The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-04-19

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coed? You never tcld told word of thi,
to any one ?''
"1fyou please" His eyes glanced at the
pistol. sit was all out of consideration
for his Majesty. knew how important it
was as no one should know. I didn't even
tell young Mr. Cranstoun, as he is hare
Drained young fool, who'd 60 prating it all
over London. So 1 did what l could to
save the stone by outbidding the Jew.
went up to eighty-f five thousand, and then
had to let it 60"
Mr.. erode, you're greater rogue than
l took you for. l don't think you were
willing to advance eighty five thousand
out of consideration for any one but your
self. The devil take all this secrecy! I'd
better have gone to lawyer. But Jew
how did he know 90
"That, upon my soul, don, know ~
"Well, We'll ask him about that. Mean
while, we'll follow your story. So you
offered him hundred thousand ~
eyes, twenty thousand more than he
gave. l couldn't tell him why, of course;
so the offer was fair one."
Yes, to you. And he wouldn't part
with it ?"
Ono"
$50 you stole it ?"
Mr.. erode did not answer.
elbow did you enter his house ?''
"Through the window of this back room
"At what hour?"
Give in the evening""
When you knew he would be out
that the premises would be clear? 1 may
put down that9 Very well. Was it dark ?"
1t wasn't light"
"On what day 2"
Mr.. erode named the very day on which
Nahum Levi, on returning home, had
found the trap-door suspiciously, though
ever so slightly, disturbed. Then, in an
swer to the counts questions, he told how
he had found the supposed stone that he
had brought with him, and now Levi him.
self was in custody for having attempted to
"It seems to me-" said the count, "that
this is case of the bitter bit. So old Mr..
Cranstonn was very careful man, you
say9"
every CAREFUL
"And very nervous about the stone?"
Ridiculously nervous
"Not at all ridiculously. And he knew
that you knew %
Certainly"
"Caught you peeping, Ell ?''
"Your Excellency, /"
"Never peep? Oh, of course. Any
how, he knew that you knew. And do
you think he aoould let the Emsruld remain
in the frame a moment after he had kicked
sou out of the room, Msbecile, If the Jew
could use an imitation stone for blind, so
could he."
1t is scarcely worth while even to allude
to Mr.. Grode's feelings when this palpable
way of accounting for the whole mystery,
so far as he was concerned, was so palpably
set before him. A gross nature like his
feels grossly and without subtleties. But,
if he had been in rage with others before,
it may we'll be imagined in what rage he
was with himself now. He was not much
afraid of the Counts threats of prosecu-
ton for house breaking; it had been the
pistol in the hands of an angry barbarian
that had frightened him into candor. But
to feel that he, Peter erode, the sharp, the
prudent, the practical man of business, had
been so self-deceived, was grievously hard
to bear.
"And now sign this paper" said the
Count, "and take me to the Jew. We
must get to the bottom of this; though"
He sighed and turned pale. "But, any
how, 1 shall not be unavenged. This
piece of paper" he said, shaking Mr..
Grode's written and signed confession in
his face, "will be enough to hang you, if
they hang thieves in England. So come;
and if you attempt to escape me, Twill call
a constable. l don't care what happens
now; and if can't get this accursed stone,
my august and imperial master and all his
concerns may 60 to the DEVIL
And SO it came to pass that both tn e
rivals found themselves in custody: the one
in that of the law, the other in that of
Count Andreas Kromeski.
TO BE CONTINUED.