’t their faults, poor dears. He laughed merrily at the jally, but he was not deceived. She cared, and the news bf his proposed journey was ah unpleasant shock to her. Oh, if only they Were alone, really alone. # But Mrs. van Duren came in, and he wondered if a great opportunity had been lost. ± . j v (To be continued;)