Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-05-26
Sir John must have given her great provo.

Sir John must have given her great provo
cation"
1t was evening Sir John Prickett had
finished dinner and was sitting alone in the
library when two cards were brought TO
him.
Colonel Travers Certainly" said the
judge. "Show him in, Thomas, and Mr.
Who is it? Samuel? Mr. Samuel rs well"
Colonel Travers was chief commissioner
of the metropolitan police, and Mr. Justice
Prickett was at a loss to account for his
visit. In fact, the colonel seemed at a loss
to account for it himself.
He hemmed and hawed, spoke Of secret
but reliable and positive information, pro
fessed his perfect devotion to the British
bench as represented by Mr.. Justice Prick
EFT, and finally in some roundabout fash
ion gave that dignitary to understand that
what he really wanted to do was to see
Lady Prickett's jewels
The judge marveled greatly, but he said
nothing, and took steps to have the chief
commissioners desire satisfied. After an
awkward pause the jewel case was produced
and its contents exhibited,
THAT'S one of 'em ~ cried Mr.. Samuel in
an excited tone, bouncing upon something
1t was Lady Prickc.t's new diamond ring.
''That's one of 'em. I'll swear to it any
where Our private mark and number are
on 1t, as you can see for yourself, my lord
j. s., $50" He whipped watchmaker's
lens out of his pocket and invited Ibis lord
ship to inspect the thing for himself.
But it can't be yours !" cried the judge.
II bought 1t myself from man who
| He stopped, having become suddenly
aware that the chief commissioner was
watching him obviously. lie did not care
to let it be known that he, "A judge Of her
| majesty's high court Of justice, n knight
and privy councillor should be talked of
as purchasing jewels from commercial trav-
elers in railway carriages.
st was stolen from our shop in Oxford
street last March, my lord. 1t is worth
hundred guiIeas if it is worth a farthing,"
said Mr. Samuel.
"a hundred gaiReasl Why, only
Again Sir John stopped short Still less
could be let it be known that he had
| bought stolen property Mt "A fourth of its
value. Why, it was very much like being
a receiver Of stolen goods.
The Precipitation broke out all over him.
| He was forced to look closely at the ring to
hide his agitation. When he glanced up at
| Colonel Trayers and Mr.. Samuel, they were
| looking at each other. How he wished he
bad brayed ridicule and told the whole
story at firstl That hesitation had been a
fatal blunder. lie could not tell the truth
now. But he pulled himself together vi It'll
an effort and said he had bought the ring
from a man who he had every reason to be-
| iieve had a perfect right to dispose of it.
However, as Lady Prickett liked it, and as il
belonged to Mr.. Samuel, he would pay for
it. How much2 Under the circumstances
! 81 aud
under the circumstances Mr.. Justice Prick
EFT wrote "A check for Gs4
When his visitors had gone, his lorCship'
poured himself out glass of cherry bran
dy He shuddered TO think what might
have happened had he been poor or an OBJ
scure man. Really" he said TO himself
these receiving cases should be watched
very narrowly. II is 50 easy
He stopped, struck by the coincidence
Only few weeks before he had sentenced a
girl to penal servitude on exactly the same
sort of evidence as
Really, now" he said to himself, IF it
were to save my life, don't suppose could
produce those rascally fellows ! met in the
train"
The thought of the girl haunted him for
a great part of the night. The evidence
against her seemed somewhat weak. True,
she was dancer at a music hall, she said
just the sort Of person who did sometimes
receive presents OF jewelry as his lordship
was aware.
Oddly enough, next day Mr.. Justice Prick
EFT received very dirty, i'll spelled letter
from Alice Wray's mother begging him
TO recommend a remission Of at least a
part of the sentence. The girl, her mother
admitted, had had bad companions One
of them might have given Alice the brace
let, but it was impossible for the girl to
know that it was stolen.
This letter, following his own disquiet-
ing thoughts, induced Mr.. Justice Prickett
to 90 to the home secretary's office As he
was leaving he said, "Ahl by the way, there
was girl convicted down at Marlborough
"a receiving case; the evidence struck me
at the time (ohl Mr.. Justice PriclCettD as
being rather weak. fyou don't mind, I'll
send you copy of my notes"
DO so if you please said Mr.. Secretary
Marks, with a weary sigh.
The result was that after a consultation
between the minister and the judge the
sentence passed upon Alice Wray, alias
johnson, was emitted.
About MOI d after the girl was set at
liberty, as Sir John and Lady Prickett were
walking side by side along one of the
streets of this metropolis, the lady per
ceived that her lords gaze was strangely
fixed on passing vehicle.
what are you staring att" she asked.
"Those peoplef Really, must beg that so
long as | am with you you will restrain
your curiosity"
But Mr.. Justice Prickett's Indignation
was too keen to allow him to mind his
wife's asperity. He had just seen Miss
Alice Wray sitting in a hired carriage side
by side with the commercial traveller who
had sold him the diamond ringl-London
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