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