The Diamond Cross Mystery Being a Somewhat Different Detective Story

olk, for she had few near ones. One of the relatives was summoned to take charge of the store and her other business affairs, for, a formal charge of mur

jail, bail being fixed, because of his uncertain chara

arcy and King had been the only ones made. Singa Phut, whose watch was found clasped in

f the authorities, he was not worth considering further. He admitted having left his watch at the shop to be repaired, some days before the murder, and had not call

ermissible in murder cases, he must, perforce, remain locked up until his indictment and trial. He was transferred from the witness room of p

d worker, had made a formal entry of a plea of not guilty for his client, when the

ng might have committed the crime, or perhaps some desperate burglar, the Darcy case was crowded of

or. All his eyes encountered, though, was the white-washed wall opposite him-a bare, white and glaring wall that made his eyes

m white hands that had set many a gleaming jewel in burnished gold or cold, glittering platinum, that it might grace the person of some sweet woman. And now those wh

d it. He saw the glittering showcases in the store, with their arra

ot on the floor-the spot which, even now, in spite of many scrubbings, was visible to the men and women who, now that the store was

res to her friends and others, was all alone in a grave far up on the hill-a h

James Darcy

gainst whom such a charge had been made-Darcy among them-looked up with an interest they had not shown before. Did it mean a visi

gate which gave entrance to the anteroom where, on visiting days, even those charged wi

you, Darcy!" ca

Darcy's eyes brightened, those of the others in the same tier of c

er?" ask

here's a la

lad

Come

proached from behind a line of other prisoners exercisi

anteroom, closely followed by a keeper, while a detective from

mie

ing of great interest in the calendar that hung on the opposite wall, while Kenneth talked earnestly wit

mie

ou-you

! Didn't I tell yo

s,

talk, especially when I have

You mean y

as I am-that he said he'd 'go the limit,' if you know what that means

daughter doe

u know-Ji

per and the lawyer-all now seemed

to his lawyer, and events had followed one another so rapidly that there had been no other opportunity until now, though the

ged the best detective in this country for you,"

st dete

lawyer. They're going to work to

wyer's answer. "I can look after the court proceedings, when it comes time for them, but what w

as the case!" and for

ad its old ring

y I can't stay very long, so I'll have to talk fast, and you must listen-mostly.

nel A

help prove you innocent by discovering

s one of the greatest

used to be. He mus

too old to take hold

one of the highest-priced detectives in the country, but

your case, Jimmie

how

broke in Kenneth. "She surprised me when she told me. And I want to say that wh

on't und

you about, Jimmie boy! Now

t brook-how she had been cared for by him and Shag after her faint, and how, after some persuasion,

. But Tom-he's the little jockey dad got a place for as train-boy-met him on the express and learne

y! I'm getting hard

id we must get Colonel Brentnall at once. That was the name he used, b

am I to

hing from the beginning to the end. All about your quarrel wi

rry to say, it was

boy. I know it couldn'

eered at you for thinking of

d, Jimmie boy!" cri

. And as for her finding fault with me about my electric lathe, and abo

colonel al

are you sure

I said I wanted to see you first. He'll be along soon. So you see, Jimmie boy, things

ut now that I know you-

Jimmie boy!" and the girl's

from now on. And is the colonel

wanted to fish in dad's trout stream," and she

of Colonel Ashley's achievements in detective work, and the

fly with his client. The prisoner went back to his little c

ed Amy from her faint at the stream, he h

a week or so," said the old detective, and the

"It's either fishin' or detectin' wif de colonel, dat's whut it suah am! Fishin

specimen, Colonel Ashley, having escorted Amy Mason

emarked, almost mournfully. "I might have known

uah might! But who does yo'

nd you know I don't make any predict

's behalf by being introduced by the accused man's lawyer, the detective paid a visit to

e in, carefully avoiding the place where a dark stain could be seen in the floor-

s, and had described to him the exact position of the

t in various parts of the city, that the defective se

e him spend a few days with you until

colonel with a sigh. "But business is business from n

, the old detective sat in his room and

w on," he remarked dolefully. He glanced to where his rods and flies were

the book

fishing with a natural fly is exc

the colonel as he closed t

aving been entered from the outside, so that if a stranger had come in he must have done so when the doo

some that a burglar, used to such work, had entered the plac

learned after the contents of the store had been checked up, though of cou

d about his refusal to give up work on his electric lathe. There was also King's testimony about words over Amy, though Darcy contended that this talk

that, and having had a talk with Darcy at the jail, as well as a consultation with the lawyer, ha

ttridge, who, by this time, had the business running smoo

t. I'm going to browse about here

Make yourse

tatue-the one of the hunter, with whic

r's office-that and Harry Kin

orgotten. Well, I'll

ion to me. I'll go a

ther idly about the jewelry

waited anxiously for a message from New York without getting it, that the colonel felt h

Yet he did not talk with them, beyond a mere passing of the time of day, but went about nervously from showcase to counter and repeated the journey. When M

e courteous invitation he received

pen than does the average man, his face had, yet, a strange pallor not

e colonel to himself

doubtedly curiosity seekers, who came into price certain articles ostensibly, but wh

the colonel thought. Did he hope that some spirit of the poor, murdered wom

. Kettridge, who had often come to the shop d

t's Mr.

fton? Wh

ster's best and wealthiest ci

departme

e knew Mrs. Darcy quite well. He often has purchased diamonds here, though he is not married,

er can tell," and

reputation you bear, I think you will stand a little watching. I must not neglect t

seeking for something it seemed he could not find, turned and hur