The Brussels Post, 1890-4-25, Page 7APR1fe 2cd;• 14
NE DIAMOND BIIYYON
FROM THE DIARY OF A LAWYER .AND THE NC'T'
BOOK OF A REPORTER.
By BARCLAY NORTH.
Copyrighted, x889, by O. M. Dunham.
cial Arrangement through the American Press Association.
••Do, please "
Tho clerk went off and returned with
a handful of papers. Looking them over
ho finally extracted one.
"It was on the 12th, in the afternoon,"
"Five days before the murder,"
thought Tom.
Alouc1 he said: "Thank you. I ant on
to him. Please send these clothes to No,
1,100 East Thirty-first street. I'll pay
yoti for thein now."
"This is such a good days work," said
Ile, when out on the street 1 think I
will dine well and at the expense of the
Pallor." - -
CHAPTER
X.1•
.
'rein IU.tnow OVI I li,:.tus 8,'3ST:t't1I:iii OF
t.1 L1.4.ST.
fee
n:` id 4t rxr c1't;,' HERE is iu Varick
( street, the precise
location of which, it
111 is by no means ne-
cei•'sery to specify, a
row of old fashioned,
two story brick
houses. Ire one of
dense houses, on the
aiming following the day Ilolbrook
had been surprised by his three widely
/separated visitors bent on the sante er-
rand. there ncenrred 0 scene widen
greatly (-seated the interest, no less than
the curiosity, of the Shadow, who occu-
pied the back room of the second floor
of the house in question.
On this peakedarmorning, because he
had been mit tlio greater part of the
previous night, and because Tout had in-
formed him that he would not require
his services antil the afternoon, ho had
slept late.
The occupant of the adjoining room,
that is to es,y, the front room, was an
old men, nearly if not quite seventy
years old. Who he was, or what his be-
longings were, had long since ceased to
be of interest to anyGody in the neigh-
borhood. He was accepted as a fact of
the locality, just as the corner grocery ,
and the hydrant were.
Ile was rarely quite sober, and when
he was, it was early in the morning be-
fore he had had time to make an early
visit to the rum mill of which he was
the most frequent customer.
It had become a settled fact that he
was 0 man of property, for he had al-
ways enough stoney to buy drink and
pay his board bill,' From time to time
he sallied forth from the street, and
when he returned it was known that he
was flush, and eo the neighborhood had '
come to believe implicitly that these
occasional excursions were for the pur-
pose of collecting his rents and receiving
his interest,
From his life lona habit of spying on
people, the Shadow had kept an eye on
Lim.
Between the front and back rooms
there was a space divided into closets.
One was entered through a door .from
the•front room and the other from the
back. room.
The Shadow had long ago discovered
that there had been, once upon a time,
an opening in the partition which di-
vided the closets, doubtless for the pur-
pose of ventilation, When the closets'
had been papered this opening had been
covered up.
By standing en his trunk in the closet
he could bring his head on a level With
this opening, concealed only by the thin
paper. If the door between the front'
room and the closet were open anything
said in an ordinary tone of voice 'coul'd
be distinctly heard.
The Shadow had broken a hole into
the wall which separated 1,110 front 2�oni
front life closet, on his.sido. And once,
when the opportunity had presented
itself, he had slipped i.uto the front room
unseen and made a holo corresponding
on the other side so deftly that it h p-
pea'ed its if it load been made by a v io-
lent pushing of n choir egaieet it.
By this means he conhl frequently de.
termini) wile were 111 that rooms,
When 11e was awakened on this par -
limier morning by a noise appat'ent1Y
caused by the overturning, of a choir, he
venlig ort of his bed as if he had re.
c.eived a shock.
That he should go into the ',twat and PO
place himsn it nt lho point of obnen vtt.tioll
was due only to .his invariable held or 10
spy ing. Ili
Ile saw the oecupull 01 lite mom sit- to
inch lvith hie heel( 10 hill at a table in
the 0(11(1', while on rho opposite silo w•
way Ileo r e Parker, the ttttol11ly.
"Ali," mid the Shadow, ''herein mis-
chief. 1 never knew that old seamy of
11 lawyer in 110y11111 g 111(11 was nut Ines.
