Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-11-14

done; 80 we got the inspector TO give rs
a more definite direction, and then start
ed of In search of the abbey. TheJudge
swinging along ahead at good four
miles an hour, the Kid had to trot to
keep up with us; hut gave her my hand
and she did not complaint was not in
her nature to show suffering in the or
binary way.
It must have been about six o'clock
when we found the park entrance to
Monken Abbey, and there we were stop
ped by the lodge-keeper, who refused to
let US pass without permission from Sir
Edmund; but when he heard that we
had been sent by the inspector Of police
at Southampton, he sent his wife up to
the house, to know II the baronet would
see us.
We sat on q bank near the lodge gate
close upon an hour before we learned our
fate: for Sir Edmund was at dinner when
the message reached the house, and the
servants did not choose TO deliver 1t until
he had dined. A servant led us through
the park to the abbey, and took US into a
beautiful hall, wainscoted with dark oak,
and hung with antlers, old armor, and
other suitable decorations; and here we
waited until Sir Edmund Lascelles came
to us. Our spirits rose at the first glimpse
of the handsome, portly old gentleman.
There was benevolence in the little curls
of his soft white hair, and the promise Of
kind treatment in the genial smile with
which he greeted us.
well" said he, cheerfully, "you have
something to sell me, have your"
Yes" I replied, 'if you can buy it; it
is o diamond"
"a diamond! All, That's a costly kind
Of curiosity, but / like them for all that;
have you got it with your
YES" said l; and, turning over my
hand, opened it, showing the leather
case strapped to my wrist, which con-
tanned the Great Hesper, as we called our
diamond. The baronet was thunder
struck by the prodigious size Of the stone,
for he could see that the leather fitted 1t
closely.
"You tell me that this is a diamond?
he exclaimed, lifting the case as it lay on
my hand. ..r,r..,s Wv
Hoeck; sit is white diamond, and II
not of the first water, is certainly of the
second; it weighs $50 carats.
| us it possible? Come with me. Eight
hundred and twenty carats!" said Sir
Edmund, in great excitement. Bring
light into the library at once he call
| ed to one of the servants.
We went into the library, where l cut
the stitches of the case, took out the
Great Hesper and put it into Sir Ed
mund's hand, by which time a reading
lamp had been brought in.
1T is true! it is true!' said he, examin'
ing it under powerful light. "A won
derful stone-a perfect form-a prodigy
! Come here, Edith; look at this!"
A young lady who had entered the
! room drew near. 1t was only by looking
at the facet we had had cut and polished
! that she could distinguish that this wa.
q diamond, for it was dull and gray, ano
looked like a lump of glass that hao
passed through the fire.
1T is an extraordinary size, is 1t not
papa?" she asked.
Extraordinary, indeed! The Koh-i
moor is not fourth of the size! See
what the book says about that; get dowr
Hayden, my dear"
Miss Lascelles fetched the book, while
her father still examined the stone, a
an artist might masterpiece, and pres
emily read aloud
Its original weight was nearly SO(
carats, but it was reduced by the unskil
fulness of the artist-Borghese, a Vene
tian-to 279 carats; its shape and size re
sembled the pointed half rose cut OF I
small hens egg; the value is scarcely
computable, though two millions sterling
have been mentioned as justitiabl'
price, if calculated by the scale employed
BY the trade. This diamond was recu
in 1852, and now weighs 1O2 1-2 carats.
"Good, good!" cried the baronet
"With skilful cutting, diamond OF sucl
a form rs this need not lose 100 carats
Heavens!" he exclaimed, turning to us
'you have the greatest treasure in thu
world"
Give me your hand, Thorne; hol'
me-" said Van Hoeck in low voice, ant
speaking thickly. ~,
turned quickly, and caught him a
he reeled forward; for he had tainted
either from the want of food, from In
tense excitement, or both.