The Dickinson press., 1892-04-09

"Let up, Israel" said the Judge,
falling back q step, and waving his
hand significantly toward Van
Hoeck.
1--WE wish to negotiate a loan on
the security of a large diamond that
we have brought home from the
cape" said Van Hoeck.
eight hundred and twenty carats,
fust water" added the Judge; the
grandest stone in this almighty uni.
verse;"
There was a whispered consulta-
ton amongst the clerks, and one
went into q private room at the
back OF the bank, from which he
presently returned with the mana
ger.
81 am the manager; what do you
want?'
Van Hoeck repeated his statement.
"And what security can you give
me that the diamond is genuine"
asked the manager with q pleasant
smile, cor that it is legitimately yours
to dispose OFF"
"You will allow, air, if any one he'd
lost a stone OF this kind he would
have made it on safe for us to walk
about with it in daylight" replied
the Judge, land as for its bein' genu-
inc, you kin hev the security of your
OWL eyesisht."
81 do not profess to be q Judge OF
diamonds, and | can have nothing to
do with it," said the manager deini-
lively.
We streamed out of that bank as
we had streamed into it, and tried
another, but with no better result,
the manager telling us that transac-
lions OF such a kind were altogether
beyond the range OF his business; and
we found a third, but the manager
was absent, and by this time, being
convinced that the plan We had pro-
posed was impracticable, we put our
heads together in counsel at the
IL OF the street to determine
what course we should take.
We were disgustcd with Southamp-
ton, and, had we possessed the means
we should have gone on at once to
London. where we might have found
some former acquaintance to help us
out oil our present. difficulty. But we
had nothing in the world but the
things we stood u%pwright in,
and the great diamond. For
on. smaller finds and our
implements we had sold at Natal to
make up enough to pay our steerage
home, and our spare clothes, our
knives, every available thing, we had
bartered away in our passage forfood
to supplement the m%iserably insuffici-
ent steerage fare.
1--WE kin not pawn the Kid" said
the Judge, "end that's about the only
perkisit as we could. we'll do without"
1t was now near upon three o'clock.
and we felt the need OF food, having
eaten nothing since six, when our last
rations were served out to us on the
Southern Cross. Our position was a
desperate one. With millions in our
possession, we might starve in the
street, or have to take refuge in the
workhouse. 1t was odd, indeed, and
very unpleasant also. At length, be-
ing unable to see any way out of our
difficulty, We made u way to u po-
lice station, and laid our case before
the inspector.
"Well, my good fellows" said he,
having heard us out, 81 don't see how
Pm to help you. The Mayor is the
proper person to go to, but he's away
yachting. The only party can think
OF, " he added. after Il moments relec-
ton, "who might serve you, is Sir Ed
mund Lascelles. He's got akind ofmu-
scum and buys up %curiosities, / know;
and q kind old gentleman he is, too.
Now, if he's at home"
We asked him hurriedly where Sir
Edmund lived, and he replied that it
out Lymington way-Monken
Abbey-eight or nine miles, and any
one could tell us the way.
Well, there was nothing better to be
done; SO we got the director to give
us a more definite direction, and then
started off in search of the Abbey.
The Judge swinging along ahead at a
good four miles an hour, the Kid had
to trot to keep up with us; but l gave
her my hand, and she did not com
plain,-it was not in her nature to
show suffering inthe ordinary way.
1t must have been about six O'Clock
when we found the park entrance to
Monken Abbey, and there we were
stopped by the lodge-keer, who refused
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 if the Baronet
would see U.S..
We sat on a bank near the lodge
gate for close upon an hour before we
our fate; for Sir Edmund was
at dinner when the message reached
the house, and the servants did not
choose to deliver it until chad dined.
A servant led us through the park to
the Abbey, and took US into q heauti.
full 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
"Well," said he cheerfully, "you
have something to sell me, haveyou?"
"Yes," | replied, ''if you can buy it;
it is a diamond"
"a diamond! All, that's a costly
kind Of curiosity; but l like them, for
all that. Have you got it with your"
eyes," said l; and turning over my
hand, l opened it. showing the leather
case strapped to my wrist, which con-
tanned the Great Hesper, IS we called
our diamond. The Baronet was thun-
der-struck by the prodigious size of
the stone, for he could see that the
leather fitted it closely.
"Youtell me that this is adiamond?"
he exclaimed, lifting the case as it lay
on my hand,
1--WE had it tested at Natal" said
Van Hoeck; cit is a white diamond,
and, if not the first water is certainly
of the second: it weighs $50 carats."
"Is it possible? Come with me.
Eight hundred and twenty carats?"
said Sir Edmund in graot; eycitpmant