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                          THE NEW DETECTIVE STORY.

                            THE DIAMOND COTERIE

                            BY LAWRENCE L. LYNCH

            AUTHOR OF "SHADOWED BY THREE" "MADELINE PAYNE," ETC.


    CHICAGO:
    HENRY A. SUMNER AND COMPANY.
    1884.

    Copyright, 1882, by
    DONNELLEY, LOYD & CO.,
    CHICAGO.

    Copyright, 1884, by
    R. R. DONNELLEY & SONS,
    CHICAGO.

    R. R. Donnelley & Sons, The Lakeside Press, Chicago.




[Illustration: "Really this is a sad affair."]




CONTENTS.


CHAPTER I. Two Shocks for W----

CHAPTER II. W---- Investigates

CHAPTER III. A Sample of the Lamotte Blood

CHAPTER IV. Sybil's Letter

CHAPTER V. The Deductions of a Detective

CHAPTER VI. Doctor Heath at Home

CHAPTER VII. A Falling Out

CHAPTER VIII. One Detective too Many

CHAPTER IX. The Deductions of Detective Number Two

CHAPTER X. Evan

CHAPTER XI. The End of the Beginning

CHAPTER XII. The Beginning of the End

CHAPTER XIII. Constance's Diplomacy

CHAPTER XIV. John Burrill, Aristocrat

CHAPTER XV. Diamonds

CHAPTER XVI. In Open Mutiny

CHAPTER XVII. The Play Goes On

CHAPTER XVIII. John Burrill, Plebeian

CHAPTER XIX. Nance Burrill's Warning

CHAPTER XX. Constance at Bay

CHAPTER XXI. Appointing a Watch Dog

CHAPTER XXII. The Watch Dog Discharged

CHAPTER XXIII. Father and Son

CHAPTER XXIV. A Day of Gloom

CHAPTER XXV. That Night

CHAPTER XXVI. Prince's Prey

CHAPTER XXVII. A Turn in the Game

CHAPTER XXVIII. Introducing Mr. Smith

CHAPTER XXIX. Openly Accused

CHAPTER XXX. An Obstinate Client

CHAPTER XXXI. Beginning the Investigation

CHAPTER XXXII. An Appeal to the Wardour Honor

CHAPTER XXXIII. "I Can Save Him if I Will"

CHAPTER XXXIV. A Last Resort

CHAPTER XXXV. A Strange Interview

CHAPTER XXXVI. Two Passengers West

CHAPTER XXXVII. Some Excellent Advice

CHAPTER XXXVIII. Belknap Outwitted

CHAPTER XXXIX. "Will Love Outweigh Honor?"

CHAPTER XL. "Too Young to Die"

CHAPTER XLI. Sir Clifford Heathercliffe

CHAPTER XLII. A Tortured Witness

CHAPTER XLIII. Justice, Sacrifice, Death

CHAPTER XLIV. A Spartan Mother

CHAPTER XLV. Told by a Detective

CHAPTER XLVI. The Story of Lucky Jim

CHAPTER XLVII. After the Drama Ended




LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.


"Really, this is a sad affair."

"I have a clue."

"I am ready to do that at any and all times."

"John Burrill! Why, he is a brute!"

So he dines at Wardour Place

"Who are you?"

"Ah! This phial is one of a set."

"Are we alone?"

The tramp turned and looked back

"Doctor Heath flatters himself."

"Here is this man again."

"Poor Frank! don't let this overcome you so."

"Why, Evan, you look ghostly."

"You must not have a third attack."

"Conny, it has come."

"I am happy to know you."

"I have never once been tempted to self destruction."

Only a moment did Sybil listen

Evan saw Sybil and Frank canter away

"It is not in his power or yours to alter my decision."

"Then take that, and that."

"It's the other one," he muttered

"Stay a moment, sir."

"I'll be hanged if I can understand it."

"I hope you will excuse me."

"Well, Roake, are you ready for business?"

"If you ever see me again, you'll see me sober."

"You promise never to marry Francis LaMotte?"

The cottage stands quite by itself

"Prince, come away, sir!"

"Why, boy, bless me."

"Any of the stiff's friends in this gang?"

"Did you ever see that knife before?"

They find Corliss at the Sheriff's desk

"Softly, sir; reflect a little."

"Sybil Lamotte shall die in her delirium."

"Constance Wardour, you love Clifford Heath."

"Another, Miss Wardour, is--yourself."

"Mr. Belknap, it is I."

"Cap'n, you're a good fellow."

"My friend, come down off that."

"That hope is ended now."

"Prisoner at the Bar, are you guilty or not guilty?"

"It was found close beside the body of John Burrill."

They come slowly forward

"There is a flash--a loud report."

Bathurst telling the story




THE DIAMOND COTERIE.




CHAPTER I.

TWO SHOCKS FOR W----.


On a certain Saturday in June, year of our Lord 1880, between the hours
of sunrise and sunset, the town of W----, in a State which shall be
nameless, received two shocks.

Small affairs, concerning small people, could never have thrown
W---- into such a state of excitement, for she was a large and wealthy
town, and understood what was due to herself.

She possessed many factories, and sometimes a man came to his death
among the ponderous machinery. Not long since one "hand" had stabbed
another, fatally; and, still later, a factory girl had committed
suicide.

