Chapter ThirteenChapter FourteenChapter FifteenChapter SixteenChapter SeventeenChapter EighteenChapter 13 Continued IChapter 13 Continued IIChapter 14 Continued Chapter 15 ContinuedChapter 16 Continued Chapter 17 Continued IChapter 17 Continued IIChapter 17 Continued IIIChapter 17 Continued IVChapter 18 Continued IChapter 18 Continued IIChapter 18 Continued III

Chapter ThirteenTwo Witnesses.The Scotland Yard inspector comes from London the next day. He is a young man with reddish-brown hair and a very serious expression. First he talks to Mrs. Bracebridge. She is in the library with the inspector for one hour. When she leaves she looks very old and very tired.Then he speaks to Wilfred, then to Fancy, then to John, then to Caroline. When he finishes with the family and guests, he starts with the servants;Doris, then Susan, then Beth, then the cook. Nobody can tell him anything interesting. He looks angry. He doesn't like to fail.He goes to the library and asks the people in the house to come in one by one. Then the gardener comes into the library. He stands in the middle of the room. He is a big, strong, rough-looking man with a cruel expression. His clothes are old but clean."I want to say something," he says. "I know who the thief is.""Who?"

Chapter 13 continued I"Wilfred's friend, John Dewey.""Why do you think Mr. Dewey is the thief?""I don't think, I know.""How do you know?""I heard Mr. Dewey talking to young Wilfred. That was four days ago. They were walking in the garden. I'm not a spy, you understand. I was doing my work. Well, this Mr. Dewey says to Wilfred, I'm going to take the Bracebridge Diamond."Were those his exact words?""I'm not a liar, sir. If I say those were his words, those were his words."After the gardener leaves, the butler comes in. He is a completely different type of man from the gardener. He is old. He has grey hair. He has a kind expression with gentle eyes. He was working with the Bracebridge family when Wilfred was a boy. He knows Wilfred and Caroline very well.

Chapter 13 continued II"I don't think I can help you, sir, he tells the inspector. "Do you remember anything from the night the diamond was stolen? the inspector asks."Well, there are always so many things happening here, sir. There are so many people.""Yes, I know, but you must remember something.""Well, sir. There is one thing, but I hate to say it because it could give the wrong impression.""Don't worry about impressions. Just tell me what you know. "Well, sir. It's about Mr. Bracebridge's friend, John Dewey..." "Well, sir, I'm sure he had a good reason to be in Mrs. Bracebridge's bedroom that night." "I'm sure he did. Go on," the inspector says impatiently. "But Mrs. Bracebridge was not in her bedroom at the time. She was downstairs in the living room."Back to IndexYes? The inspector is interested now. He wants to know more.

Chapter FourteenJohn refuses to tell The Scotland Yard inspector speaks to Mrs. Bracebridge again."I'm going to take John Dewey with me to London. I want to talk to him again.""Why John Dewey?" Mrs. Bracebridge asks.Because I believe he is the thief." "Why do you think John is the thief?""Because he was in your bedroom the night the diamond was stolen."Mrs. Bracebridge leaves the library. She goes to John's bedroom. He is sitting by the window looking out at the rain.John, the inspector wants you to go with him to London. He thinks you are the thief. But I'm sure you are innocent. I know you are. Don't worry. I'll speak to my lawyer. He will help you.""Thank you," John says.

"John," Mrs. Bracebridge asks, "why were you in my bedroom the night the diamond was stolen?"Chapter 14 continued John looks surprised. "How do you know?""The inspector told me. John, I know there must be a good reason.""I'm sorry, I can't tell you," John says. "But I can't tell you. I can't."If you tell me, everything will be all right."Back to Index

Chapter FifteenA Letter from JohnJohn Dewey is in prison waiting for the judge to set the bail. Mrs. Bracebridge's lawyer is worried because John still won't say what he was doing in Mrs. Bracebridge's bedroom the night the diamond was stolen.Everyone in the Bracebridge house is depressed because they all believe that John is innocent, everyone except the gardener.One morning when Caroline is sitting in her bedroom, Susan, her maid, comes in with a letter."Give it to me, Caroline says. "Look, she says happily. It's from John."She opens the envelope. Her hands are trembling. She takes out the letter. She reads it.

Chapter 15 continued "Oh, no," she says.She drops the letter on the floor. She falls on her bed crying. Susan picks up the letter. It says,Back to Index

Chapter SixteenTwo desperate WomenFancy comes to Wilfred in the living room. Outside the wind is blowing hard. It makes a sad sound. The room is dark, full of shadows."Wilfred," Fancy says, "I can't marry you now."I understand, Wilfred says. It's wrong for us to be happy when John is in prison."I want to go away for a while.""Where?" Wilfred asks."I don't know. But I can't stay here.""When will you leave?" Wilfred asks."I don't know. Oh, Wilfred, I'm so unhappy.""Poor Fancy," Wilfred says. "You're too young to be so sad. I'm sorry you had to be here for all of this. You deserve to be happy."

Chapter 16 continued Back to Index"No, I don't, Wilfred," Fancy says. She's crying. "Oh, Wilfred, I'm so miserable." And she runs out of the room.Wilfred goes outside. He walks slowly down to the river. He is very sad. He looks down at the grey water. He looks up at the grey sky. "Nature is sad too," he thinks.Caroline comes running to him."Wilfred! Wilfred!" she cries. "You must help me!""How can I help you, Caroline?" Wilfred asks."Prove that John is innocent."

