The Osceola times., 1886-09-04

| before noticed that the diamond ring
which constantly wore on the third
hnger OF my left hand was MISSING.
II was a little too large for me; bn,
had not thought It advisable 10
nave the size altered just vet:
and the result was that it slipped from
my hnger. knew that | wore il when
1 left my hotel, but l could not recol.
iect notcing Its presence at any subse.
quent time; so l went to eyery place I
had visited since came out. the cafe
where had dined, the shop where !
mad bought some cigars, the streets had
traversed. looking everywhere for some
trace OF my lost jewel. and inquiring
d every one to whom had previously
spoken II they had seen anything of II,
ieit dreary conviction that nv treas.
ured ornament was gone forever, when,
As last resource, went to bureau
de police and gave description of the
lost ring to the officer there. The
oihcer was polite, but gave me small
hope OF ever seeing my diamond again.
gave it up rs gone forever.
was sitting in my hotel duh and dc.
pressed, angry at my own carelessness,
and inclined to give up any further holi.
DAY and forget my annoyance by q
speedy return to my professional du.
ties in London, when my friend of the
police-oflice entered.
81 am happy he said, bowing politel,
and smiling with, as l thought, antici.
patton of handsome reward; 81 am
happy to inform monsieur that we hope
soon to place his ring in his hands. One
answering to the description you gave
was brought to our Office by the finder,
a countryman of your own. The ring
pelng rather an uncommon one, felt
assured that it could be no other than
the one You had lost You described it,
| think, as consisting of five diamonds
set in the shape of violet. with
smaller brilliant in the center-a very
curious and valuable jewel"
"Yes, that's it," | replied curtly, won.
dering why he could not give me back
my property without so many words.
Then may safely assume that this
is the ring in question:" He brought
out my ring from his pocket and showed
it to me.
at is" l said stretching out my hand;
but he did not restore the Jewel, only
stood there holding it and smiling more
than ever l supposed that he wanted
to see some sign Of the reward he ex.
peoted TO receive before parting with the
trinket. took out my purse, and
opening it, made some remark about
showing my appreciation of his honesty;
but he shook his head, smiling, if
possible, more broadly than before.
''Do you not wish to know, monsieur,
how your ring was found?" he asked,
with leer which l thought was dsa-
greeable.
"Well, how was it foundp" l said,
tartly.
My policeman drew himself up to de-
liver his great effect. monsieur. your
ring was found in another mans
pocket" stared at him in bewilder-
ment, mingled with an indefinite fear,
while he continued his narrative in a
less courteous and more confidential
tone than he had hitherto assumed.
"Ah, mon ami, one may be too clever;
ones dexterity may lead one astray
if it be not balanced by dscre-
ton. You had not long left the
office when another Englishman came
in complaining that he had lost pock-
et-book containing all his money. He
had put his hand in his pocket to
bring it out meaning to pay for some
thing, but found it gone, and in its
place a diamond ring-your ring. For
my own part, do not doubt your hon
esty-even your generosity. You be-
lieved, doubtless. that exchange is not
robbery, and, that in leaving your ring
in exchange for his portemonnaie, you
would at once obtain memento of
compatriot and do him practical bene-
fit That is the Interpretation ! should
wish to put on the affair; but the owner
of the pocket-book will not see it in that
light-he lacks Imagination, as so many
English do. OF course, your coming to
ask us to try to recover your lost ring
tends to give color to his version Of the
matter, which is, that while you were
robbing him of his money the ring
slipped from your hand and remained
in his pocket; and, with lack of SYM
patty for countryman which grieve
to recount, he demands that you should
be arrested-a duty which ! am re-
luctantly compelled to fulfill"
l was absolutely dumb with surprise
and anger. Had | had my wits about
me | might-though circumstances
were against me-have brought some
counter charges of theft against my ac-
cuser; but l was so stupefied by the
strange turn events had taken, that
submitted meekly to be searched, to
have the fateful pocket-book taken
from me and to be led away to prison.
Somehow, too. was unable to secure
possession of the ring that was the cause
of my undoing, and l have not seen il
since my arrest
So here l sit in my cell, depressed
and weary, a victim to the bitterest
self-reproach. l could almost wish to
be condemned to lifelong Imprisonment,
for what is freedom to mc' After such
q piece of suicidal folly as have been
guilty of. | shall never dare to lift up
my head among my professional breth.
rem, and fear that nothing will be left
for me but to take to honesty when my