THE DOVERFIELD DIAMONDS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XC, Issue 13299, 30 May 1907, Page 2

THE DOVERFIELD DIAMONDS.

But again a change of p'ans Ik came needful. Twenty minutes after fancy's departure Kenyon rang again. ■ " Isih . afc you,s ir: I'm spraking from your office, I gob hee too late. Mr Craig's —your man says, he's taken the train tor Wraylands Junction. Says someone came —little over an hour ago, and' after a short and hurried talk with him Mr Craig told him he must see you at once, looked up his train, and started. Any orders?" *

" Yes. Remain at my chamber.* till morning. My man will ;-.i range. Tell him 1 want to speak to him. In an instant'l heard n.y servant's voice. "Tell me—in fewest words—about Craig's caller. Be clear —mind !" 1 cried.

" Yes, sir. It way ;i Dutch gent, sir. Talks crookei. He says when he knew you was out of town, ' Then I must see Mr Craik at vonce.' An' hi tells Mr Craig he was told to report to him in your absence. Then they talked low, and last, and, the man put down a bunch of papers, and I think some photographs; something that made Mr Craig jump up and declaie you must, see the things at once—and he must take them to you by the first train. He asked the gentleman to stop in his rooms unitl he got back in the morning, and so I've gob 'two lodgers here, sir." " lake good care of them," I admonished him, as I hung up the receiver. When 1 had explained to Landis, wondering not a little what new development was upon us, I asked—" Do you think you can find the way to your station, Hal, without me?" . " I hope so • You want to meet Craig ?" ,"I must! And I'll bring him straight up to the rendezvous with me. I only hope they won't meet, ho and —Monsieur's man. It's half past.ten now; you'd better go, my boy." The .platform of the little station was dark enough away from the light of the two little oil lamps; and I, waiting in the gloom of a hidden corner, was glad to see the'man I believed to bs Meyrick, step out of his carriage, and stride away into the darkness; and an instant later, a second passenger stepped from the rear carriage, and glanced up and down the platform. As the first- man disappeared I advanced and took Craig's arm. "This way, old man. Kenyon notified me of your coming. You've come'in the nick of time lor—l don't quite know what." •" But:—wait my boy. One of your friends, has just marched away from us. It's Monsieur's valet. I was lucky enough to see him as he was taking his ticket, and I kept out of the way. Ken, I've a Tjtreer thing to tell you. I fancy it will pub a new card in your hands—and a strong one—in that DoverfieM affair. Parchments came back to-night.*' * ! "Hold on. Roy. We can't talk now, even about this. Come this way— —" " Bu' —your man " "Huh' When I found you were coming I ivt Landis on ah r ad and went out and secured two horses for us, and we must pot talk after we strike the high road. He will go across the meadow, no doubt. It cu:« off a Ihird of the distant; but we ran ride fost when we leave' the village. Hero we. are—see?"

We mounted and trotted clown the street. " Can't you give me a hint?" Craig asked. " Adi I not. to be in it?" ■

" Herjven knows !" I answered, and told him the situation.' '

"You see," I said, "we can only look on and, follow his had'; but I'm more and more convinced that the game—whatever it may be—will be attempted to-night. This wO be the second Aveek here and he will hardly have another chance. The Captain party is due—or so he thinks—'o-morrow ; bu the fact that the two then have changed places for to-night is the thing that confirms me in the opinion. ■'Seen or heard of Madam V

"No. Oh, by Jove, Ken.! here's a letter for you, somewhat between here and New York, telling you that those belated-Trench documents have arrived and—l"ve no more scruples. 1 lie fair princess and Madam are one and the same!"

"Good'! And—you have the proof?" "Ample! Do you expect a fight tonight?" "It's possible, but hush! Here's the high road. Get down, pleaise." We slipped.from our horses, and I drew over their feet some thick woollen " sound killers."

