News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1885-04-16

g his feet unheeded, the long line of gas
lamps twinkled like yellow stars in th
black, restless river, the keen win
whistled through the rigging behind
Sandy saw and felt nothing, wrapped i
blissful visions of that modest fifty.
For two whole days he carried th
secret alone, then his responsibility be
came too heavy, and tacitly ignorin!
past differences, he waited on the qua,
one dinner-hour for Sam Knox, bindin,
him over to strict secrecy, though OF
that head he had little fear, for Sam
whatever his faiIings might be, hat
never been known to do shabby thing
to friend.
Sam, I've got something to tell you
I've had find"
"One bawbee or twa ?" queried Sam,
indifferently.
''Just wait till you get sight of it
It's worth more bawbees than you ever
saw all your days"
$50 you're not going to give it up to
the authorities ?" Sam asked, curiousIy,
| Wnen ne mad heard the story.
'And maybe get nothing at all, like
Jem McCulloek." answered Sandy,
shortly. you'd no do that yourself,
Sam Knox"
"No, I'd not" agreed Sam, frankly;
"but you've always professed such a
lot more"
A dull red flush crept up to Sandy g
| brow. He had not counted upon Sam
being sharp enough to view the case in
that light.
"Anyhow, let us have look at it, +"
went on Sam, magDanimously pursuing
that point no further.
Behind the sugar-cask, after infinite
precautions, the treasure was produced
for inspection.
Chow much do you think I'll get for
it p he asked, deferring to Sans iudg-
ment for once. He was much older,
and might reasonably be expected to
have some little experience in valuables
other peoples, if not his own.
81 mind of hearing man say once,
that he gave EGO for one not near as big
as that i; but you'll not get as much, for
who's going to believe you didn't
steal it?'
'Steal itP' echoed Sandy, in angry
dismay.
"Aye, but you've got to make folks
believe your story, and who are you 60
ing to get to buy it?
81 thought you might ken of some
place." faltered Sandy, rather crest
fallen.
"Well, I ken of one or twa. I'll look
out and tell We in the morn"
And then the conference broke up,
and the two went back to their parcels.
Sam pondered the matter over as he
Ionnged about the docks that day
Steady work was not mis- strong point,
and the diamond had taken powerful
hold of his imagination. He did wish
with all his heart it had been his luck
instead of Sandy's to have found it; he
felt he could have made far better use
of it.
"If there was any hope of his sharing
it with a fellow, it would be different,
but he'll just keep every penny to him
sell. Serve him right if he went and
lost it again"
Over and over that reflection crept
up. Sandy had already strayed from
the right path for the sake of the
diamond. Sam was the next to fall
victim to its fascination.
He thought of it hour after hour, till
it seemed as if he must have it by fair
means or foul, and he doubted fair
means would avail little with a lad like
Sandy.
Saturdays were busy days on the
qUays, and the next day both Sam and
Sandy were hurrying backward and for
ward till after dark. 1t was a gusty,
stormy night, and as Sandy went down
one of the gangways on his last journey
the steamer gave sudden lurch that
sent him and his packages flying across
the deck; worse still, out rolled the con-
tents of his pockets, and before Sandy
had recovered his feet and his scattered
senses the scrap of paper shrouding the
precious ring was lodged inside Sans
waistcoat. He happened to have been
standing just under the gangway, and
lost no time in availing himself of the
unlooked-for chance.
1t was all the work of minute.
Sandy gathered up his property and
went back on shore without observing
his friend. Sam, fairly glowing with
satisfaction at the beautiful way things
had arranged themselves, quietly re-
tired to the dock wall to congratulate
himself at leisure. No more heavy
packages to drag up and down those
steep bridges, no more supperless nights
and breakfastIess mornings. Sandy bad
built no taller castles round that dia-
mond than he was building now.
"Sam, Sam p broke in pitiful voice,
GIVE been looking everywhere for you.
I've lost my diamond"
"You've what ?" cried Sam, with an
incredulous stare that reflected credit on
his powers of dissimulation.
"Lost it-in that boat, and she's
away now, and I'll never, never get it
back. It's hard"
Sandy put his head down on the iron
rail, and groaled aloud in bitter disap-
pointment.
Sam looked on in silence; he was
naturally hard-hearted lad, and for a
minute the impulse was strong TO give
the ring back: the feel of his empty
pockets brought back more prudential
considerations. Il
CATER all, it's only what he did him
self, he argued; she found it and kept
it, and that's what I'm doing"
He made one or two Intellectual at
tempts to console poor, miserable
Sandy, and got himself away as speed
lily us practicable into q back street,
where dwelt certain German. who
kept kind of money-lending and gen
eral exchange and barter establishment
for the benefit of sailors and emigrants.
Saturday night was far advanced, and if
he, Sam, meant to reap any immediate
benefit from his possession, it was nee
essary to lose no time.
He slipped softly in, and addressed
himself to the proprietor.
81 picked up something in the dock
to-day, and | wad like to ken the worth
of it gin L cared to part with it"