THE BABYLONIAN DIAMOND

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 448, 17 November 1904, Page 2

THE BABYLONIAN DIAMOND

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CHAPTER Vll.—(Continued.) He had [been furnished within his own experience with an illustration of the old truth that troubles are easier to bear by remembering what greater troubles might have befallen us. Douglass had but just escaped the greater danger of the entire robbery of the valuables stored in the strong room of the bank, and in the- feeling of relief he now experienced he was lifted out of that spirit of abject depression into which he had been thrown on the previous day by the robbery of the diamond.- Raven Forrett thoroughly understood .Douglass's mental exaltation, and he knew it was but a temporary state. Ho was, however, glad it had occurred, as it would, at all events, have the effect of clearing Douglass's mind, and of relieving it of that tension of despair which had almost numbed its f inctions. But he knew thai; his fiend's anxiety would presently return, as it was caused not so much by the loss of the diamond, as by the fact that, under the circumstances of it 3 disappearance, he, and he alcne, could be held accountable for it. However, at present Douglass seemed absorbed in conjecture as to the mole and meaning of the attack on the strong room, and Raven was careful not to divert his attention from that subject. When they reached the office, Douglass bade Selden be seated, and asked him to give a clear account of what took place in the night. •I am afraid, sir,' said he. ' I can tell you very little. Just before I was attacked I had been walking up and down along the orridor, and then feeling a bit tired of that, I sat in my box, and looked for a few minutes at a paper I had—an illustrated paper. I hadn't read more than five minutes when suddenly round the box came a long bare brown hand ana arm. Very sunburnt, I should think, or dirty; or else it was only that in my fright—for, I confess I was startled—it may have seemed dark to me. It grabbed me by the throat, and before I could even cry out. four dark figures, all muffled up, like men with bi ,T cloaks over them, crowded in at the box, shutting out the light, and pressed soft damp cloths over my focr, so that I could not scream out, and could hardly breathe. I just remember straggling for a few moments, trying to free myself, and then I suppose I must have fainted with the fright.' • No, Selden,' said Douglas?, kindly, 1 you can acquit yourself of the charge of being frightened. You did not faint; you were chloroformed.' • Good gracious!' ejaculated Selden, half-fearful that the operation might, have had some lasting effect. • Oh, you are all right now, and if you let Mrs Saunders get you a nice hot breakfast you will very soon forget all about this adventure. This, too, may help yon to forget it.' And he handed the watchman a five-pound note. «I am very much obliged to you, sir,' said Selden. «I feel that you have some reason to scold me, instead of showing me so much kindness; for I should have heard them before they came on me so suddenly.' ' No, I don't blame you at all,' said Douglass. 'You are simply iu the hands of clever scoundrels.' He did not mention the fact that he had had personal experience of the noiseless and mysterious fashion in which the four unknowns effected their midnight visitations; but it had no small weight with him in exonerating Selden. ' And now, Raven,' said Douglass, when the men had left the office, ' what do you think of the position T «It is certainly a mystery,' replied Riven. ' But I hold s'trongly to the opinion that the four mysterious Visitors to your chambers last night came to the bank for one sole pur-

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BY AUSTIN FRYERS.

