The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-16

II itwas worth the trouble I'd send for
the police and hand you over to them.
Call them," said the other: do. I'll
walt. But. mark my word. IL YOU dom;
give us the stone back you're dead
man. I've got a Pal what half that dia-
mond belongs to. He's from the east,
and a bad man to cross. He has only
got to wish it. and you're a dead man
without his raising a finger at you.
I've come here to do you u god turn;
IL he comes here it's all up with you.
well. you go back to him." jeered
the proprietor: "a clever man like that
can get the diamond without going near
it. seemingly. You're wasting your
time here, and it's pity; You must
have got lot of friends
We'll, I've warned YOU" said the
other; you'll have one more warning.
If you won't be wise you must keep
the diamond, but 1t wont be much good
10 YOU It's q good stone, bu, speak
ing for myself. I'd sooner pe alive with
out it than dead with it,"
He gave the proprietor a menacing
glance and departed. and the assistant.
having by this time finished his din
ner the Dawpbroker went to his own
with an appetite by no means impaired
by his late interview.
The cat, with its forepaws tucked be-
meath it, was doing on the counter.
Business had been slack that morning.
and it had only been pushed off three
times. 1t had s.aked out a claim on
that counter some five years before.
and If anything was required to con-
vince it of the value of the possession
1t was the fact that it was being con-
stantly pushed off. To firm minded
cat this alone gave the counter a value
difficult to Overestimate. and some-
times an obsequious customer fell into
raptures over lis bsauty. This was
soothing. and the animal allowed GUS
toners of this type to scratch it gently
behind the ear.
The cat was for the time the only
occupant of the shop. The assistant
wcs out and the pawnbrOker sat in the
small room beyond, with the door half
open, reading a newspaper. He had
read the financial columns, glanced at
the foreign intelligence and was just
about to turn to the leader when his
eye was caught by the headline: MUIR
der in Whitechapel." He folded the
paper back and with chilly feeling
creeping over him perused the account
In the usual thrilling style 1t record d
the finding of the body of a man. evil
IDENTIFY sailor, behind q boarding
placed In front of some shops in course
of erection. There was M clew to the
victim, who had evidently been stabbed
from b2hind in the street and then
dragged or carried to the place in
which the body had been discovered.
The pockets had been emptied, and the
police. who regarded the crime as an
ordinary one of murder and robbery,
entertained the usual hopes of shortly
arresting the assassins.
The rawnbroker put the paper down
and drummed on the table with his
fingers. The description of the body
left no room for doubt that the victim
of the tragedy and the man who had
sold him the diamond We're identical.
He began to realize the responsibilities
of the bargain. and the daring of his
visitor of the day before in venturing
before him almost red-handed gave him
an unpleasant idea of the lengths to
which he was prepared to go. In q
pleasantcr direction it gave him an
other idea; it was strong confirmation
of his friends valuation of the stone.
II shall see my friend again." said the
proprietor, to himself, as he looked up
from the paper. Let him make an at
tempt on me, and We'll see."
He threw the paper down. and set
Ting back in his chair, fell into pleas
Ing reverie. He saw his release from