Oh, well, he'd have been cleared anyhow, if the worst had come to the
worst," said the colonel. "However, now that it's all over, I can give
proper attention to my fishing."

"And I," murmured James Darcy, "can--"

But a soft hand over his lips prevented further utterance.

Lightly as a feather the colonel flicked a fly over the quiet pool
where the waters swirled in a lazy eddy. There was a splash in the
sun, a shrill song of the reel, and a fish leaped high in the air,
trying to shake the barb from its mouth.

"No, you don't!" laughed the old detective. "I've hooked you this
time!"

"As you hooked Langford Larch," murmured Jack Young, who sat on the
bank in the shade, while the colonel fished and Shag was setting out
lunch under the trees.

"This _is_ my last case!" exclaimed the detective as he slipped his
prize into the grass-lined creel. "Positively my _last_! I never
would have gone on with this, even after I started, except for the
pleading of Miss Mason. But I'm through! No more detective cases for
me! I've retired!"

Jack looked at the trim and upright figure and keen, handsome face,
neither of which showed the old colonel's age. Then the younger
detective glanced at Shag, winked an eye, and murmured:

"Through until the next time; eh Shag?"

"Yo' done said it!" exclaimed the colored man with a grin. "Now, sah,
Colonel, lunch am served!"

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DIAMOND CROSS MYSTERY***

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