Inc c'liut ed to the top of the trunk p1
11)1 1 l liateneil. ll
ill hu how'd for a n11000nt'was : the el
srr:itching of a pin as It Was driven inn -
Published by Spe-
rely orer paper,
Finally 11e heard Parlrer's v1::,
"Now 000 here, Preston, 1 lime care-
fully written this story down, and you
must fantilia•izo yourself with it."
"Flow much is frac and how much
false?"
"It doesn't Make any difference how
much is irte on false; this story" ()lap-
ping the paper.) "has got to he the true
one Now, I went you to etudy over 11,
and l will 11'4110 ligain and again 0011
talk wit 113 1! 1111111 you get it pat,"
" \1 t'Il, 1'll try it."
"if you wo 1111 stop drinking 1tn11 gel
the rum oat 1f v ur sodden old brain
you would. get 1t dl light cuough. You
used to be ellarp enough, in all coneelence
sake
n ae sharp now 110 I ever was, only
1 ettu't revolted as I used to. Thlt'S be -
mow len getting old."
"Ifs because you are getting your
slain full of whisky every day. Now,
see here, You are a brother of Charles
Preston,"
"Of course 1 inn, or why ;lid he give
me money Inc fifteen years?"
"What's the Ilse of our arguing that
point? It makes no difference between
us whether it was bevauso you were his
brother, which he denied, or because you
had a mire( of his worth paying for.
For all we want, you are."
"Well, I wa$, I tell you,"
"Never mind; we can establish, by put-
ting your papers and my papers together,
that Charles Pierson W110 an assumed
name; the reason why 11e changed it;
that ,you were his brother; that he had
no relations other than you, and no de-
scendants; and ostablislling these facts
we van take his property. Now, I don't
dare take the find step before the surro-
gate until I have seen yon have got the
story so straight you won't siumblo
when you. go on the stand."
"Olt, I'll get it. don't you fear,"
"Well, I do fear. Then there 10 the
story of your own life, I have written
that, too."
Parker laughed an ugly laugh,
"it was a tough job to reconstruct the
twenty years of your life you spent be-
tween four stone walls."
"Hush," said the other old man, "for
heaven's sake don't talk of that."
"Well, you served -your time out; they
can't take you for it again, It was a
rooky path that of your life, old man
and I have smoothed it very inge
niously."
•-"Keep quiet!" cried the old man, will
an oath, "or I'll kick the whole thing
overboard."
This threat had a subduing effeotupou
Parker. •
"Well, :don't get huffy," he said; "I'll
be quiet. But you must be pat with it
when you're: called upon for it. I don't
thine: you will lie, for I -doubt if there
will be a contestant. But the lawyer
whom I shall employ may want to know
your story."
"Why don't you do it yourself? You
are a lawyer."
"There axe certain circumstances con-
nected with my professional career
which make it advisable for me to keep
out of court. But 1 can't idle here. I've
got a great deal to do today. Here are
some papers I want you to sign."
"What aro they?"
The agreements and contracts of
transfer to me of one-half of the proper-
ty when you get it."
"Well, I am entitled to the whole."
"Of coarse you are; you old aes; but
you don't give me half you won't
ave any part of. it.. Sign, or you won't
get a smell of it; and besides, I'll stop
our allowance."
This was a dire threat, and meant a
toppege of liquor, so he signed with a
trembling hand:
"Jame)) Preston,"
"Now, wait a moment," said Parker.
o went to the window and beckoned
o a man who stood upon the opposite
dde of the street,
In 11 moment more the person entered
he room,
"Yon area notary public; I Want you
o verify these signatures."
It was a Ceremony soon acoonnplished,
and Parker, placing the papers in his
o0ket, went old', after leaving a ten dol•
la
bill with the old man Preston,
Tho Shadow remained long enough. at
is .post to hear Preston say:
"'Well, there's' soinething crooked
hoot this, but I don't know what. Any
ow, I know I ani the brother of the
fah they call. Charles Ple'i'son, I can't
gure it out, but 1 can go and got a
rheic,"
As the olid man went out, the Shadow
upped duivll lightly and passed into This
one,
"1 deli t know that the matter has any
siring 011 that whfe'h the 'floss' has 111
111(1. I guess not, Mit I will tell hint
lyhenv.'"