pose, and that was to find the blue diamond.' 'I think you must be right,'replied Douglass, «as there is no other possible explanation of the fact that they had every opportunity of taking the other jewels, which are so much more easily disposable. But what steps do you think we should take to solve the mystery? I suppose, if only as a matter of formality, it is necessary to report the loss at once to the police.' ' Yes,' replied Raven, 'I think that will be best. In the first place, it a step which is due to Colonel Gardner. I do not for a moment think that the ordinary methods of police investigation will be able to unravel the mystery of its disappearance, much less to effect its recovery; but.the-Tadvautage of putting the police in mo'tion is to close the ordinary markets for its disposal. Even if it be cut, the sale of choice diamonds of a blue ray will not escape attention, and may lead to the detection of the thieves. Yes, I certainly think it will be best to consult Scotland Yard at once, and, if you like, I will take a hansom and call there at once.' ' Do, old chap,' said Douglass; «I shall be much obliged if you will.' 'Then I will go at once,' said Raven ; «and I would advise you to proceed with your ordinary routine of business exactly as though nothing unusual had happened. The circuit stances are so usual that they are bound to excite a troublesome curiosity if you will give them publicity.' 'I quite agree with you, Raven,' said Douglass. 'lt is one of 'the instances where the old proverb about a still tongue applies But I fear we shall not be able to avoid publicity very long. The police will doubtless circulate descriptions of the diamond, and that is bound to excite comment.' ' Yes, certainly,' assented Raven ; ' but the disappearance of a valuable from a bank is a different matter to an extraordinary story of the seizuie of keys from the banker, and the after exploration of the bank without any assignable reason. That is the story you had better keep as nmch in the back-ground as possible.' ' Yes,' said Douglass.' that certainly is a puzzle for which an explication is hard to find.' CHAPTER VIII. Just before noon a hansom dashed up to the banking-house of Douglass, Pirn, and Douglass, and Raven Ferretl stepped out. He was followed by a man of about fifty years of age; a man with a florid, clein-shaven face, hair closely-cropped, thick, and grizzled; who walked with a slight stoop, and was well-dressed, but with thatindescribableatmosphere of professionalism about his entire get-up which made you wonder as to his occupation, if you did not guess it—rightly or wrongly. His name was Petherick—Mr Stephen Petherick—and he was one of the most famous detectives of the Criminal Investigation Department. Indeed, Raven, when he had explained his case, and was assigned the services of Mr Stephen Petherick, was given to understand that he might consider himself very fortunate indeed, Mr Stephen Petherick had had the good fortune to have been associated with a number of cases wh : ch had provided newspapers with good 'copy.' and therefore his professional exploits had secured a great deal of publicity. It was he who had followed an embezzling trustee to a Continental gambling resort, where he had been joining openly in the merriment, and his 'clever capture' of a criminal who had taken unusual pains to advertiso his whereabouts was duly chronicled in all the papers. On another occasion a letter had been sent to a Minister, warning him that the War Office would be blown up at a certain hour on a certain date, and Mr

Stephen Petherick, with admirable promptitude, was present at the appointed time, and arrested a semilunatic who had come to carry out his threat by means of a coffee-canister, and sixpenn'orth of heterogeneous explosives. This infernal machine was examined by experts and declared to be 'dangerous'—which it undoubtedly was in the lunatic's hands ---and Mr Petherick once more was the hero of the hour. Several similar cases conspired to make him famous, so that it was indeed an officer of great reputation who was instructed to return with Raven Ferrett to investigate the mystery of the disappearance of the great blue diamond. Raven and Mr Pethrick were received at once by the banker, who was not a little impressed by the celebrity of his visitor, and rose to place a chair with his own hands in a suitable position for Mr Petheriek's comfort. 'I fear I have rather an unusually tough case for you, Mr Petherick,' said Douglass, in a semi-apologetic toue; 'as we hardly have even the clue of a plausible motive for the deed.' Mr Petherick smiled deprecatingly, Evidently tough jobs had no terrors for him. 'lt is what Ave usually hear, Mr Douglass,' said he, with a wave of the hand which suggested uuutterable things, ' on the introduction of every case. We are called in by what I might term, Avithout offence, tie amateur mind,' —Mr Douglass bowed ae quiescently, while Raven strove to conceal a smile —' to solve what is often a mystery only to the amateur mind, but which is capable of easy solution when viewed from wbat I might term the professional point of view.' ' Yes, I daresay that is frequently the case. I hope the mystery of the stolen diamond will strike you as easy of solution ; but to me at present it- is an impenetrable mystery. We can make head nor tail of it; can guess neither at the motive of the crime. Can we, Mr Ferrett f' 'No,' replied Raven, 'we are quite in the dark. But then, after all, we represent the amateur mind, and Mr Petherick may be able to make light of our difficulties.' Mr Petherick might have detected the faintest ring of sarcasm in Raven's tones! and, indeed, he did look up at the speaker rather sharply—but his suspicions, if he had any, were quickly dispelled by Raven's inscrutable visage, and he drummed the table as he murmured contentedly—- ' Yes, it is quite true that by tho result of training and experience we look at things differently. You must not be a* bit surprised if the mystery of your loss does not resolve itself into an ordinary theft, or—or even a mistake, when I hear all the circumstances.' Douglass shook his head, and then had to submit to the ordeal of hearing the recital in detail of some half-dozen supposed losses which wore an equally mysterious aspect at the first blush, but which, on being put to the test of professional examination, resolved themselves into mere instances of domestic blunders. When Mr Petherick had relieved his soul of this weight of instance and anecdote he permitted the banker to relate the < ircu nstances of the present case. A

