Page:Tom Swift Among the Diamond Makers.djvu/17

 scene above narrated took place, was none too well lighted at night, and the lad had his doubts about the jeweler catching the oddly-acting man, especially as the latter had a good start.

"But some one may head him off," reasoned Tom. "Though if they do catch him, I don't see what they can prove against him. Hello, here I am carrying this diamond pin around. I might lose it. Guess I'll put it back on the tray."

He replaced in the proper receptacle one of the pins he had been examining when the excitement occurred.

"I wonder if Mary will like that?" he said, softly. "I hope she does. Perhaps it would be better if she could come here herself and pick out one"

Tom's musing was suddenly interrupted by a sharp tattoo on the glass door of the jewelry shop. With a start, he looked up, to see staring in on him the face of the man who had been there before the man of whom the jeweler was even then in chase.

"Why—why" stammered Tom.

The man knocked again.

"Tom—Tom Swift!" he called. "Don't you know me?"

"Know you—you?" repeated the lad.