Till the Clock Stops | Page 5

up--"
"Yes; by the time the search party reached it. I may tell you that I have
seen and questioned every member of the expedition excepting the man

Flitch, who seems to have disappeared, and several admitted the
possibility which is my belief." The pale cheeks had flushed, the calm
voice had risen.
Bullard gave Lancaster a warning glance, and there was a pause.
"I must not excite myself," resumed Christopher, his pallor back again.
"But the boy grew dear to me when, like other happenings in my life, it
was too late. I was angry when he went, though I had done little enough
to attach him to myself, and I cursed whomever it was that supplied
him with the necessary funds. He had friends, I suppose, whom I did
not know of. Served me right! But once he was gone my feelings
changed. He had a right to make his own life. He had as much right to
his ambitions as I"--a faint smile--"to my diamonds. Well, I'm always
thankful for the few hours he spent here before his departure. The
Arctic was not mentioned, but we parted in peace."
The speaker halted to measure five drops from a tiny phial into a
wine-glass of water ready on his desk.
"You're overtaxing yourself," said Bullard compassionately.
"I'll rest presently."
With a grimace at the bitterness of the draught, Christopher Craig
proceeded: "The day after he went I signed a deed of gift by which
Alan became possessed of this house and all I possess"--he paused,
turning towards his visitors--"in the way of cash and securities, less a
small sum reserved for my own use. I wanted the boy to know my
feeling towards him in a way that a mere will could not show them.
However, it is no great fortune--a matter of fifty thousand pounds."
"Much may be done with fifty thousand pounds," remarked Bullard, as
if rousing himself. "It is a generous gift, Christopher," he went on.
"With the house, I presume you include all it contains." Bullard knew
that his voice was growing eager in spite of him. "Naturally," he said,
with a frank laugh, "we are curious to know what is going to become of
the diamonds--eh, Lancaster?"

The man addressed smiled in sickly fashion.
"In what, I still trust, is the distant future," Bullard quickly added.
"Ah, the diamonds!" said Christopher tenderly. "I shall be sorry to
leave them. A man who is not a brute must worship beauty in some
form, and I have worshipped diamonds." He leaned over to the right,
opened a deep drawer, and brought up an oval steel box enamelled
olive green. It was fifteen inches long, twelve across, and nine deep. He
laid it before him and opened it with an odd-looking key. It contained
shallow trays, divided into compartments, each a blaze of light.
Bullard half rose and sat down again; Lancaster shivered slightly.
"In times of pain and depression I have found distraction in these vain
things," said Christopher. "Give me a few sheets of wax and a handful
of these, and time ceases while I evolve my jewel schemes. You may
say the recreation costs me a good income. Well, I have preferred the
recreation. At the same time, diamonds have risen in price since I
collected mine." He shut the lid softly, locked it, and added
impressively, "Six hundred thousand pounds would not purchase them
to-day."
"Great Heavens!" escaped Lancaster; Bullard ran his tongue over dry
lips.
"With one exception, you are the first to see them, to hear me mention
them, since they left South Africa," said Christopher. "No, not even my
nephew knows of their existence. My servant, Caw, is the exception,
but he is ignorant of their value."
"Very handsome of you to trust us, I'm sure," Bullard said with
well-feigned lightness. "I, for one, had never guessed the greatness of
your fortune."
"I have trusted you with much in the past; why not now? And I grant
that your interest in the ultimate destination of my diamonds is the most
natural thing in the world. Incidentally, your friendship shall not go

unrewarded." He waved aside Bullard's quick protest. "But I have
grown whimsical in my old age, and you must bear with me." He
smiled gently and became grave. "Ultimately my diamonds will be
divided into three portions. But--and I emphasise this--nothing shall be
done, nor will the diamonds be available for division, till the clock
stops--in, I pray God, the presence of my nephew, Alan."
"Till the clock stops?" exclaimed Lancaster stupidly.
"The saying shall be made clear to you before long, Lancaster. And
now I must make an end or I shall be giving my doctor more trouble."
With a sigh he pressed one of three white buttons under the