The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-27

| he would deliver the f3, 500 into her safe
| keeping-should it ever be recovered,
| which seemed hopeless after all he had
! told her at breakfast about innocent
| holders of stolen Bank of England notes"
and never ask for the money back again.
unless the demands of business rendered
such course absolutely imperative. 1t
was only after these solemn promises had
| been drawn from the unhappy Cornelius
that his good lady turned him in an in
slant from the most miserable of mortals
| to the most Joyous of little men by show
| ing him his pocketbook with the notes in
| tact, as she had found them in the hall
| that morning, reposlng snugly and safely
| under her pillow.
| From that hour Mr.. Vanderstroom's
| reputation for phenomenal 'cuteness in
| the detection of crime his dissertations
| on rogues and roguery, as well as the Gus
tomary illusions to his distinctive dexter
| ity in the detection of put up yobs" had
| to be confined to his city circle of admirers.
| But events were ripening destined to shat
| ter the diamond merchants reputation
| for sharpness as much abroad as at home.
1t was afternoon in Hatton Garden.
| Cornelius was summing his consequential
| little rotundity on his office steps, with
his heavily ringed fingers thrust in the
| armholes of his waistcoat and his dumpy
little legs stretched Importantly apart. A
! benevolent complalcenCy sutfused his
| features, for he had just lunched, and felt
| good. Moreover, he had transacted fair
| business in the morning, and among other
dealings had got rid of parcel of slightly
loft color" diamonds to an amateur at
| close on water" prices. To add to his
! stroke of luck, he had just played old De
Beers at dominoes for his lunch at the
| Cosmopolitan cafe, at the top of 1.-The Gar
den," and won. Therefore, having had it
all his own way, the street was just then
temporary garden of Eden TO Cornelius,
with never a snake in the Landscape
Suddenly the little diamond merchants
attention was attracted to a handsomely
appointed mail phaeton coming down the
street from the Holborn Circus end. Cor
nelius battered himself that he was some
thing of a Judge of horsefiesh, having sew
eral snowy animals at home, and when
the pair of housekeeping bays attached
to this remarkably smart turnout pulled
up with suddenness that nearly sent
them on their launches at his own door
step, he was free to confess that prettier
! bits of blood couldn't be met with any,
! where between the Nladuct and HYDE
| Park corner. The Observation-Disclosures
soldierly gentleman, who was apparently
the owner of the phaeton, was not driving,
which was at once accounted for when
Eanderstroom observed that the right
sleeve OF the strangers closelv-buttoned
2 gray frock coat was empty, and pinned
/ across his breast.
Military, by the cutpi calculated Cor
I neliUs to himself as he SURVEYED the new
/ arrival, marked the missing arm and
noted the cockade in the hat OF the neat.
( middle-aged groom who so deftly manlnu-
lated the bays.
Guess this should about tx the lo-ca-
I uon' cried The one-armed military
looking gentleman in unmistakable Yam
kee accents, as he descended from his seat
II the carriage, scanned the memorandum
IN his hand, and then surveyed the house
in which Cornelius had his Offices
American twang" thought the dia-
mond merchant, continuing his mental
notes. Yankee colonel or general, NAV
he, who has made his pile in pork, petro-
leum or wooden nutmegs. | wonder if he's
after diamonds?"
Diamonds beyond a doubt! More luck
for Cornelius that day! For Wander
stroom's name was on the strangers lips
as soon as his patent feathers had touched
the pavement.
Wall, wall, and he was Mr.. Wander
StrOom wall, now. reallv' Guessed"
they had better sail right in, as he
wanted 10 inspect some stones for present
he contemplated ''Springing'' on his wife
Fact was he'd had a bonanza cable" from
Arizona that morning telling him that in
ms new mime they had not only come
upon fresh reef, but they'd struck il
'tarnal thick" Calculated" he wouldn't
know where TO stow ali the silver. if
! Arizona crowded IL in on him SO all fired
fast But guessed that diamond buy-
ing would help as quick as any other way
TO knock the bottom out of Potshot
/ Gulchr'
! With these and sundry other explana-
tory intersections, by the way. al of them
delivered with that unconventional free
dom of speech and breezjness of stvle for
! which your genuine down Easter is
held 10 be peculiar, the American and the
diamond merchant found themselves in
the first floor office.
Cornehus Nanderstroom impressivey
took bunch OF keys from his pocket and
with considerable ceremonial opened the
great safe. The stranger started at the
array of jewels that met his gaze
Cornelius felt battered AT the involun-
tary tribute paid 10 his collection. Dia-
ihohds, both rough and cut, were quickly
| brought forth and cunning,v disrlaved In
the most suitable light on backgrounds OF