The Rockingham Diamond

Taranaki Daily News, 27 February 1935, Page 11

The Rockingham Diamond

(By

Collinson Owen)

CHAPTER XXIH (continued.) “The loss of Mrs. Burgenheim’s pearls was reported in the newspapers, and’ it was thought they had been taken by the usual type of hotel thief. From then began a reign of terror for me. Nothing I could say on this subject had any effect on Clifford. There was nobody in whom I could confide—it was too dread a secret for me to tell to anybody, even to Vera. I could not.denounce my own son to the police—l who knew how utterly his aictions were lacking in. criminal motives. But every day I dreaded to hear that, he had been discovered.

■ “As guardedly as, 1 could, I consulted the specialist and what he said convinced me that Clifford’s extraordinary actions were the direct result of the injury to his head in the aeroplane accident. As far as this sort of .thing was concerned, the shock to his brain had left him without any power to weigh up moral values. He regarded himself purely as a modern Robin Hood, despoiling the rich to aid the poor, and it was quite obvious to me that he was thoroughly happy in his new role. He felt that he had a mission in life, and that he was fulfilling it. But, this apart, he was practically his old self in every way. “One result of this curious' twist given, to him was that—at the beginning at' any rate—he had absolutely no fear of discovery. That must have accounted largely for his success. Moreover he was popular, and very well known —he had all the qualities and advantages which enabled him to act with the completest audacity. He was the last man to be suspected of the many thefts which began to be reported. They were all of much the same, type—committed in hotels at the expense of the houveaux riches. But this similarity of type excited no suspicion, because the type who loved the ostentatious display of jewellery, and therefore ran the most risk of losing it. It- was often said in the newspapers that a very clever European gang was at work, and there was a good deal of criticism of the police for showing so little success in finding them. , . “You can imagine my feelings during this period. I knew that my son was innocent of all evil intent—that on, the contrary his actions were inspired by a desire to do good. And yet all the same he was a thief. Sometimes he even toH me how he had brought off his operations, so he called them. - It was terrible to listen to it all, and he merely laughed at my protests. The only bright side to all those months of distress was the knowledge that he applied the whole„ef. the money he obtained from his robberies to the alleviation of all kinds -of distress. It just helped me to bear the nightmare :of it without going mad. He kept an Recount book showing what he received from his robberies and how the money was distributed. . “But he began, to find it increasingly difficult to dispose of tha jewels he stole. At first he had found it easy in ways of his own, but he soon had to go to the professional receivers fox that sort of thing. I know that this association with real criminality depressed him, but he still held that the end justified the means. But the inevitable result happened. He became known to some of the professional thieves, and some of them made offers to work with him. They regarded him as a master at the game and were only too anxious to take advantage'of his talents. “It was the last straw. I knew that there could only be one end to it —that sooner or later it would be a question of the police. He told me one day that among the professional thieves he had received the nickname of Sir Marcus, as 3 tribute to the special qualities he possessed for pursuing his new career amid the world of fashion. The nickname amused him very much. ' But he held out against all offers of collaboration.

. “The crisis came when he received a threatening letter saying that if he did not cease his operations he would be denounced to the police. It had become known what he did with the proceeds, and this was regarded by the .confraternity as a betrayal of their interests. The professional crooks thought that charity. should begin and end at home, and had)no sympathy with the unconventional methods of a brilliant amateur who was beating them at their own game. Moreover, the extra police activity due' to his-success Was making matters more difficult for them. “This threat made Clifford very thoughtful. He knew it was no idle menace and saw the danger at once. I took the opportunity to make a special appeal to him. Often I had begged him to cease for Vera’s sake.' Up to then the only ’ concession he had made to my pleadings was to keep the whole affair secret from her. He was in no sense ashamed of it, but I had insisted how much it would distress her, and although he had confided in me he consented to spare her. “I now urged that we should go to Europe for a long holiday, and think matters over. I hoped that the change would bring an alteration > n him- At last he consented. We went to London, but Clifford in. spite of my pleading, would not stay with us. After a time he told me why. A well known international cropk was trying to blackmail him in a peculiarly atrocious way. Clifford was just the man he desired to work in partnership with him. He was known professionally as the Honourable George. He told Clifford that the name Sir Marcus’ Was -one now known to the police on both sides of the Atlantic. His threat was that if Clifford did not join him the police would learn exactly who Sir Marcus was. “In his work ip New York,. Clifforq had been spurred on by a curious sort of exaltation. To him labouring under his own special point of view, his conduct was so logical, so much above reproach, that he bed always felt ho would

have a crushing answer to his accusers should there be an exposure. But he shrank from this open association with criminality. His revulsion was as much aesthetic as moral. He did not mind who he mixed with in his work, among the poor. He would be hail-fellow-well-met with a tramp, who was frankly a tramp, or a broken down dipsomaniac, or a wretched outcast woman, or anybody. But he hated to have anything to do with the men who apted the gentlemen for purposes of their work, but who were anything but that in reality. He had no use for the would-be elegant crook witfi his assumed polish. He knew too well what most of them were underneath.