genial smile spread over the florid features of Mr Petherick as the recital progresse 1. He never interrupted by a word or a question, and this reticence, affording such a contrast to his previous garrulity, impressed Raven so favourably that he was inclined to believe somewhat in the ' professional view,' and half-expected that when Mr Petherick next opened his mouth, it would be to furnish a lucid explanation of the mystery. 1 The thing is to me as clear as daylight,' was Mr Petherick's halfexpected pronouncement when Douglass concluded his recital of the extraordinary incidents attending the robbery. ' The day before yesterday Colonel Gardner deposited the diamonds and other jewels with you. Yesterday you went to the safe before lunch-time to get a document, and once more you inspected the jewel.' Albert nodded. ' Some time after lunch you returned to the safe to replace the paper, and the diamond was gono, You

excitedly searched everywhere for it, but could not find it. Then you re turned to the corridor, and concluding that a daring theft had been committed, you excitedly questioned the commissionaire who was on duty outside. Smithson, you say, is his name, and you declare him to be thoroughly dependable; and on his declaring that you, and you alone, passed him that afternoon, and that, therefore, if a robbery was committed, you alone could answer for it, your excitement was so accentuated that you fainted.' 1 Yes,' assented Douglass, ' those are the facts so far.' Raven's look of expectant intere&t was gradually fading away, and once ho Avas beginning to regard Mr Petherick with quizzical attention. 'Last night,' continued Mr Petherick, ' the keys of the bank wore stolen from you. The bank was burglariously entered, your commissionaire on duty overpowered, and the contents of strong-room overhauled.' ' That is so,' assented Douglass, 'but the curious fact is, that nothing is missing.' ' Except the diamond,' said Mr Petherick, with a wealth of significance which nearly provoked Raven to laughter. ' Except the diamond, of course,' said Douglass, ' but that was stolen in the afternoon.' ' That was stolen last night,' said Mr Petherjck, oracularly, and Raven gave a little gurgle of delight, for he now anticipated Mr Petherick's solution, and understood the wisdom and perspicacity on which the fame of the celebrated detective rested. 'I really don't follow you,' said Douglass. ' I tell you that Mr Ferrett •end I carefully checked the contents oi the strong room with the inventory, and found that nothing was missing but the great diamond. That, as I have previously explained, was stolen in the afternoon.' 'Now, my "dear sir,' faid Mr Petherick, with a paternal kindliness of manner, ' be good enough to listen to my explanation of the whole affair; it is similar to dozens within our experience at the Yard. When you looked at the diamond in the morning, you, either inadvertently or by accident, did not replace it in exactly the position in which it had been previously. Perhaps the case was not securely placed on the ledge and it may have fallen down, or been hidden behind other packets. At all events, it was displaced, and at the very first knowledge of this, the blood tied to your brain, and you could, see nothing but what your fears suggested.' Douglass threw up his hands deprecatingly, and rose impatiently from his chair. ' Ah, you may not think so, continued Mr Petherick, imperturbably, 'but if you consult any specialist on cerebral functions, ho will confirm what I am stating. At the first moment when you saw that the diamond was displaced, you concluded that it was stolen, and while the affrighted fear into which you were thrown lasted, your senses were paralysed. Your eyes looked internally, and saw only the pictures of your brain ; externally their functions for the time had ceased. Had the diamond been s openly placed on a shelf, in front of yon, you would not have seen it.'

Douglass argued with heated persistence against the detective's theory, and persisted that the diamond was stolen before the mysterious midnight visit; but Mr Pctherick knew that he had solved the mystery, and would not budge an inch from his opinion. ' The diamond was certainly stolen last night,' said he,' and therefore you see the mystery is, as usual, composed of: two simple elements —an initial mistake, and a common robbery. It now remains for us to find the thieves.' ' What do you say to this, Haven ?' asked Douglass, in desperation. 'I think Mr Pethorick's explanation a most reasonable one,' replied Raven, decisively, which led the banker to accept the position without further question. Mr Petbcrick was pleased at .this unqualified support, especially as he had been somewhat doubtful of Raven's attitude; and, promising to set the machinery of Scotland Yard in motion for the recovery of the

diamond and the capture of the thieves, he took his leave. ' And now, Karen,' said Douglass, ' what is your real opinion, for I am sure you do not agree with Petherick ?' 'I think, old chap,' said Kaven, ' that the diamond was stolen in the afternoon, as you state. I feel sure nothing was taken last night, and that the mysterious four who robbed you of your keys were after the diamond. Had they been common thieves they would undoubtedly have taken some at least of the valuables which lay at their mercy. But I saw it was impossible to get him to budge an inch from his theory. Besides, it is of the greatest advantage to you. It absolves you of the,personal responsibility of the disappearance—l know you would not shelter yourself under that,' added Raven, at a gesture from Douglass, but if such an explanation is entertained, so much the better. Then Petherick acting on it will institute just as complete a search as the detective systain is capable of. (To be continued.)