Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-05-23
but pray tell me your reasons for thinking

robbery is the work of one man, ana ne I
not professional burglar In the secon'
place. that man cares more for greenbacks
than he does for gold ornaments aud woult
not plumber your place for all there is in it
In fact, this very same party owned
diamond, but threw it away rather thai
carry it around with him. 1t is very pretty
is it not p
Aud held the stone up to him.
The Jeweler took it, examined it closely
aud returned it to me with the remark
" 1t is. as you remark, q very pretty stone
and, I might add, very valuable for gen
of its size That is your clue I presume ?
eyes, the only clue happen to posses
Now. then. I am anxious to find the ring {
which this stone belongs, and you viii
/ please allow me to see the rings that have
been left here for resetting sincs the rob
berry" ~4@a-ss. 80 4as.
q With pleasure Excuse me one mo
ment"
Ny friend disappeared. Returning 9
minute later with number Of rings on a
tray, which he placed on table, no began
| W eAhulbG UIC 11OciS OIL toCuOo.
Some Of these rings have been in our
possession number OF days All here is
one received this morning. January 18th
diamond settiug-E Baker,"
And he read the inscription.
took the ring from his hand aud ex
amined it, 1t was a faely chased ring Of
virgin gold, with the st,ne missing
fitted the diamond in the setting, and passed
| it to my friend.
By Jove, Tracy, that is the very ring
you are in search of Now let INC see.'
And he went nearer the light.
=" Yes, there can be no doubt about it.
The stone fits into the setting nicely, and,
now that I think Of it, is of the same size
and quality as ordered"
"What name did you say tho party
gave ?'
+" Baker Emily Baker"
i" Emily Baker Then it was lady p
I" presume SO; at all events, she look
ed and acted like one"
+" When is she to call for the ring p
" Tomorrow afternoon
Il must see her when she calls, and in
oreer that may play my cards to better
advantage, shall enter your service as
clerk. What do you say %
am perfectly willing but take care
what you do, old boy there may possibly
be some mistake
That is very true, and if such should
be the case, you nay rest assured that
shall discover it in time Did understand
you to say that you had promised to have
the ring ready to morrow afternoon -
No. sir; said nothing of the kind
She said she would call for it tomorrow At.
ternoon, and simply nodded assent"
''T Then lay the ring aside and leave the
rest to me. I shall call again tomorrow /;
until then adieu y
Aud passed into the street
[ had thus far met with better success
than l had anticipated, and was nowise
elevated nor thrown off my guard, for l
knew had general sharper to deal with,
whom it would be difficult to outwit.
During the day visited several places
where "ye little game Of faro was in full
blast, and picked up several items of in.
terest, all Of which tended to convince me
that was on the right scent.
Early next morning | repaired to my
friends establishment, and was assigned
a position behind the counter, where, it is
needless to say, felt i'll at ease but years
of training and patient study had enabled
me to act almost any role to perfection and
it was not long before the feeling of uneasi-
ness wore off.
The day dragged slowly along, for trade
was not very brisk. and the statesmen had
but little to do besides reading the papers
any yawning at each other across the cases
Four o'clock Would the owner of the
ring ever come ? I asked myself the ques-
ton hundred times, and was on the poiot
Of doing SO again. when the door slowly
opened and heavily vailed figure gkded in.
approached the counter, and inquired, in a
somewhat hesitating voice
els Mr.-in 7"
"No. madam, he is not" 1 replied. -
{" Can DO anything for you?"
"I dare say you can. I left ring in
charge of NJ. --, for diamond set.
ting. which was to be ready this afternoon.
You will pl ase let me have it, together
With tn, BILL"
What name ~ I inquired, bringing
out the try containing the articles left for
repairs.
Emily Baker, l mused, picking up
several rings and examining them. :" 1t
does not appear to be among these, All I
recollect what has become Of it," and I re-.
placed the tray and took from the glass
case small box. removed the lid, and ex-
posel the ring to view.
=" Is that your ring madam p
1t is. Why has not it been attended
to %
"Simply because the original stone has
been recovered, and presumpg that you
would prefer that to any other We have wait
ed until we coull hear from you
" The original has been recovered do
not understand you" andher voice sound
ed strangely masculine. Pray tell me
where it was found"
"Certainly. 1t was found where you lost
tin the vault of the Clifton Bank y and
| reached across the counter, and with the
quickness Of thought tore the veil from the
face of no less parsonage than the cashier
of the Clifton Bank
He saw that it was up with him, and
quietly submitted to the Handwriting process,
but when l took him before the chiet be
broke down and begged piteously to be let
off for the sake of his vito and child.
When on trial, he confessed that he had
stolen the banks funds to liquidate gambling
debts, and having missed the stone OF bis
ring short time after the robbery, and
70. r;,r thot - r.;rbt 1aoJ n his datection