Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1865-10-20

| - 0Sss 30 6s~0SN ~ s0 A"SSA sVs eSsAt OAs
kept on reading. and occasionally making
notes for more than an hour, after which
he got up and went out, and was gone at
least two hours moro, being all this
time kept standing and waiting in the
most anxious suspense. In Prussia, how.
ever, prisoner can wait-who caresf
At last the little, grim old man came
shutting back to his place; and, having
adjusted bis spectacles, signified that be
was ready for any new case, which in this
instance happened to be mine.
"The prisoner will step up close to the
BAR" he said, in cracked and grating
tone.
obeyed the order. and found my face
about two feet from his. He opened a
large book, and, after one sharp glance at
me, Fixed his eyes on that.
"What is your name ?" was his first
question.
g" Richard Beresford."
"Your country?"
England"
"Your age T.
"Twenty.six."
"Your profession. or occupation 2"
Gentleman
What dQ you mean By gentleman ?"
and he peered sharply at me over his
spectacles.
l was tempted to reply by asking if
there were no such persouages in Prussia;
out refrained, knowing that any sharp
answer would react upon myself.
"In England 1 said. in a very civil
tone. ia gentleman is person Of good
family and education. who has the means
to live without following any particular
business"
"Ah-1 sec !" he rcjoined with a
sneer ~ rich do.nothing! Have you
parents 2"
Il have.
Where does your father live?'
"On his estate, few miles from Lon.
don."
What is his business 2"
I" He is . baronet, and lives on his in.
come"
"A gentleman, too, eh 2"
Yes. SIR"
And your mother ?"
"She Of course is lady" said l.
pretty emphatically.
"Umph7 Well. sir, how long have
you been in Paussia y
About eight months"
"Where have you been since entering
this kingdom p
named the places l had visited in
regular order.
You mention Dessau." he said, re-.
ferring to his book: when were you
there p
Last month"
"How long were you the!e?"
:" do not remember the number of
days"
Il will tell you, then-fve. You
stopped at the White Horse. q not over.
respectable inn. You rose late, and went
to bed late, and you spent your time in
rambling about in an idle way-smoking
cigars, and sometimes swearing at things
that did not please you. You see we
have it all down here" he added, tapping
the book. "Now. then you left Dessau
and went to Wittemburg."
al did,"
"How long we're you there 2"
"a week or two."
"A vague. unsatisfactory answer -
You were there just two weeks and one
day! Well, what did you do there 2
About the same as at Dessau."
"What did you do there different from
any other place where you stopped in
this kingdom 2"
~ do not remember"
mo? then your memory is not worth
much. will tell you. You purchase d
a diamond of small, dark man, for less
than its real value"
| l started with surprise. Was every
movement, every act. might almost say
every thought OF mine, since entering the
confines OF Prussia, known to the police i?
1t seemed SO.
"Why did you purchase that diamond
for less than its real value ?" pursued my
inquisitor.
:. Because the owner offered to sell it
at that tempting price," l answered, won-
dering what was to grow ont Of this.
1.-The owner, you say! how did you
know who tae owner was p
"l supposed, of course, that it belong
ed to the man that sold It,"
Ri -htfally?"
YES, SIR"
"Thcn why did you suppose he would
sell it under its real worth ?"
"Because, as he said, be was anxious
to raise ready money"
"Did you not thiuk the diamond was
stolen p
81 had no reason to think so from the
price. 1t is natural for persons to offer
jewels. or anything else, in fact, for less
than their real value, when anxious for
ready money"
Yes, and . thief will sell for less
than the real owner"
"Undoubtedly. sir"
"You only paid three.tourths Of the
worth Of that diamond this should have
made you suspicious. In fact. you were!
You believed that diamond to have been
stolen. it you did not indeed know it,
And you were right. II was stolen. 1t
belongs to set owned by Count Ester.
hazy. Where is it now 7"
l produced it. with . good deal Of
tremulous misgiving. 1t had cost me q
thousand pounds good deal too much
to lose. The little. grim ugly old man