*' Our man might decide to take the longer way. We can't afford to risk—anything; Are you—armed ?" i "Yes. I'm ready for—emergencies." " Then follow me; we're bound to get there first."

Our pedestrian would approach the-house from the east, and would come to the top of the bluff, upon which it btood, on the north side while we rode on past the house, striking the bluff on the south side, and approaching, through the thick shrubbery, over the very rough ground down which I had gone in pursuit qf Ralph Meyrick nearly five years before. We had left our mounts in a convenient copse, nob far from a little stream, whicli ran across, from west to south-east. In this glade little brown owls were numerous, and then - calls were not infrequent, during the warm June nights For this reason we had chosen these calls for our -signals, at need, and I knew, as we ascended the slope, and heard an own hoot, once, that;, as yet, the coast was clear; and I. was not -greatly surprised to find Nancy waiting for us, in the south porch.

"I couldn't go until I knew you was all there," she whispered, "and if ye get the a snack laid out in the breakfast room. An' please, Mr Jasper, I had to take that dog into my bedroom as 'snon as Green Jones Jeft the barn. My! Tonto wouldn't stay there, though he stays with Green right enough. Yes, oh, he'll mind me. He won't say a word up there. Well " Another hoot broke Nancy's half-whispered speech, and she turned and scuttled towards'the kitchen.

We saw no signs of either Jones or Hal Landis; but this was as ii -should be, and I now drew Craig with me towards my chosen place of espionage, the centre of a thicket of Persian lilac, growing to the ground, on the outer side, but so cleared, and trimmed in the centre, that two or more could crouch, or even stand, quite securely hidden.

The lilacs stood opposite the south portico and about thirty feefc from it; and the kennel, now empty, stood back, and towards tho not more than twenty feefc from our ambush. The space between it and the house was quite open, both front and rear; and all the windows on this side easily .visible. "Down on all fours," I admonished Craig. " You'll find plenty of room inside, but you must enter humbly." And I led tht- way into our greenery. As Craig placed himself beside me, half sitting, half kneeling, we heard anther hoot, faint and isleepy; and then, in a moment, something hissed softly close beside me. It was Lane, half in, half out, of the opening of lilacSj with his mouth close to my ear.

"Sh!" cautioned Lane. "It's all right, only—l thought I'd better explain. Mr Landis thought perhaps the valet might turn back, and he's watchin' down by the lodge) gate. Sh ! our man's gone upstairs. Wants to sea if ISTanev's a c leep, I suppose. He grumbled about hrr letting Jones go away when she was ill. You see, hs has been told what has happened here, Mr Jasper. Nancy told him through the door ?he was bad. 'Besides,' she says, 'l'm nervous, sir, nn' kwpin' ft light, and the

dog with me; I hope.as how you wont mind, sir. He was howlin' an' I thought he might disturb you'; and Mounseer hummed, as though he was pleased; and then I got away from the stairs; for he was movin' away, to his own room, or MounBuer's. Well, things are all ready for what may turn up, Mr Jasper, an' I'll get out before he comes downstairs . . . if so be as he's coinin'."

There had been a light fall of 'summer rain early in the day, followed by afternoon sunshine, and as the evening had set in cloudy and with no moon, the gloom had been dense. But now, as we waited in our covert, through long moments that seemed hours, the clouds began to drift and scatter, and a few stars peeped out, so that, having become used to- darkness, we could see, dimly, as far as the portico, and beyond \hi kennel, which stood quite open to our gaze. /■ How still the night was! And how long! Presently from the village came the slow, clear tolling of the midnight bell. The sound had scarcely died away in the long sighing echo, when we heard a series of low too-whoos. from one of the near-by trees, and then an answer came from the southward; one loud too—whoo, and an instant later two gentle dreamy hoots, that floated out from among the lilacs, almost overhead; and tach of-us held his breath as we waited.

On.y our eyes moved, and presently, as they ranged slowly from end to end of the south verandah, we saw a figure, standing at the corner of the house nearest the front entrance.

