Adventure, December 1914 — page 152: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

150 once; vanished as completely as if they had never been—so completely that nothing has been heard or seen of them since. A good many dealers have asked questions of themselves and others. It’s like hidden treasure that people go to hunt for in the Spanish Main. If a man could only get an inkling of an idea where it might be worth while to look for any of these missing jewels he’d start on the quest tomorrow. “It’s a world of coincidences, Adair; it’s funny that you should come to me with this.” Once more the tip of his finger rested on the glowing stone. “It’s a sp cial problem I set myself to solve some years ago—what became of the Kaufmann Dia- mond. Can you give me the solution?” ayies “I FANCY, Harper, you know a oA good many things about men and affairs of which you don’t care to speak. Do you know anything about me?” “TI don’t; not a single thing. I met you in Paris, I rather liked you; partly, per- haps, because I could see with half an eye that as regards class you and I were under different headings. “T took you for a man who was born in the purple—one of our bloated aristocrats. My father kept a sort of marine store; I fancy he married my mother because it was cheaper to keep a wife than a servant—she wanted no regular wages. I began my edu- cation in the Penton Road boarding school and there I finished it. I fancy you went to Eton, and the university; and I dare say that you could give me an intimate de- scription of the interiors of half the great houses in England. You remember that in Paris I asked you no questions.” “TI noticed it; not even my name.” “Because I had learned from the hotel register that it was Adair. I know some- Adventure thing about the great families of England, but I don’t think there’s an Adair among them; so, as you say, I didn’t even ask your name. And I’ve made no inquiries about you from that hour to this. But when you take out of your waistcoat pocket a little leather box containing the Kaufmann Diamond, and hand it over to me and ask me what I think of it, the matter assumes a different complexion.” “You think the time has come to make inquiries?” ‘““Well—if a man handed you the title deeds of the Bank of England you’d feel a sort of mild curiosity as to how he became possessed of them.” “I’m quite prepared to tell you how I be- came possessed of that. Indeed, that’s one of the reasons why I was so anxious to see you—I wanted to tell you, and to consult you.” “TI can assure you, Mr. Adair, that I’m very willing to listen and to be consulted. I’ve a nose for this kind of thing, and I rather fancy that I’m going to hear what one of the newspapers calls a queer story.” “T think you are; and one of the queer- est parts of it is that I have not myself yet got to the bottom of its queerness.’’ The speaker glanced round the lounge. ‘Don’t you think this rather a public place? We haveit pretty well to ourselves, but still " “You’re right; there are waiters.’ Mr. Harper rose from his chair. ‘‘Put that lump of crystal back into your pocket, Mr. Adair. There’s at least one other man in this building who would recognize it if he had the chance. Perhaps we’d both of us rather he didn’t. I’ve a private sitting-room up- stairs; if you’ll honor me with your com- pany we'll talk there of some of the strange things in heaven and earth which are un- dreamed of in some men’s philosophy.”’ The last half of ‘‘A Man With Nine Lives’? will appear in the next (January) Issue. MICLOOOK C@