“For a time he was considerably depressed after we arrived in London—not at all like his usual buoyant self. And then one day he came to me in the greatest good humour. He had found a compromise out of his difficulties, he said; There was something crying, out to be done, he said; something that, the whole world would regard as' a natural and laudable act. He would not tell me what it was, but said that I should be very much amused when I hfeard later.” Mrs. van Duren paused a moment, and Rockingham smiled a faint grim smile. She went on: ' '

“The coup needed two, he.said, and he had made an arrangement with this man, 'the Honourable George, that they should work together in .this, and that it should be the" beginning and end of their partnership. They would divide the proceeds, and Clifford would use his half in his usual fashion. The operation was such an important one that once the crook finally agreed that everything should be square between them once it was successfully accomplished. And Clifford promised me faithfully that it would be his last escapade. He held all his views aS strongly as ever, he said, but he had come to the conclusion that his own plan for redressing the balance of society was becoming too complicated. His Contact with real criminals had, in fact, effected a partial cure- ' “Well, .1 was in. a fever of apprehension .and misery for day, wonderingwhat it was all about, I had the great-, est fear, too, that this time—his last coup—matters might end disastrously. Curiously enough, perhaps, I never connected what he had told me with your diamond. All his previous operations, as I told you, had been directed against people of a certain class who were making a too lavish display of newly acquired wealth. It never occurred to me, of course, to put your diamond in that category, because I ’ knew the special circumstances under which you were compelled to wear it. “But when you were robbed at the Duchess of Mull’s, I, of course; immediately jumped tp the conclusion as to 'who had done it- You can imagine'my feelings then .and later—especially when yqti came and told us all about Sir Marcus. I realised at last that something must be done and I communicated urgently with Clifford saying that he must meet me in Paris.' I wanted to get away ' from London immediately for every reason—you can easily understand that—and apparently it suited Clifford too, who also wanted to come over here. “Well, I saw Clifford and told him what the circumstances were—that we knew you, that you were a friend of Vera’s and that the diamond must be returned. The situation was dreadfully complicated. Apart from my first great fear that the police might discover anything, there were other dilemmas—one withm another. First the fact that Clifford’s relations with his partner might make, it very difficult for him to give the diamond back again: and then the fact that I knew you never wanted to see it again. I was so distracted that I did not know what to do. It was all becoming a terrible weight on my mind, and I longed to confide ■in Vera, but I still shrank from doing it. “Clifford was very much taken aback when I saw him here- m Paris and told him how matters stood, although he still insisted there was a humorous side to it. I did not see that, and told him the diamond must be returned. He' said that they had practically arranged, to dispose of it immediately for a minimum .of .ten thousand pounds and might get considerably more, but. that five thous pounds was the very least the Honourable George woiild take for bid share of it. I said that I would raise the money, but it must be done; It was after this that he met you with Vera. He had called unexpectedly at the hotel, and Vera, had mentioned that you were coining to take tea with her. i -I -was out, 'seeing about financial matters, .When he .knew you were coming" he said he would like to meet you, but insisted that he should be introduced to you as Mr." Clifford. Vera did not like: it, but he said there was a very good reason for fit, and he would explain another tinie. On the spur of the moment she did it,, and felt very uncomfortable abqut. jt..„ ■■. “Well, Mr. Rockingham; to cut short this very long and miserable story,. Clifford sent the diamond back,. He-fold me—if you don’t mind my* saying so—that he liked you very much, and that the diamond must be returned ahonce, and that he would have ’to settle. with the other man afterwards. It was done, but I imagine there was a quarrel. between them as a result There" was a question, I believe, of disposing. of:.it>. for an even higher price elsewhere. The other man cut up very rough although Clifford promised that his five thousand pounds should be paid over within-a . few days, ’• . : (To be continued.)