The Rockingham Diamond

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1935, Page 11

The Rockingham Diamond

(By

Collinson Owen)

CHAPTER XXVIII. : The two men hit the polished parquet floor with an bang that shook the room. Rockingham had the advantage of sur~ prise and with an effort twisted himself on top. His one thought for the mo, ment was to prevent the pistol going off again and he grabbed at the others wrist. But in the same instant he became aware that the Honourable George no longer held it. His sudden fall to e floor had sent it flying. ’ , The heavy blow from Rockingham s fist had caught the other full in the face, and for the fraction of a second it seemed to Rockingham that he.had to deal with a man partially knocked out, and for the moment harmless. He was soon undeceived. The. Honourable George may have been momentarily shaken. But he awoke to full life again! almost on the instant and tackled Rockingham with-all the intensity of a naturally savage and powerful animal, now aroused’ to .its full ferocity.

■His muscular body seemed to bounce up, he locked one leg round orte qf Rockingham’s and in the same movement his hands went for Rockingham’s throat. Rockingham realised that it would be all that he could do to hold his own.

His elementary knowledge of ju-jitsu came to his aid, and as he felt his adversary’s fingers trying to close on his throat, he tried to put an arm lock on him. For some moments, they_ writhed and 'twisted.'"Rockingham’s chin was depressed desperately to escape the grip of those clutching, powerful fingers. There was no sound to be heard save the faint grunts and gasps of men exerting their full strength. Desperate and grim as the struggle was, Rockingham could not help feeling a sensation of loathing that he should thus be engaged in a rough and tumble with 1 one who was so repellant to all his instincts. But he felt that his pressure on his adversary’s arm was making itself felt. The Honourable George’s grasp was weakening, and he gave a gasp eloquent of the pain he was suffering. “That arm is going to snap,” Rockingham thought to himself contentedly. And then suddenly, like some savage animal at bay, the brute bent his-head, gripped Rockingham’s upper .hand with his teeth and bit with aU his strength.

Rockingham in his turn gave a gasp of pain. The new attack was so unexpected and the pain so. intepse'.that. his grip loosened. With a grunt of. triumph, the Honourable George surged over on to him, bearing down with all his superior weight and strength, Rockingham’s back was flat to the floor, and his adversary proceeded to kneel on him, as a rogue elephant might treat its victim. “Blast you, you fine gentleman, I’ll frill you,” the Honourable George panted and went for the throat again. Rockingham seized one of his little fingers,' bent it back viciously and was rewarded with a positive howl of pain. Changing his tactics, the Honourable George raised his clenched fist like a hammer and Rockingham twisted his head to avoid receiving the blow full in the face.. -. . As he did so he saw Lucie standing above them, her eyes alight with a wild fury and alarm. Her. arm too was upraised and her hand held some black object. It fell .with all the force she could muster on to the head of the Hon-: curable. George. Again she struck, her beautiful face contorted by the violence of her emotions, and then a third time. Rockingham felt his adversary’s heavy body relax and hang inertly on him. He pushed him off and scrambled up. “Thanks, a thousand thanks,” he said breathlessly to Lucie, who, save for the tempestuous rising and falling of her breast, now stood like a petrified figure of tragedy, looking down at what she had done. He now saw that she was holding the .automatic, pistol, the. barrel clutched in her fingers, and pointed to her body. It was with the butt of the weapon, she had struck so effectively. “Good heavens, you might have shot yourself,” exclaimed Rockingham and took the pistol from her. “Is he dead?” she asked. “No, that certainly would not kill him. He is’much too tough for that.” “But I hit .him hard—with all my strength.” She clenched her hands, ' and simulated the action of a blow. "Yes, and for that I am very grateful.: You came to my l aid at just the right moment ... But we will see how the down and turned the Honour-; able George unceremoniously over on to his back. His eyes were closed but he was breathing audibly, and Rockingham had no doubt that he would come round, again in a little while. At the same moment, he bethought himself of the diamond, and taking it from the unconscious man’s pocket transferred it again to his is poetic justice,” he said turning again to Lucie. “He knocked out Sir Marcus and now you ta™ SS" Why, what is the matter. She Imd sunk down on to the couch, her face very white, and was staring at

hand-look,” she quavered. “It 1S is where the brute bit me. But come, come, Lucie. No, don t do Bt* calm, it is all right. Ho went swiftly to her. but already i ;+<•!« «ieh she had subsided on to ata tad tainted away her top. ,e ? V^tam B teta'3S nrost other s s see b^ h "—ro taSed —to nX g. - S y “.nod %«dlv “Mademoiselle, "ThrS'itored tototly, tar lac. di “What*ls the matter?" she cried hys-