When lie - did tell Tonle that astute
ming gentleman 5(111
"No, 1 do 11011 believe it has any imme-
diate bearing on one matter. It leas this
Fleet however, and their, is, (lilt we
won't worry nnlahabout banter's ptlr-
ticipill!ou in the mailer, for he is 1101:
rrsttime the line we ere (11(91 has no con-
'1311.11 with it ',Chat he is in :for is
oar N1011011. 1 1(I 111'• Wake( 11 blunder
of 11, 101110 dont know it all; and 110'11
' '1 a mess t t It s her '
1 1 ole he is Await o!' it.
I'll drop a 111111 to the surrogate t0 go
Ouse on 11v application made on behalf
of Joule's Preston, l3ut, f tiny. old Par -
1111 slay be 11 y'aluahle loan to follow up
o11 the line 01 Pierson. 11e evidently
, knows More about )lint then we do. It
Is 111 be worth while to Clavate bila
1011011 we get the chance, but filet now
there etre ether things to be done,"
CIIA.P'i.'ER XVI.
CUPID TtIlS TWO C'tOTTEn$ 1115 WINOS,
8 the tine drew
near' to visit the
Tenpletons, Hol-
brook found that
be had regarded
this visit with
greater interest
and emotion than
he had been real.
lir i�'Scii"file ly conscious Of.
Such had hem
the excitements
of the two p]•o-
vious days that
he had given him-
self to 11111 sedate or prefuund thought.
Is10e010 had c,eclu'red with moll rapidity
and close su oessiun th1tt tiro was really
whirling with hint
1t was only is he d eve War the 111)11
where the mlttl' and daughter were
staying that h.. 1 Bahr .l that, nl'ler a11,
the one titin;; whieh seemed important
to. hint ethuv e all others plus this visit.
Why, lie was at a loss to tell, and it
was with something of a shock that he
was e0npclled to confess to himself that
above all and through all the beautiful
face of Annie Templeton had been be-
fore Trim constantly.
Alen Will deceive themselves, just as
Holbrook diel, when he answered 111s
own awakening by ,sayitttg: "Her face
haunts me 08 a beautiful picture I some-
times see will linger with me for days."
The ladies met him in the public par-
lor of the hotel. They welcomed hire as
a highly prized friend, and the "trust
with which they fairly threw themselves
upon 111111 was very pleasant,
They had waited for him anxiously,
and they were deeply interested in the
smallest detail of the business he hard un-
dertaken for them. They hung upon
his Words as if leo were to bring them
salvation.
"My first step,"1110 said, "will be to
take out tetters of administration for
Airs. Templeton, and this Clone we eau
take possession of all your brother's af-
fairs. '
tie explained to them that tete proleecl-
iugs were likely to be long delayed and
vexations, and it was not long before he
found himself installed not only as legal
counsel, but as adviser upon all points in
family matters.
It was very agreeable to ]rim, to be the
recipient of all the little confidences as
to family details, cost of living, the
ways and means—and be, who for
twelve years had lived a bachelor life,
found domestic considerations highly in-
teresting, especially when presided over
by a beautiful girl ,wbo paid special def -
creme to his own wisdom,
It was agreed that tiey should return
to their hate in Plainfield the following
day, and'set it in order for a prolonged
absence.
'While they were gone he was to ob-
tain for them apartments, where they
would be at less expense than a Hotel
and secure greater comforts.
He did not tell them of the suspicions
entertained by Toni Bryan and himself.
for, in truth, be would have found it
difficult to have presented them in au
intelligible manner, if he haefthought it
wi80 to arouse hopes he was not certain
of realizing.
Touching the murder, he informed
them that a series of inquiries has been
instituted, but that as yet it was impos-
sible, to say anything as to the result.
