Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-10-05
.SANDY'S DIAMOND.

NOW, sandy, ltS your turn, Why
don't you read Have you lost the place T.
Sandy Strengthened the tails of his rag
ged coat with an air of conscious virtue.
He was not going to lose his place, what
ever the others might be- Now Judas
said this, not because he cared for the poor
but because he was a thief and had the
bag he read out in shril treble. at
was an awful pity they let him keep the
bag, them" he added, by way of com
ment
Maybe they'd no ken he was a thief So
suggested his neighbor, who was Sandy's
chief friend and ally "and maybe You
wad helped yourself bit now and again,
Sandy, if You had good chance
Speak for yourself, Sam Knox" was
Sandy's lofty retort. I'm no thief, at any
rate"
Boys, attend to the lesson interrupted
the teacher and the debate had, perforce.
to be postponed for the present.
Sandy marched home after school swell
ing with indignant pride, utterly declining
Sans usual escort. The two were friends
more from force Of circumstances than
natural affinity. Both earned scanty in
come, carrying parcels and messages from
the railway to the different quays but.
though they held the same profession and
were comrades to a certain extent, Sandy
by no means considered Sam in the light Of
an equal. His clothes we're many degrees
more ragged his shoes thing Of the past
or future, and, in point Of family connec-
tions-well, there could be no comparison
between Sans drunken father and his own
thrifty, hard working mother.
The coolness lasted some days, and might
have lasted much longer hut for a startling
adventure that befell Sandy. Trudging
around the dock at the edge Of dusk one
evening, with a huge package for a coast
ing steamer, his foot struck against some
thing-something that glittered in the dim
light. Just bit Of glass, he said to him
self, turning it over with the toe Of his
shoe and then he dropped his burden with
a crash, and swooped down upon his find. "
1t was a ring, dull and tarnished with
mud, but neither crushed nor broken and
the 'bit of glass was the stone. 1t gleam-
ed out like the windows on the opposite
shore at sunset.
Sandy rolled it up carefully, shouldered
his package, and delivered it at the tiny
booking Office at the end of the quay, stur-
dly argued out the question of an addi-
tional penny on account of its size with the
clerk, and got it and then he betook him
self to a solitary corner of the dock wall,
and sat down behind a sugar-cask to con
slider matters
First and foremost, should he tell his
mother He rather thought not. She
might insist on his delivering it up to the
authorities, and taking the chance Of
possible reward and Sandy had an ex-
ceedingly uncomfortable conviction that
was just what he ought to do. Yet he re
membered boy who found a pocket book
on the gang way, and the owner only gave
him a shilling for it, and another who found
telescope and got nothing. Sandy felt
that fortune lay within his grasp, and that,
if he had to barter it away for one shilling
or five, it would be paying too dearly for
principle.
He had heard of rings being worth hun
dreds of pounds and, if this was worth
but one, or even, to be safer still, fifty
The tide rippled in below his feet unheed-
ed, the long line of gas lamps twinkled like
yellow stars in the black, restless river,
the keen wind whistled through the rig
ging behind. Sandy saw and felt nothing,
wrapped in blissful visions Of the modest
fifty.
For two whole days, he carried the Sc
cret alone Then his responsibility became
too heavy Tacitly ignoring past differ
ences, he waited on the quay one dinner
hour for Sam Knox, binding him over to
strict secrecy, though on that head he had
little fear for Sam, whatever his failings
might be. had never been known to do "A
shabby thing to friend.
sam, I've got something to tell you.
I've had find"
Zone bawbee or twa" queried Sam, in
differently.
Just wait till you get a sight of it It's
worth more bawbees than you ever saw in
all your days"
80 you're not going to give it up to the
authorities = Sam asked curiously, when
he had heard the story.
And maybe get nothing at ALL like Jem
McCullock," answered Sandy, shortly.
You'd not do that yourself, Sam Knox"
"No, I'd not, agreed Sam, frankly :;
'but you've always professed such lot
more"
A dull red flush crept up so Sandy's brow
He had not counted ON Sam being sharp
enough to view the case in that light.
"Anyhow, let us have a look at it, went
on Sam, pursuing that point no further,
Behind the sugar cask, after indefinite
precautions, the treasure was produced for
inspection.
How much do you think I'll get for it ~
he asked, deferring to Sans judgment for
once. He was much older, and might rea-
sonably be expected to have some expert
ence in valuables-oth peoples, if not his
own.
Il mind of hearing a man say once that
he gave ego for one not near as big as that;
but you'll not get as much, for who's going
to believe you didn't steal it =
Steal it :" echoed Sandy, in angry dis
may.
"Ay, but you've got to make folks be
leve your story and who are you going
get to buy it z"
81 thought you might ken of some place, "
faltered Sandy, rather crest fallen.
We'll, l ken of one or two. I'll look
out and tell ye the morn"
And then the conference broke up, and
the two went back to their parcels.
Sam pOndered the matter over as he
lounged about the docks that day. Steady
work was not his strong point, and the dia-
mond had taken powerful hold of his i'm
agination. 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 fellow, it
would be different but he'll Just keep ev-
cry penny to himself 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 next TO fall a 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 lad like Sandy.
Saturdays were busy days on the quays,
and that next day both Sam and Sandy
were hurrying backward and forward till
long after dark. 1t was a gusty, stormy
night and, as Sandy went down one of the
gangways on his last journey, the steamer
gave a sudden lurch that sent him and his
packages flying across the deck. Worse
still, out rolled the contents of his pockets
and, before Sandy had recovered his feet
and his scattered senses, the scrap of pa
per shrouding the precious ring was lodged
inside Sans waistcoat. He happened Il
be standing just under the gangway, and
lost no time in availing himself of the un
look ed for chance.
1t was all the work Of a minute. Sandy
gathered up his properties, and went ol
shore without observing his friend. Sam
fairly glowing with satisfaction at the beau
tiful way things had arranged themselves
quietly retired TO the dock wall 10 con