These things created a ripple, nothing more. It would ill become a town,
boasting its aristocracy and "style," to grow frenzied over the woes of
such common people. But W---- possessed a goodly number of wealthy
families, and some blue blood. These were worthy of consideration, and
upon these calamity had fallen. Let us read an extract or two from the
W---- _Argus_, a newspaper of much enterprise and exceeding veracity:

     MONSTROUS DIAMOND ROBBERY--BOLD BURGLARY.

     This day we are startled by the news of a robbery in our midst, the
     like of which it has never been our fate to chronicle.

     When the servants at Wardour Place arose this morning, they found
     confusion reigning in the library, desks forced open, papers strewn
     about, and furniture disarranged. One of the long windows had been
     opened by forcing the shutters, and then cutting out a pane of
     glass, after which the bolts were easily drawn.

     Miss Wardour was at once aroused, and further examination disclosed
     the fact that her dressing room had been invaded, and every box,
     trunk and drawer searched. The beautiful little affair, which has
     the appearance of a miniature combined desk and bookcase, but which
     contains a small safe, that Miss Wardour believed burglar proof,
     had been forced, and the jewels so widely known as the "Wardour
     diamonds," stolen. Quite a large sum of money, and some papers of
     value, were also taken.

     Most of our readers are familiar with the history of the Wardour
     diamonds, and know that they represented a fortune.

     The burglary was effected without noise, not a sound disturbing
     Miss Wardour, or any of her servants, some of whom are light
     sleepers, and they have not a single clue by which to trace the
     robbers.

     Miss Wardour bears the loss with great calmness. Of course every
     effort will be made to recover the jewels, and capture the thieves.
     It is rumored that Mr. Jasper Lamotte, in behalf of Miss Wardour,
     will visit the city at once and set the detectives at work.

This was shock number one for the public of W----.

Miss Constance Wardour, of Wardour Place, was a lady of distinction. She
possessed the oldest name, the bluest blood, the fairest face, and the
longest purse, to be found in W----; and, the _Argus_ had said truly,
the Wardour diamonds represented a fortune, and not a small one.

Emmeline Wardour, the great grandmother of Miss Constance, was a belle
and heiress. Her fondness for rare jewels amounted to a mania, and she
spent enormous sums in collecting rare gems. At her death she bequeathed
to her daughter a collection such as is owned by few ladies in private
life. She also bequeathed to her daughter her mania. This daughter,
after whom Constance was named, added to her mother's store of precious
stones, from time to time, and when, one fine day, a bank, in which she
had deposited some thousands of her dollars, failed, and she found
herself a loser, she brought her craze to a climax, by converting all
her money into diamonds, set and unset.

At her death, her granddaughter, Constance, inherited these treasures,
in addition to a handsome fortune from her mother; and, although the
original collection made by Emmeline Wardour contained a variety of rare
stones, opals, amethysts, pearls, cameos, etc., besides the many fine
diamonds, they all came to be classed under the head of the "Wardour
diamonds."

It is small wonder that W---- stood aghast at the thought of such a
robbery, and it is impossible to say when the talk, the wonderment, the
conjectures, suggestions, theories, and general indignation would have
ended, had not the second shock overborne the first. Once more let the
_Argus_ speak:

     A STARTLING DISCOVERY.

     Yesterday afternoon, while the town was filled with the excitement
     caused by the Wardour robbery, Miss Sybil Lamotte, the beautiful
     daughter of our wealthy and highly respected citizen, Jasper
     Lamotte, Esq., eloped with John Burrill, who was, for a time,
     foreman in one of her father's mills. Burrill is known to be a
     divorced man, having a former wife and a child, living in W----;
     and his elopement with one of the aristocracy has filled the town
     with consternation.

     Mr. Lamotte, the father of the young lady, had not been from home
     two hours, in company with his wife, when his daughter fled. He was
     _en route_ for the city, to procure the services of detectives, in
     the hope of recovering the Wardour diamonds; both his sons were
     absent from home as well. Mr. Lamotte has not yet returned, and is
     still ignorant of his daughter's flight.

Thus abruptly and reluctantly ends the second _Argus_ bombshell, and
this same last bombshell had been a very different thing to handle. It
might have been made far more sensational, and the editor had sighed as
he penned the cautiously worded lines: "It was a monstrous
_mesalliance_, and a great deal could be said in disparagement of Mr.
John Burrill;" but Mr. Lamotte was absent; the brothers Lamotte were
absent; and until he was certain what steps they would take in this
matter, it were wise to err on the safe side. Sybil was an only
daughter. Parents are sometimes prone to forgive much; it might be best
to "let Mr. Burrill off easy."

Thus to himself reasoned the editor, and, having bridled his pen, much
against his will, he set free his tongue, and in the bosom of his family
discoursed very freely of Mr. John Burrill.

"My dear, it's unendurable," he announced to the little woman opposite,
with the nod of a Solomon. "It's perfectly _incomprehensible_, how such
a girl could do it. Why, he's a braggart and a bully. He drinks in our
public saloons, and handles a woman's name as he does his beer glass.
The factory men say that he has boasted openly that he meant to marry
Miss Lamotte, _or_ Miss Wardour, he couldn't decide which. By the by,
it's rather odd that those two young ladies should meet with such
dissimilar misfortunes on the same day."

Mrs. Editor,