, Finally he drew away from the sub-
ject in which the two ladies were so
much . interested, and directed their
thoughts to other ohanuels. Thus he in-
duced them to lay aside their sorrows
for a than, until the hours passed se rap-
idly that the clock pointed 11 before be
was aware it was so late. ,
, He was more and more pleased with
the character of Annie Teteiiletoh, her,
artlessness and sincerity and her charms
of mind and temper.' '
That night he sat long in his room at
the open window over his cigar, his
thoughts busy with. the charming young
girl with whom, through accident appnr-
ently, he stood in closer relation than
any other man, and he grew very tender
over them,
CHAPTER XVIL
ON A N1!WPORT VERANDA,
m,;+ t
UR story moves
4;, irk } Ali along la day or
x led,
two, d we are
, (te
carried to New-
port.
On a bluff over-
looking at wide ex-
panse of wetter,
x7111 well elong the
(I r 1'9 0, 01111111)) a
cottage, which elsewhere might be called
a. nunn1ien, yet t 115 compared 1{111 114
.neighbors it .5(i11111.
11; has uu111y 1111(1e0, 111or1 diver's mei
high ones; many ,milli,:, curlews wee -
time, like eye, in king eloping r 015-•:1
recessed 11111e1ny' Here, and verenelas
Cropping out (here, in tttiexpeel ea pla000,
ant a ,11m1111 1f ('1,11111'0, pule cl0111 11111
(1115!l1, vet ell orderly', 11111'niereees'e111 1
Con the veranda whieh adjoins 10
Forte cot hl l e., tt young lady paees up an
down with evident imptltence. The sun
slowly sinking into the west, sends it
rays shooting under the roof of the ver
1)011a and lights up with golden gleilm
the shining hair of Flora Ashgrove,
The house is the summer residence o
Robert Witherspoon, and therefore 111
muleteer home of the lady.
The roll of carriage wheels In the df
tante attracts her attention, and File lean
over the railing,
The carriage turning into sight, she
views it with great expectancy plainly
manifest on her beautiful face.
In a moment more she is enabled to
ascertain Its occupant, and as she does so
a smile of relief wreathes itself about her
rosy lips.
The carriage (Irawe up'at the steps and
the occupant who alights is—
Harry Fountain.
She greets him with suppressed joy,'
She flurries 11im off in charge of a.
servant, budding hien to hasten tonmeet-
ing with her on the veranda as soon as
he can remove the stains of travel. '
Then she seats herself in one of the
willow chairs which invite repose. She
lc ne her head upon her hand. her elbow
resting upon the arra of the chair, and
she 1,•1,.1 1ut1 :, r etude,.
The•1honights' n1 ui esareevi4e•ttt-
ly not plea . at. I.'r ,h.. Irowus -tired 1101'
Luce is dark,
Thus she sits when Fuuutain, newly
arrayed, rejoins lier, Ile saye.gay'ly:
"You perceive dhow 0lledieut I ant:
You command and I am here."
She looks at him gloomily and says she
is glad to see him. • •
"I should• only know it," he retbrts,
"by your saying so, ma belle,"
'She' looks at hila angrily as she re-
plies:
"You can be very gay under all the
circumstaneea. Is the distance from New
York so great that you feel perfectly at
ease here?"
He 100115 clown upon her somewhat
puzzled,' for he is standing in front bf
her. He draws a chair closer to her and
sits down very deliberately.
"Flora," he says slowly. but gazing at
her steadily, "your moods are inexplica-
ble. For the past three weeks I have
not undetstoocl you. When I saw you
last in New York you were nervousness
personified, and you treated Inc at times
with disdain, and sometimes I imagined
positively with aversion. Than comes
your imperative summons to come hith-
er, disregarding as nothing my reasons
for remaining in New York. Now, tell
me, what 18 the meaning of your strange
conduct?
"You 111100 then observed my con-
duct?' she returns, with an expression of
contempt as she looks over the water.
"Can you find no reason for it?"
"Upon my word I cannot. If you
hare fault to find with me speak out,
and don't resort to innuendo,"
"Innuendo," she repeats, with fine
scorn in her tones. "Harry Fountain,
are you a hypocrite, or the coldest
blooded man who lives?"
