The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1892-03-17

We were disguised 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 OF our present difficulty. But we
had nothing in the world but the
things we stood upwright 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 miserably insuffici
ent steerage fare.
eve kin not pawn the Kid" said
the Judge, "end that about the only
parkisit 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
desperate one. With millions in our
D 1ssession, 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 our way to a 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 60 to, but he's away
Yachting. The only party can think
Of" he added, after u moments ref1ec-
ton, "who might serve you, is Sir Ed
mund Lascelles. He's got a kind ofmu-
scum and buys up curiosities, know;
and 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
was 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 O. 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 gave
her my hand, and she did not com
| plain,-it was not in her nature to
show suffering in the 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
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 if the Baronet
would see us. ....
We sat on bank near the lodge
/ gate for 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 it until he had dined.
A servant led us through the park to
tn Abbey, and took US into beauti-
ful 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
S6nGlcilldI. i H0EG NdS DSIlSVOl0uC6 Ill
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"
Eyes" / replied, IF you can buy it;
it is diamond"
IA diamOndl All, that's q costly
kind of curiosity; but | like them, for
all that. Have you got it with your
EYES," said l; and turning over my
hand, opened it. showing the leather
J case strapped to my wrist, which con.
! tanned the Great Hesper, as we called
our diamond The Baronet was thun.
der-struck by the prodigious size o.
: the stone, for he could see that the
, leather fitted it closely.
"You tell me that this is a diamond?'
he exclaimed, lifting the case as it lay
on my hand,
j eve had it tested at Natal" said
Van Hoeck; lit is white diamond
and, ii not the first water is certainly
OF the second; it weighs $50 carats.
] els it possible? Come with me
Eight hundred and twenty carats2'
said Sir Edmund, in great excitement
, Bring a light into helibrary at once,
J he called to one OF the servants.
( We went into the library, where
{ cut the stitches of the case, took oui
the Great Hesper,; and put it into Sil
r Edmund's hand, by which time aread
ing-lamp had been brought in.