The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1859-11-02

to Josiah, and say that had been advis.
ed that the most satisfactory mode of dis.
posing of the diamonds would be bv nub.
lie competition.
Josiah did not communicate with me
again but on the very evening of the day
on which the sale took place, while we
were anxiously waiting for the auctloneer's
account of the proceeds in came Mr..
Chapman, exhibiting as much glee as his
dry legal face would permit.
"Josiah's bought the diamonds !" he
exclaimed.
" What the paste I"
" No. Josiahs not such fool as to give
ten thousand pounds for paste
We believed that Mr.. Chapman must
have been suddenly berelt of his senses
but he proved his words by check on his
own bankers for eight thousand pounds !;
and further than that. he placed in my
hand little box containing Aunt Janet's
veritable diamonds.
This was Mr. Chapman's story 1t
had been arranged that the false diamonds
should be on view with the rest of the eff
fects; but they were to be placed under
G ass case, and the detective, as an auc-
tioneer's man in charge, was to watch
narrow y all the people who came to view
them 1t was also agreed, on any person
desiring closer inspection, that the de-
tective was to make excuse about the kew
OF the case having been misaid Several
people, evidently dealers in iewelry, had
grumbled great deal at only being able
to see the diamonds through the glass, but
nobody had expressed doubt as to their
being real. At last, two men came in to-
gether, and while the one was complaining
about the key, the other, at a glance, told
his companion that it did no: matter he
knew they were only paste.
How could that man be certain at a
glance that the stones were paste?
The detective motioned to Mr.. Chap
man, who was standing near. Mr. Chap.
man went up to the man, and drawing him
aside, told him that he was quite right
the diamonds were only paste, and it
would be worth money to any person who
could say how they came to be paste.
By dint Of clever examination. and
promises of reward, the man confessed
that he had made those very imitation
stones himself When , Somewhere
about two years before. For whom p
Well he didn't mind saying that-thc
fellow was lately dead-Benson, Il Jew
money-lender, who often employed him
Tor that sort Of job. On whose behalf
was Benson acting ?-Ah! Benson, kept
his affairs very close; but it did happen
there was great press at the end to get
this work done and when he took it
home to Bensons he hurried at once into
tie private Office, and there was the zen.
tleman all impatient to get possession of
the false stones. Benson was angry with
him for coming into the office He never
found out the gentleman's name bit he
was certain he should know him again.
and the diamonds Yes, he fancied he
knew where the diamonds were the set
had noteeb n broken up; they were in the
hands of man who wanted long price
diamonds were rising in the market
The man could bide his time.
Now" said Mr. Chapman, that gen.
tleman you chanced to see is very anxious
to get those diamonds back again he will
give the man his own price for them if
they are brought to my office tomorrow
morning, and something handsome to you
in the bargain
The man agreed, Mr., Chapman wrote
to josiah, making an appointment for the
following morning, at eleven o'clock, re-
sPecting some executor business
THE man duly arrived at the office
with the diamonds, and Mr.. Chapman had
them inspected by an experienced jeweler,
who declared that they were genuine, and
that they exactly corresponded with the
original setting,
"Josiah kept the appointment
" can almost see Mr. Chapman before
me now as he described his interview with
Josiah. His features never lost their Sc
date business aspect, but his small gray
eyes twinkled with waggish exultation,
Josiah was very il-tempered, rude,
about some proposal OF Mr., Cha mans
respecting my aunt's affair.
You are an ungrateiul fellow, } osiah,
said Mr. Chapman; I'm always doing
what | can for you heard that you
were very anxious to get hold Of your