Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-11-17
r.. HvntIey's family had dealt for many

Mr.. Huntley's family had dealt for many
years.
81 gave the case into the hands of the
chief partner of the firm. who happened te
be in the shop, and asked him to give ms
some idea of the market lue of the stones
He made very care ful examination.
Il suppose, ma'am,' said he, ihat you are
aware that these are not diamondsp
81 said, with great warmth, that they had
be long ed to an aunt OF mine, and that they
were bought, at =
Excuse me, ma'am,' he replied; 'they
could not have been sold fer diamonds, but
:hey are very perfec, limitations. at first, l
was deceived BY them myself
sWhy,' replied, in state of ihe great
est excitement, 8 | was present, years ago,
when they ererbsug!ls-I know they are
diamonds t
~.You have asked rax olsnien., !, ssid The
jameller, Kindly fand Fanfvery sorry to be
obliged to undeceive you. The proof is very
simple: shall, if you will allow me. draw
file over one of these stones; if The stone
remains uninjured, it is a diamond
DO it!' said l, with desperation; out, as |
spoke, felt the man was right. We were
ruined-my husband compromised!
Crash ent the fle-the stone was star
red. | looked for a moment, and tainted.
when 1 came to myself, Lucy was at
tending TO me.
MIR JOSIAH she whispered in my ear.
.What,' said I. dread:ully confused.
He took them that night, know he did.
sThe shop people were about US; I bade
her be silent. We regained cur coach and
returned home. felt convinced that Jo-
siah had changed the diamonds. All me,
it was very weary and sad waiting as that
day drsgged slowly on, and Mr.. Huntly was
SO late. When he did come home, he was
far cslmer than l had expected.
Thank God,' said he, i know the worst
of it-a thousand pounds vii set all things
straight. You told ME that your aunt gave
more than twelve hundred for the diamonds
and
But said I, in perfect agony.
'But what!' he exclaimed, impa:iently.
.Oh, Edward!; | replied, 'the sooner tell
you the better. They are not diamonds
they are worth nothing!'
Il shall never forget the end of that day;
its utter bopelessness and despair; aye. and
the bitter days that followed close upon it.
How to raise that thousand pounds! Why.
selling all we possessed. at the price things
fetch at sale. we knew would not realize
half; and then my husband wcrld stand
compromised Tor the rest, a defaulter, with
his name posted up | remember it was all
so sad, that felt was almost doing wrong
to smile at baby as he laughed and crowed
in -my-ar,as- ss--yssta tss----s----sa-'----
In the rbsence OF direct praof, my hus-
band thought it was hopeless to do any,
thing with regard to Josiah; but was de.
termined to have Mr.. Chapman's advice in
the matter. That gentleman received me
very kindly found that Josiah had given
him serious offence with regard to some
pecun iary transaction arising out of my
aunt's will. He was greatly asionished
when | told him that the diamonds were
false. He confessed that, on after reflection
he had been very much puzzled by Lucy's
persistence in her statement; but if he had
entertained any suspicious against Josiah.
it was of course nothing beyond the suppo-
sition that Josiah, having asked the girl to
meet him, and fearing the affair had been
discovered, had endeavored to shift ou; of i.
as best he might. The false diamonds gave
a totally new color to the transaction. The
case would stand thus--Josiah might have
ia lien into extravagances before my aunt's
| death; indeed he tMr. Chapman5 had re
ceyed pretty strong proof that such was
the fact. Unwilling to confess his delin.
quencies, he had sought some other mode
of extrication. Marriage with me would
have given him the immediate command o.
money. That failed. Then the abstraction
Of the diamonds. He knew that my aunt
would wear the diamonds on the night o
the dinner-party; Lucy is asked to meet hin
at the end OF the garden on that night; ht
takes care that she has the keys of the press
left for time in her hands; the diamonds
are missing; suspicion naturally falls upor
Lucy. s
Ten days have elapsed between the party
and the loss OF the dismonds being discover
ed; the diamonds are altered during thai
period; and at the very last moment th'
false stones are cleverly deposited in
place in which nineteen people out of q
would never dream OF looking Cor them
But all this suppositfun, skged Mr.. Chap
man ia worth nofhinp unlpss we gan pe
hold of Josiah's accomplice IN the affair
; sMr. Chapman very warmly pledged him
self to assist me, though he could not hol
out any strong hopes of success.
; 'In the first place SAID he, I'VE must as
certain whether your aunt ever purchase
! any diamonds or not -...
, sWe found on application that the jewel
5 ler's books showed that certain diamonds
: had been sold TO my aunt at the price G
: El,370. Moreover, the late foreman, a
old man, who had since become partner
= was prepared to swear TO their being dia
monds In order to ascertain Jcsiah's cog
e nizance OF the fraud, Mr.. Chapman directe
y me to write to my cousin; and he sketche
d out letter which stated that my circum
: stances obliged me to part with the diG
d monds, and according to my promise | CAV
/, him the first offer at the price my aunt ha
e originally paid.
d TO my surprise, Josiuhsent an answe
S almost by return of post. The letter wa
written in his usual hypocritical style; h
Il deplored the necessity Of my parting wit