The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-05-07
III.

Ill.
At the lapidaries' convention there
was stormy session that year. Herr
Heidelgrun was there, q stuffy, dried
mp old man, of great age and still
greater arrogance, who had apparent
ly come out of his spider-web in Wen
ma for the sole purpose of discomfiting
all the antiquaries OF the Western con-
tinent.
"De Malmaison smeraltl" said
Herr Heidelgrun. Dat ish mistake
Vat you call one big lie0 1t occupies
all your time to chase desc lie, and
den nail him down. I hat the NAL
maison emeralt in mine collection"
"How can that be?" said Mr.. Ven
able, choking with rage, while Mr..
Twistleton stood by, ready to espouse
his friends cause, "When here it is
the very stone ITSELF"
He opened the velvet, casket which
contained the drop OF green fire. It
blinked at the circle of eager faces
above it like a baleful eye. Herr Hell
delgrun laughed a shrill cackle OF deri.
sion.
dat de Malmaison emeralt?" said
he. "Oh, how easy are some folks
hoodwinked A ferry goot imitation,
grant. Oh, yes; can tell you all
about him. But de genuine Malmai-
son emeralt it was sell me in 1850 at
Vienna, by one Captain Giles Ven
able"
"Verbena's father" thought Mr..
Venable, with start and sinking OF
the heart.
"For de gracious Empress Augusta,
who was den making de collection for
necklace which should outshine all
the courts of Europe. Ipay Captain
Venable 5000 forms for him, and !
engage my best workmen to make him
imitation Malmaison emeralt which
shall deceive ze very jeweler himself, I
t'ink make my fortune, but am
wrong. De captain he pockets his
horins and he rides away. Degracious
empress she change her mind. Shcget
tired of emeralts and she thinks she
will hat pearls. But know dere will
some day be market for de Malmaison
emeralt. keep him-I haf him yet.
Here he is, and here is re letter from
Captain Giles Venable which proves
his genuineness. Eli? Are you to be
satisfy now2" and the green blaze of
the real gem put the artificial imita-
ton to shame at once.
Mr.. Venable came home without
waiting for the adjournment of the
lapidaries' convention. He did not
bring Mr.. Twistleton with him.
"a man who couldn't even tell a
bogus stone from real one," sput-
tered Venable, land calls himself
s,,1 Nf ~ h~r ~
Verbena came accordingly, with the
teapot in one hand and q pan of hot
graham mullins, fresh from, the oven
in the other.
T've got something to tell YOU"
said Mr.. Venable.
"Ies, uncle" murmured Verbena,
her little heart giving an ominous
throb under the cluster of roses she
wore.
"The Malmaison emerald is a
humbug!" said Mr.. Venable, distinct
ly.
ooh, uncle!"
"And Caleb Twistleton is q charla-
tan and an adventurer." And he
proceeded to impart to his niece the
whole revelation OF Herr Heidelgrun.
"Your father, my dear" said he,
"has wrecked the family fortunes and
broken my heart. Henceforth I will
give up the study of gems. I'll donate
my collection such as it is, to the
Vaudeville Museum. It may serve as
q nucleus for something greater in
time. And III devote myself to roses.
They can't initiate flowers! And,
Verbena-"
eyes, uncle"
"You may marry young Elcombe, if
you choose. After this, Twistleton
doesn't deserve wife,"
THANK you, uncle" said Verbena,
demurely.
r. L. Il.
SoIence Comes TO Relt1ion'a Aid