"I do not thinly you are well," he re-
plies. "I shall advise your uncle to
consult a physician,"
"Don't treat me as if I wore a child,"
silo answers, passionately. "I am en-
titled to your confidence if to nothing
else. Dues not your conscience reproach
you, or have you hone?"
"The charge of withholding confidence
from you comes with but ill grace,
Flora," he Said sternly. "I jeopardized
my chances of peace, comfort and happi-
ness in this world in order that I might
give you my confidence. You hold every
secret of my life—you know that of mo
which no other person in this world
knows,"
Except one—except one, she cried
passionately, leaping to her feet and
striding upend, down the veranda "Ex-
cept one, and ,frons the consequences of
that one I would save you at the risk of
my own life and honor, though it seems
to me I hate you, hate you for it."
Fountain regarded her with amaze-
ment, and his flute grew pale as ne mut-
tered gilder his breath, "Is it possible
that'slie can he l;o been informed by some
one?" •
,[le stopped her 0s.8he passed him, .and
forced her to sit down. -
do not know what you refer to," he
replied. "From tho time I 'donfetsed
niflove for Yoe I hada coiidealod noth-
ing frotu.you I considered 'important, or
which, could or Ought to affect our rela-
tions,
ely
tions, even 1'enl0tely."
'011, indeed! Hap) I had a record of
your daily life?" '
.'deo, you have not, not will l'give it
yon, The number of cigitrs'I smoke, the
glasses of wine I drink, the passages .01
the daily life of a youug, man of leisure,
permissible in a bachelor, if to be cun-
domned in a benedict, I have not given,
nor will I give; nor would any broad
minded girl, such as I have regarded
you until the past throe weeks, demand
.hon."
Pasnagea 111 the life of a young num
of leisure—snoh, for 111013noe, as strange
disguises at late hours of night,"
lie flushed a dull rod tlu'olgll his dark
81:10,
"l do nut know- to what y'oe refer," the
replied.
"You do not know." she repeated
scornfully, and then, lifting her hails
before bar Nee ns she clasped then. so
tightlyis to f lire ' .h s
t t } pain her, she crime in
agonized tone,, '•I cannot,1 cannot. bring
myself to :leak of it to him. fly Glad,
can l not hek• hint? 11111at 1 go..'.. I.iviue
Lim in spite' of.lnyltlft"
o notoltl or eonr]Qelibli riolny0n, cannot
d be oharged against me,
"When I Confessed my love for you,"
s he oontinued, "I told you that, I did not
- have the fortune rumor credited me with;
s that it was nearly exhausted, When I
made that diecovory which shocked and
f nearly crazed 111e, 10151110 to you at once,
e offering you the freedom tho world did
not know you had given up, telling you
s- I was illegitimate.
• ".When I made the further discovery
that by an effort I alight receive a for-
tunebut involved in the effort might
possibly be the exposure of my illegiti-
macy, I came to you with it and you
bade mo make the' effort, promising to
, face (1e world With toe, saying you had
no property and hve would fight to-
gether,
"Those are the great events of my
life. Is the aversion with whieh you
have seemed to regard 'me recently due
' to my illegitimacy? If it is, let 111e yay,
as I once said to you before -you can be
free. I an] too propel in my degrndation
to hold you a„ 11i115t your most slightly
expressed wren, though it broke my heart
to release yell,"
Sl10 mhoulc her head, murmuring:
"It is not that: fl 11 not that,"
"Is it he pursued. "thlit we ani 1,.1111
pone, land you have finally c0n(:1udc(I you
Cannot face pmn,tty w'11111111. '
"It i, 1101 1 11111: u.: is not that," site r,' -
pined.
"No, I could hareIly,helieve it wt,s, for
they are to both of us now old stories,
and we ha 0e grown acegetomed to them.
Things aro not worse' for 'Me, they are
better. Providence' has removed Tem
pleton from my path e
She leaped to her feet, crying aloud:
"Ary Goth can, he refer t0 it like that?
Isit possible that such a man can live?"
She swept up the veranda, so charged
with emotion and passion that she could
not remain still.
