The Datchet Diamonds

m from his actual person proved to be but temporary. All day they haunted him. Having done the one thing which he had come to town to do, he found himself unoccupied. He avoi

protect them against the necessity of having to make good his losses. No, just then the City w

r stimulating places. He drank not only to kill time but also to drown his thou

now, by way of a climax, he had been guilty of a greater folly than any which had gone before. He had sold more than his birthright for less--much less--than a mess of pottage. He had lost his soul for the pr

s the topic of conversation on every tongue. All England, all Europe, indeed, one might say that the whole of the civilised world was on tiptoe to catch the man who had done this thing. As John Ireland had said, he might as soon think of being able to sell the diamonds as of being able to

e until he had had time to turn himself round, and to find some means of earning for himself his daily bread. He had proposed to go on to Southampton this morning, thence straight across the seas. Now what was it he proposed to do? Every day that he remained in England meant making further inroads into his slender capital. At the r

ent--for some reason he rather shirked travelling alone--communing with the demons of despair who seemed to be the tenants of hi

all, the manager came tow

id you authorise any one to

. W

id that you had sent him

f the kind. Did

nager

r who was unable to present a more sufficient authority than he appeared to have. We make it a rul

a man was he

at heel indeed, middle-aged; the sort of ma

ly as you can, wha

Villas, and you wanted your bag. You had given him a shilling to come for it, and you were to give him another shi

e was possibly acquainted. Once more in this latest dash for the bag Mr. Paxton seemed to trace that

wouldn't have been a very serious one if you had given him what he wanted. I t

on felt, a trifle scrutinisingly, as i

y of the hotel--and now this impudent rascal trying to make out that you had authorised him to receive your Gladstone bag. One might almost think that you were carrying so

himself as he went that it was already more than time that hi

ick to death of his own thoughts, for sheer want of something else to do, he took up an evening paper, which he had brought into the room with him, and which was lying on a chair at his side, and began to

e reef which has been struck is of importance, the demand for them, even at present prices, exc

quite incredible. Trumpits selling at ￡10--it could not be! He would have been glad, quite lately, to have sold his for 10d each; only he was conscio

icle. Could the thing be true? He felt that something was tingling all over his body. On a sudden, his pulses had begun to beat like sledge-hammers. He rose from his seat, just as the waiter was placing still another plate in front of him, and, to the obvious surprise of that well-trained func

be incredible,

ft of his honour too, a movement had been taking place in the market which was making his fortune for him all the time, and he had not not

--in the light of his friend's special information!--as far as he could, and as time would permit, and it seemed to him to be good enough for a plunge. The shares just then were at a discount--a considerable discount. From one point of view it was the time to buy them--and he did. He got together pretty well every pound he could lay his hands on, and bought ten thousand--bought them out an

ever entirely forgiven him for having made such a fool of her. He might--he could not help fancying that some such line of reasoning had occupied her att

appeared that rumours had come of gold in paying quantities having been found; that the rumours had gathered strength; that, in consequence, the shares had risen, until, on a sudden, the market

, he was half beside himself with excitement. He looked at his watch--it was time for m

nt, an arm was thrust round his neck, and what felt like a damp cloth was forced against his mouth. He was borne off his f