The Diamond Cross Mystery Being a Somewhat Different Detective Story

f the jewelry shop on that fateful April morning. That sound

ms in the gutters, whence they rushed toward the sewer basins, carrying with them an accumulation of sticks, leaves

as though neither element cared much for the task in hand-that of thoroughly soaking the particula

er places-to busy cities, to smiling country villages and farms. Above, around, below, on all sides, soaking through and through

ew trolley cars that were sent out to take the early toilers to their tasks rang as though covered with a blanket of fog. The thud of

nts audibly grumbling, the grumble becoming a voiced protest as he shuffled in his slippers alo

bleared eye like that of a toper, who, having spent the night in convivial co

above the little table where he set precious stones into gold and platinum

ilver cups, broke into points of light from the times of forks, became broad splotches on the blades of knives, and, perchance, made its way through the cracks int

the rain outside, heard its drip, drip, drip on the windows, and saw

ught the small, insistent sound which seemed to fill the room was the beating of her heart. Then, as he l

rubbed them again-he passed his hand before his face as if cobwebs had

Tick-tick!

o grow louder. It

Sallie! Sallie Page! Wake up! Hello, somebody! She's dea

to others than the deaf cook, who had not yet come downstairs. Mrs. Darcy's maid had gone away the previous evening, and was no

lver comb had fallen from the silvered hair. And so Darcy changed his mind-he ran to the side door, fumbled with the lock, flung back the portal, and then rushed out in th

silent rain and mist of the early morni

trolley rails, the dark and damp bu

o! He

ames Darcy. "There

!" echoed

eet. Not a person-not a vehicle-was in sight. No one looked from t

swung around the corner.

here-you!" calle

as he swung down from his vehicle with a w

ell the police. It's in that jewelry store," and he pointed

rcy's! She's k

afrai

cid

Looks to me mor

his wagon, and hurried with Darcy toward the store. The ot

as soon as he reached the side

the middle-between th

hispered. It seemed t

e-see

a trembli

shed!" exclaimed Case

look at it," murm

d Tremlain. "Wha

tened-they a

"First I thought it was her heart beatin

ke sure before we telephone for the police.

't like to go near her-I never could bear the sigh

aned over it and put the backs of his hard fingers on the white, wri

red softly. "Better get

ad remained beside Darcy near the

d as I thought at first. We mustn't touch the body-that's the law.

ed Darcy eagerly. "Police

hat watch ticking?" he asked, pausing. "Oh, it's in her hand!" and the other two looked and saw, clasped cl

sound so plain?

e noisy enough later on, though! But it's so quiet-that

t of clocks making a noise and-Say!" he suddenly cried, "there's not a clock

ey. "The watch is the only th

looked quick

ce it before, though I did hear the watch in her hand ticking-I thought it was her heart beat

Funny thing about the clocks all stopping,

and he pointed to the tall timepiece in the show window-the solemn-tick

different times!" added Tr

pointed to different hours. The big regulator indicated 10:22; a chronometer in a showcase was five hours and some minutes ahead of that. The clock o

woman's hand was ticking, and that showed approxi

," said Casey. "Then I've got to t

e me here alone-wil

or the living-rooms were above the jewelry store-a substan

be more of a nuisance than a help. Mrs. Darcy's ma

. "The police will be here as soon as we send

tore which, though most of the more valuable pieces were in the safe-still showed in the gleaming windows much that caught the eye of the passerby. Some one sensed

e still locked front doors. Those in the van flattene

t the police!

ain, who had gone out into the alley fro

ss. We can just tell him what we saw, Case

'm

rtantly, came along the street, hurrying not in th

?" demanded Pat

to headquarters." He told briefly what he knew, which was corroborated by Tremlain, t

warmed on the many bodies in the throng-a mist that mingled with that of the rain itself. In spite of the storm, the crowd grew and remai

ss that was now misty and grimy from hands and noses pressed against it. The crowd began to surge into the alley, whence a side door gave entranc

! You can read all about it in the papers. The reporters'll be here soon enough," he added with a wink at Darcy. "I'll lock the

ssing interest in the body, at which he glanced casually as he passed, calle

the instrument and leaned against a showcase conta

and side doors, each being locked from the inside. "I found her just as she is now, and called in the milkmen, who hap

me did i

nd the watches that are left for repair, unless I'm regulating them, and

thing ticking," and the policem

e-in he

be here pretty soon I guess. They'll notify him from the precinct. Now h

re until after midnight-theaters and moving picture places let out ab

oliceman yawned-for he had gone out on dog-watch-a

e Metson. But she went away yesterday afternoon and won't be back until a

r of the store, whence a side door gave entr

ws against the showcase on which he had been leaning in a manner to give himself as much rest as

o with me?" f

won't run away," and he no

meaning in Darcy's interj

. "I leave that to the gum-shoe men. Come

nderstand that she was wanted. Then, just as Darcy had expected, she began to cry and moan when she heard her mistress w

nd Darcy came downstairs after havi

ocking," remark

he men from h

med to be. They were insistently knocking at the side door, having forced their way through the crowd that

red Carroll, as he

aking a quick visual inventor

in. Hit with something. Doc Warren can 'tend to that end of

answere

ho are

ere first cousins. I have worked for her about seven years-ever since just after he

time. We got back some of the stuff for the old lady. She t

six o'clock to do some repair work on a man's wa

d the old lady like

es. Then I called

'em. They're all right, so I let 'em go. We

Anything gone from the

en't l

It's probably a robbery. You

erself. I've been doi

for a knock as of authority sounded-different from the aimles

orted Mulligan, peering out. "He

at Thong, who confirmed, by a nod of his head, what his

y, a longer one at Darcy, poked Mulligan in the ribs, lighted a cigarette, whi

s the

arroll. "The old lady's dead

rupted Thong. "What'

d," replied Darcy, and his