• I3e followed her, saying:
"Well, 1 have begun the effort, hut I
will abandon it if you . wish, 1 have
taken the first steps. .I. have even gone
ts0 far as to .inquire for certain papers,
and have called on a lawyer, Henry (lol-
brook"—
She whirled upon him, her face pictur-
ing,the greatest alarm.
"On Henry Holbrook? Are you mad?
That man would hang you if he could.
Great heavens! It was to take you from
the possibility of meeting that man that
I called you here. Do you know that
Holbrook saw the murderer of Temple-
ton melee into the park?"
She had grasped hint by the shoulders
and pulled Mini squarely in front of her.
Before Fountain maid reply. a hearty
laugh rang out upon the an•
"Ila, ha, ha! Genii! good: 1 applaud!.
Encore'. Enema! The +4151113 is good. You
should go to the 11111 veranda to rehearse,
1111d you would get. immediately, a fash-
ionable audience."
The, 5al0 in friend of the Melee ap-
pro. ing by 11 path somedistance. off.
The next moment he was hid behind
shrubbery, long 01111 gh to enable thein
both to recover themselves, When next
he appppeared lie was near the veranda,
"When I heard that Fountain was
due here," he said, as he stopped beneath
to talk, "I said to liainie, 'Now v00 will
have soma private theatricals.', And at
the that pop L catch you at rehearsal. I
congratulate you, Flora. lives too far
off to hear the sentiment, but the actino
was realistic."
"Glad you like it," replied Flora, "I'll'
give you a secret --will you keep it?"
"As my life."
"Then it is a scene of my 0101 compo.
sition,"
•• • CHAPTER XVIII,
t0]1 DISPLAYS 'rt)1 DIAMOND 100001(15
OUNTAIN found
excuse to 1' -ova
"11 the ve.:nada, and
o th•
gigoeonnds, t0 e
"What infernal
Scoundrel can•
have told her?"
he muttered to
himself, " How
ci ul'd she have.
found0tlt?' And
the disguise, too?
But who could
nave supposed'
she would hare
shown such pas'
sion, such reseal -
melt? Yet it .is
due of diose
thingssa woman
does not forgive, But,what could site
moan about Holbrook? What does he
know about it?, Or now can it OOn0een
him? I will return to New York and"—
A. turn in the path brought him face
to face with a man who was trims hitlg
the shrubbery,' '
"li elle " said F u p ai "you're new
e 0 t
about 11ei'o, Has Mr, 13Vitherspoon•
,changed his gardener?" .
."Yes, eir,' replied. the man, still con-
tinuing his work. . .
"How long ago?" • •
"About three weeks now, sir." The
man spoke with a strong Scotch ancient,
"I had not hoarder it," said Fountain,
indifferently,, as ho •turned away.
"No, sir," replied elle man, banding
down over a bush.
As Fountain turned 0110 another path
the gardener watched flim disappear
from view, then tossed his pruning.
shears into the bush, and. saying, "I've
heard rill I want to know," fled rapidly
111 the 01)1)7)10 direction,
L'onniaui diel not 110,1 another elemee
for confidential conversnrioll with
that nivalt 111,7111,
lalte DI Mu young. he ,lid fled an op-
porltnity to city to her:
"If you will formulate your e0111lee
against ter, 1 will 117 to 1(1.11 i10.1a to ,
your' soli ifactionn. You have been alis- 1
niformed 1111e11 sonn,ihiug, evidently."
'\o," she replied in a ,low -tone, 1 :
)dating great reetraint mem herself, I •
"never 5119111 '1. invert,to.•rbc Matter
needle; I have Ihongit1+Ibover, lflrid'ihe• ,
1?e'pt the co11stemenoa,, iteiree"Kilei3 icer
deeply, tlirnrglr,i hate Flesch for 11.'1)111( y, .
I'n1 y Curs, and 1,cas e all. souei le1'atioe
tn'ilhe winds, . Leet it saes."
(come:erre 0\ men le
wire e" her', strongly 111011a 111nn
self, showing newt. and alarm. IIe mut-
tered, "Some one hue tlievovcred it; and
betrayed me to lime" finally lie said with
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