terically. “I am terrified. just going to run for the concierge. ' “Do nothing of the sort,” cried Rockingham commandingly. “Everything is all right. Get water in a glass, instantIv ” He turned into the room and saw that the Honourable George had his ey open, and, was apparently trying to collect his thoughts. Rockingham not c also that in his agitation, he haddeft the pistol lying on a table, and . cursmg hmiself for a careless fool,- slipped it. into his pocket., Lucie was still lying ; inert, and he bent again to the task of reviving her, while still keeping a careful eye turned to the movements.of the man on -the floor. . .■ • , .• , ... li,‘ ; The frightened maid arrived. With .tn water,, careful to step widely round the prostrate man, and Rockingham gently bathed-Lucie’s- temples, -and- forced little water between her clenched teeth. It was more or less a .dead heat, and Lucie’s eyelids began to jug at, about the same moment that the Ho durable George sat up and passed an ex-, ploring hand gingerly to the back of his head. He'drew it away with Mood. on his finger tips, and examined it attentivdy* “That goes better, eh?” said Rockingham to Lucie, and made her drink a sip of the water. ‘‘Have you any smelling salts?” . , She nodded, and Rockingham signalled abruptly to the maid who darted off into the bedroom, returning with a green bottle. Lucie revived further under the smelling salts, and gradually a little colour came back into her face. She smiled up at Rockingham. “I am sorry.' It was foolish of me, “Not at all. You behaved splendidly. You’ve been wonderful. Now just sit still, and don’t worry.” . “That’s all right, , now,” he said to the maid. “I will call'you at once if I need you again. But don’t be alarmed. Everything is over now.” ‘ . He 'waited until the maid .had closed the door behind her, then, turned to the Honourable ' George,' ' takihg' the pistol ostentatiously from'his pocket. ' “Get up, you hound,” he commanded fiercely. cause; for shooting you, and I’ve'a-good-mind to do it. Whether the .other topk .him seriously or not, he staggered to his feet. He rested a baleful glare, on Lucie. “You will pay for this,” he growled savagely,■ and his hand.went up to his head again. „ “I’ve just a few words to say to you, Rockingham went on. “I’m -going to keep this thing as a souvenir of y<?U- If ever you come butting into my existence again, whether for the diamond or anything else, I’ll shoot you on sight. I mean it. I don’t intend to take any more chances with a dog of your breed. And if you molest this lady in any way, I’ll put the police on your track right away.” “You daren’t,” replied the other, with a sort of hangdog defiance. “The police are the last people you want to have anything to do with. What about Sir Marcus and his precious family? “You’re quite mistaken. I don’t care how much the police or the world ,in general hear of my affairs now. I’ve changed my mind considerably about things since you first began to pay attentions to me. And as for Sir Marcus, he’s cleared out by now, and neither you nor the police are likely to find him.” Rockingham lied with magnificent aplomb. “But as for you, if ever you come nosing round, after my diamond again I’ll shoot you like a rat, Now get out.” Rockingham motioned imperiously to the door and the Honourable George, a little unsteadily, and with a last glare at Lucie, opened it. Rockingham followed him into the hall, waited while he put on his coat and hat and then motioned him to open the outer door. “If I find you hanging about here when I come out I’ll hand you over to the first agent de police myself,” said Rockingham, and shut the dooi; on him. • It occurred to him that it was now about time to look after his own hurt. He sought out the kitchen, found, the maid considerably recovered from the fright and cheered her up still, further by the way in which he laughed off the situation. Then he bathed his hand well under the running tap and showed, her how to- wrap his handkerchief round it. The Honourable George had bitten deep, and Rockingham felt as if he had had an affair - with a mad dog. He regretted ■ he had no antiseptic to apply to the wound. ; Nor was he at all easy in his mind about the Honourable George and Lucie. A brute like that, he told himself, was not likely to be warned off with the kind of threat that he had used against him. Lucie, he felt, might be -in considerable danger. It angered him to think that such a desperado should go off almost scot free, but there was no other way out of it. In spite of his brave words to the Honourable George the intervention of the police was still the last thing he desired. He found the room empty when he went back, but Lucie’s voice called out to him from the bedroom saying that she would be with him again very shortly. Her voice sounded almost normal again, and in a few minutes she reappeared showing little sign of her recent collapse. _ _ “Figurez vous,” she said with a little laugh, “it is the first time I have ever done that in all my life. I feel very foolish about it.” Rockingham warmly assured her once more, how well she had behaved. They sat down on the settee again. There was peace between them now, and no suggestion on her part of that fierce passion which had flared up so violently such a short time before. “Forgive me please for what I did, she said. “Forgive! There is nothing to forgive. I am very grateful to you.” “That man is a brute—a monster,” she announced simply, witn a little shudder. “I had no idea. He would have shot you.”