The Treasure-Train by Arthur B. (Arthur Benjamin) Reeve
page 31 of 361 (08%)
page 31 of 361 (08%)
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king of diamonds. It was a curious hobby for a great, strong man,
yet he was not alone in his love of and sheer affection for things beautiful. Not love of display or desire to attract notice to himself had prompted him to collect diamonds, but the mere pleasure of owning them, of associating with them. It was a hobby. It was not strange, therefore, to suspect that Mansfield might, after all, have been the victim of some kind of attack. He went about with perfect freedom, in spite of the knowledge that crooks must have possessed about his hoard. "What makes you think he has been poisoned?" asked Kennedy, betraying no show of doubt that Miss Grey might be right. "Oh, it's so strange, so sudden!" she murmured. "But how do you think it could have happened?" he persisted. "It must have been at the little supper-party he gave at his apartment last night," she answered, thoughtfully, then added, more slowly, "and yet, it was not until this morning, eight or ten hours after the party, that he became ill." She shuddered. "Paroxysms of nausea, followed by stupor and such terrible prostration. His valet discovered him and sent for Doctor Murray-- and then for me." "How about the robbery?" prompted Kennedy, as it became evident that it was Mansfield's physical condition more than anything else that was on Miss Grey's mind. |
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