The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-07-26
SET IN DIAMONDS.

10 entertain such suspicious is 60 ar
que nature''-
''That's all right, but I'm a man. I
hear things, and'-
''What have you heard, Joe?''
"That Jack Stuart isn't an honest man;
that when he is lucky enough to possess
%he wherewithal to do SO he is known to
gamble; that he plays far sharper games
than cards.
"JoeP' His cousins blazing eyes con-
fess to him a truth he would almost rather
die than admit. He knows that when
those steadfast eyes burn with such fires of
Indignation the woman who confronts
him will go to the ends of the earth with
a man she trusts as she trusts Stuart, and
that she will continue to believe in him,
though the heavens fall.
''There, Kate, I'm done. Remember I've
warned you and blame only yourself if in
the future there should be the deuce to
pay. Jack Stuart is an artist
''Be silent. You shall not traduce the
man 1 love and trust. Prove your terri
bic accusations are true before you try to
SANDER an honest man.
Just how the evil reports had started,
how the whispered rumors of the shady
doings of Stuart had spread about town,
how all such insinuations had ever gained
their first impetus, was never known.
His cousin he feared, already loved the
who had week ago not only suddenly
ceased calling at the house, but had mys-
teriously disappeared from his own bohe-
miaa world.
Another week passed, and no news came
to Joe or Kate concerning Jack Stuart.
At last ti6ings of Stuarts whereabouts
reached him. A gang of 'green goods
men had been arrested, and one among
them bore the name of Jack Stuart.
E,,N% Ill LTu&a p,,11 -
news?
In his perplexity Joe halted at the cor
ner where he must turn to go to his aunt's
residence. Should he or should he not?
Absentmindedly gazing about him, his
glance CHANGED to fall upon the glitter of
precious stones that lay just where the aft
ernoon sun glinted through the pane of a
jewel lined window. Turning from the
glare, he saw farther on upon a velvet tray
a tiny gold watch set in diamonds.
With cry he stared at the elegant little
timepiece. Then he dashed into the shop,
over whose door hung three shining balls.
"I-I have come to redeem that watch
In the window yonder.''
He was asked for his ticket-his num-
bered certificate.
"Oh-ah-yes-to be sure'' And Joe
worthy professional clown. ''Bless my
SOUL Can 1 have lost it? Can r.
The shopman's eyes twinkled. If the
| certificate of deposit was not forthcoming,
the watch was his own.
'EYou are not the person who fetched it
! here" said the pawnbroker.
''No, but he has sent me to redeem it
for him. can tell you his name. 1t is
Jack Stuart
''That's all very we'll, but Jack Stuart
himself doesn't get this watch unless he
fetches the ticket I made out to him three
weeks ago. Do you hear?''
So Stuart had pawned Kate's watch
| the watch JOe's own dead mother had left
! to her beloved niece, the costly trinket
upon whose golden case was his mother S
monogram set in diamonds.
! He left the shop, his head in whirl.
! He went toward his aurt's house, bent
upon telling the whole hideous happening
! to his cousin.
/ To his surprise he met Kate hurrying
| down the steps toward him.
''Come with me. Mother has gone out,
and 1 dare not wait another moment. Call
/ a carriage, Joe, and take me to Jack"
| Silently he obeyed her, but when once
| within the carriage Joe ventured to ask
/ one question, which Kate answered.
! Yes, she sent her watch to the jeweler'
! by Jack. 1t needed new handspring.
How slowly the horse creepsl
| A back street, rather shabby tenement,
| three long flights Of narrow stairs and
then
''I have come, Jack-oh, Jackl'
BLESS you, Kate, r.
"Why didn't you send beforeP Jack, are
you in painP"
Eyes, dear, but it will soon be OVER
Joe rushed from the room and down the
stairs. At the street door he ran into a
| stout little person carrying square medi-
! cine case Joe, grasping the situation and
the doctor at one and the same time, asked
| him as they mounted the stairs enough
hurried questions to keep the little. man
busy answering him all the way to the top.
Eyes, poor young devil" vouchsafed
the doctor as he stopped to take breath
upon the last landing, there's a chance
for him, very slight one, but not if he
stays cooped up in this beastly hole. did
the best [ could when I stumbled in on
| him on my rounds.
''His fever was raging and as he needed
few things besides turpentine, brushes
and few tubes of paint I took q costly
little watch 1 found among his otherwise
sordid possessions and pawned it for him,
in his name, at the pawnbroker's. There 6
| the ticket sir; please take care of it fol
him. Here we are
Jack crept slowly but surely back from
the very brink of the echoless shore and in
! due time set to painting pictures away up
in the skylighted attic of his mother-in
laws home.
AS for Joe, it has occurred to him that it
might actually be possible for two people
living in the great metropolis to bear the
same name and that he was bit hasty
in concluding that the very promising
young landscapist, Jack Stuart, and the
Jack Stuart now enjoying the hospitality
of Sing Sing were one and the same per
son.-NeW York World.
Wood Pulp Mosaics.