It stood bo long we .began to feel that) someone of us had been detected perhaps. Then slowly the figure moved out from the corner, and stood a little nearer to our lair. '

And now we could see him move, and turn from right to leit, bending and listening. Then suddenly he dropped to the ground, and we saw a faint glow, that, shining before him, left his crouched figure in the blackness of an inky shadow. I- knew then that he possessed one of the newest and best of tiny pocket lanterns, by which one.could give & tiny soft light or a strong sudden blaze at will. Then, instantly almost, he stood erect, and with the light, shut off, began, as if he were .paeing off a measured distance, to walk toward the south-west end of the house, hero again ha j>aused and he then passed out of Mgh'Li around the rear corner. Again there was a long and tedious delay. Once or twice.we caught .the glimmerof his. dimly burning lantern, and presently he reap]seared at the starting point, or south-west' eorn-ir This time he made it clear that there was method in the course ha was pursuing. Tie advanced straight towards our hiding-place in long strides, and again paused•;. then he began to walk westward again, and as he passed us we could Sye that he held something bulky clasped, in his arms. ..Near-thi 1 ; rear, angle of the house he'slackened his pace, and

few stc-ps beyond it he halted. It was Lane who described for us hiff next, .uiovtments ; wh.n ■ a-i nour lati r- '•",-;

were again able to <.xchangei wa:d»! "At firs;," declared Lane, "I couldn't think what th; fellow was up to ;but wh. n I had wormed myself a bib closer I saw that hj • was moving backward very, laiyfuily, and craning liis neck back, and up find I knew, then hi was trying to get ». of the windows of he upper .rooms, 'l.'h- n he dropped the! thing he > had in -h's aims, bent i:, and seemed to shake it. Unce mora he petered all about him, and-tin n—whisk! something big and Hut lifted up, outspread, and wor.nl ahi ut him,; and I knew i'or sure that it vas a big, dark, blanket-like thing, with a bcJe cut' in the middle tor i is head.

"I knew this first by: swing -his Lead come through; and then, with ihe arms outspread like; .big vings, and half ci. uching, he commenced to move towards the dog's kennel or the bushes just beyout it. A few feet from the kennel :.e stopped again, bent forward, -and began to., make, low, soft hissing sounds. -. Then he came er.tt again, and went, »:i'l ;: .<"ery. slowly, towards the kennel, stopping /jiute close beside it, and I hear, 'that fh'-irp .'itUe click, that a. man who's ever keaul a revolver never mistakesj- • l.en both' aut.s, with'the hat's wing, effect -ent . ut r.;jht and left, and I saw a .an;t gloV o> beyond the edges of the out sp .••Met Uai 1-e.t wings.

" A moment before I. had said to myself, at the sight of the blanket ■tl.vug, ' the fellow's crazy !' Now I admired the ingenuity of the idea; for, aided by this screen, he could investigate at close quait'.vs, with the minimum of danger; i'i,,le, it frrced to flight, it could always >e dirpj.ed, or at close clinch even be .'.aade no mean weapon of hindrance., if not of offence. "By the aid of his Email L-n.iem—cov-ered as ifc was by the bla.iket—.the chap seemed to make a rapid but careful search upon the ground, and all about the kennel; peering inside, and only ceasing when he had actually laid hands upon the little sloping roof ; seeming to tug at it as if he would like to tear it from its anchorage, and making me feel again that we must be dealing, or about' to deal, with a madman. " And then, when seemingly satisfied, he straightened .up and seabed himself on the edge of the kennel, I thought it time to signal for the rest; of you; for x I had nc( more notion what that man had in mindj or what .he would-do next, than —a dead man." ■->.'.

lb had been agreed that Lane should be the shadower,. the one to keep close: at-the heels of our quarry,;and to .signal to us by different hoots the situation, and it wasV not until the last sighil that we were to make the least move, and this- only in the direction of being prepared for anything. Slently now, Craig and I crept, forth, and awaited for the next signal. Where Green Jones might be lurking we thought we knew, but we gave him little heed at the moment.