Chapter SeventeenWilfred and the WitnessWilfred is in the library. He is walking back and forth. He is thinking about John.John is out of prison now on bail, but he doesn't want to speak to Wilfred. He says he doesn't want to see any of the Bracebridge family until he can prove that he is innocent.Wilfred wants to help John. He wonders how he can do it."What is the evidence against John? Wilfred asks himself. "The police haven't got the diamond. All they've got are two witnesses. The first witness is the butler, but he isn't very important because John admits that he was in my mother's bedroom that night. That's not very good for John, is it? Why won't he say why he was there? Maybe he wanted to speak to my mother. No, she was downstairs with me all evening. Maybe he wanted to borrow a book.

Chapter 17 continued INo. If it were something simple like that, John would tell the police." Wilfred stops walking and looks up at the ceiling."Of course," he thinks. "John is protecting someone. Someone else was there. But who? Who was it?"Wilfred sits down on the sofa in front of the empty fireplace."Why would John want to protect a thief?" Wilfred asks. He shakes his head. Nothing makes sense to him. He stands up again."But even if John doesn't say why he was in my mother's bedroom," Wilfred thinks, "that isn't enough to convict him. It's the gardener. The gardener's testimony gives John a motive for stealing the diamond."Wilfred goes to the window and looks out. "I must speak to the gardener."Wilfred puts on an old jacket and gets his fishing rod. He is going to speak to the gardener. He wants to be careful. He knows the gardener is not a very nice man. He wants to be casual.

Chapter 17 continued IIHe goes down to the river, but he doesn't fish. He sits beside the river and thinks again. "Who is John protecting?" The gardener comes to the river."Mr. Bracebridge," he says. "this is a bad place for fishing. You won't catch anything here.""You're right," Wilfred says. "I know a good place down the river. I was sitting here for a moment to think.""Well, sir, if you want to think, fishing is the best way to do it," says the gardener, "because you start thinking and then you forget what you were thinking about."He laughs. Wilfred tries to laugh with him. He stands up and looks at the gardener."You told the police that John said he was going to take the diamond..."

Chapter 17 continued III"So, that's what you were thinking," the gardener says."But John said, if he had the diamond"I heard what I heard," says the gardener."But maybe you didn't understand him very well. I mean, you werent listening.""I heard what I heard.'' ''But John didn't say what you think.""I am your gardener, sir, but I am not your slave. I am a free-born Englishman, and I've got the same rights as you have.""Of course you have," Wilfred says, "but... you can't tell me what to say to the police.""I only want the truth," Wilfred says.

Chapter 17 continued IVBack to Index"So, now I'm a liar, am I?""You're not a liar," Wilfred says. "But you're wrong. I was with John. I know what he said. And he didn't say what you told the police.""When the trial comes, Mr. Bracebridge, you can say what you want to say to protect your friend. But I will tell the truth."Wilfred turns away from the gardener and walks back to the house.

Chapter EighteenWilfred Plays DetectiveWilfred decides that if he wants to save John, he must find the diamond. He goes to London. He knows many people in London. He goes to a jewelry shop. He speaks to the owner. He is Wilfred's friend."If I wanted to sell a stolen diamond, where would I go?" Wilfred asks him.The man looks at Wilfred in shock. ''What are you saying, sir?"Wilfred explains his problem. The man looks embarrassed. "Well, sir, he says. Of course. I don't know anything about stolen diamonds, but if you go to this address..." and he writes an address in London on a piece of paper... "you will find a man there whose name is Peter Crystal. Tell him I sent you. Maybe he can help you."

Chapter 18 continued IWilfred takes a taxi to the address. It's a clothing shop. He goes in. He asks to speak to Peter Crystal. A short thin man with very thick glasses comes from the back of the shop."I am Peter Crystal," he says.Wilfred explains what he wants. The man looks nervous. Oh, no, Wilfred says and he tells him the name of the jeweler. Are you from Scotland Yard?" he asks Wilfred. "Oh, then, that's different. Come with me." He takes Wilfred to the back of the shop."The diamond you want to know about is the Bracebridge Diamond, isn't it?" he asks Wilfred. "Yes, it is." "Well, sir, that diamond is very famous. It's very difficult to sell a diamond like that in England.You must have the right connections. If you are not a professional, no one will buy it from you. It is too dangerous."

Chapter 18 continued II"Then the diamond hasn't been sold yet.""I didn't say that. I'm sorry, I can't tell you anything else. But I will give you the name of a woman. She knows everything about..." He hesitates. "...about that sort of thing."Wilfred takes the new name and address and leaves the clothing shop. He takes another taxi. The new address is on a back street in Brixton, on the third floor of an old building.Wilfred climbs the dirty, dark stairs. Everything is falling apart. Everything smells bad. He knocks at a door."Yes?" a woman's voice says. "Who is it?""Peter Crystal sent me," Wilfred says.The woman opens the door."We can't stay here," she says to Wilfred. "Come with me. We'll take a walk."They walk in the street. Wilfred looks at the woman. She is young and pretty, but her clothes are old and torn.

Chapter 18 continued IIIBack to Index"I want to find the Bracebridge Diamond," Wilfred says."The Bracebridge Diamond has not been sold," the woman says."Are you sure?" Wilfred asks."In this business, you must be sure," she says."Then the thief still has the diamond," says Wilfred."Yes, he has the diamond. He wants to sell it, but he can't. No one will buy it from him.""So, the thief is a man," Wilfred says."Oh, yes. I'll tell you his name. It doesn't matter because the police will soon catch him.""Yes?" Wilfred asks."His name is John Dewey."

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