The figure in the blanket remained for some moments perched upon the roof of Tonto's kennel, and then, suddenly and swiftly, he stood: erect, and facing the house lifted his lantern, shielded upon our side by the shrouding "wings," of his covering, and for an instant he let its beams illuminate the windows of the south-west rooms. It revealed that, while the shutters stood open us usual of late, the shades inside were drawn closely, and there was no least gleam of light from behind them. How could he guess that Nancy, whose room was on the opposite side—where a dim light now burned—stood in the darkness, her eyes glued to two eylet holes in the opaque blinds, and her hand upon the head of panting, rasfcless. but nbedienv Touto. Nancy, at .the last, had really grown nervous and ''frightened herself. - ' ;i.s she explained later. After Green had crept forth to his place of espial, she had glided through the darkness to fetch Touto from his hated prison beyond the. farthest stable.

As the lantern swiftly shut off, after that rapid and seemingly satisfied flash, we could hpiir a long-drawn catching breath—as of re'ief. And now, stoopingto place his little light just inside the door of Tonto's house, the fellow walked straight to the western, or rear, corner, where .the south porch terminated in a flight of steps that cut off an angle, and so faced the side path that ran between the shrubbery and the kennel on one side and the porch on the other.

At the steps he bent down and pulled away the lattice, which he had doubtless loosened at sorrr previous time, and which was merely held in place, as it afterwards proved, by two or three small smooth nails, that came away at a- touch, and enabled him to draw fromi beneath the lowest step something which he carried to the kennel and placed on the ground. For an instant, with his tools on the

ground at his feet, this man stood erect, listening and peering into the now starlit, tree-shadowed darkness. Then, throwing off the cumbering blanket, he took hold of the kennel, and, bracing himself, began to pull and wrench with all his force.

As it seemed to yield a little he withdrew the lantern, and placedit, half buried, among heaped-up folds of the blanket, where it shone dimly on the ground. Guided by this he resumed his attack; first using a long steel lever, then caught the lantern's faint rays, now and again; and next a shining new spade, which he wielded with a cautious pressure that was almost soundless.

Tonto's house had been well fastened against the possibility of its being torn bodily from its moorings; some time, by its too energetic occupant; and it had bean further strengthened, shortly after .th.!> night attack on the watchful animal, which had so aroused Nancy's wrath and suspicion; . but, as Green had not bethought himself of cement, and a permanency, we presently knew that the foundation' had yielded. ' Tonto's house was being dragged cautiously but resolutely from its place. It was left lying on. one side, in the shadow of the vine-hung porch, while the destroyer of a well-beloved, and, fo7years, peaceful home, went quickly back "to the mass of stone, earth and timber that had been turned up so speedily into unsitely and useless debris.

Using his hand, for the most part,, test steel might ring upon stone, this strange marauder began to remove, and heap beside the uprooted house, stone, earth and timber; while we watched and wondered —all save myself—for by this time that which I had, since Nancy's first message, dimly guessed at, then doubted, and finally feared to believe—l now knew to be true: . And still I waited, and still he laboured on. He was getting excited, and reckless, and now that the stones were removed, he seized the spade, and made swift attack upon the more yielding earth. Faster and faster the spade flashed downward,: while the dark soil flew up from, the growing excavation; and now then.; a pebble or a bit of, sand would grate upon the steel tool, the slight soiuid seeiniing something startling to us wholistened, breathless and unseen, awaiting the end. Presently I felt a breath, on my cheek, and a careful hand on my shoulder, as Lane whispered in my ear: "Looks like a grave, don't it, sir?" Almost with the word, a too-whoo, faint and long-drawn, sounded from the front, and Lane's hand slipped from my shoulder. (To be continued.)