Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-10-13
THE LAMDTON
DIAMOND.
I

threw back the light from Its
- many facets, and strange, bril-
liant colors shot from its depths. 1t
was the finest stone l had ever set IN
my life.
was particularly pleased with my
design for the setting. No other hand
had touched it, and | felt that the
frame, so TO speak, was worthy Of the
picture.
The ring, now that II was finished,
Was fit even to adorn the hand Of
Lady Gwenlolen Forrest the beauty
and heiress of the season. But l did
not envy young Lord Lambton his
fiancee; in my own Nell l had girl
as good and as pretty as any IL the
land.
| was about to take the ring to Mr.,
Nugent when Nell herself run In. She
was my employers daughter, and his
private house was upstairs over the
large showroom III Clifford street. 1t
was against all custom for Nell to come
down to my workshop, for her fnther
disapproved our engagement. But TO-
day she had not been able to resist the
temptation of having u peep AZ the
Lambton diamond.
Just as she had slipped II Oh her
finger, and was dancing about twisting
her hand, that the marvellous stone
might catch the light, the door opened
and Mr.. Nugent entered. l prepared to
defend Nell from a harsh reprimand,
but none came. Her father appeared
oddly preoccupied, merely took the ring
from her. examined 1t earnestly, and,
swapping the lid of the case down
upon it, placed 1t In his pocket and
walked away.
Next day was sitting at work, when
saw hanson drive up, and Lord
Lambton jump out. He came hastily
into the room, which adJo!ned the
one where l was sitting where Mr.. Nu-
gent was.
"Scoundrel" ! heard him say, and
could scarcely believe MY ears you
thought to fool me easily by a false
stone but I am as good q Judge of
jewels as you are. You are q thief.
sir. What have you done with the
diamond I ntrusted to your"
Mr.. Nugent answered IN q lower
voice What he said could not have
made any great impression upon Lord
Lambton. however, for ne impatiently
Interrupted. and at last an ominous
threat concerning the police" reached
my ears.
SAT- still. I understood very well
that Lord Lambton had deliberately
accused my employer of trying TO
palm off upon him an imitation dia-
mond, Yet l knew that l had set the
true stone and delivered it TO Mr.. MI
gent only yesterday.
Ny employer himself was skilled
workman, though not q good des guer
and in the time that had elapsed be-
tween my handing him the ring and
his transferring it to the owner he
could have removed the stone and re-
placed 1t by another, But for such a
bold trick to succeed the imitation must
be magniticently made. and the orig
lnal diamond must have been carefully
measured.
| had never known that Mr.. Nugent
kept any false gems about the place
and besides was it likely that a man in
his position would care 70 run 50 ter
r!ble a risk? Still / could not help re-,
memberiug how haggard and irritable
be had been OF late, and the keen i'll
terest that he took IN the racing In
telligcncp.
As thus speculated on the astound-
ing accusation Mr.. Nugent himself
opened the door of the workroom. lie
looked keenly at NE as if wondering if
i would he safe 70 trus, me.
Did you hear anything Of what
PASSED in The Iext ROOM he Dues
toned.
admitted that had
"Of course" | shall be- triumphantly
acquitted he Announced clearing his
throat, husk,ly, as he spoke still,
Lord LambtoL can make things dis
agreeable. And look here. Wade,
haven't always been a. friendly to You
as ! might. hut can trust you. Youth
We an important witness. DO what
you can for me. for the girls sake"
The words sounded strange, but I
was given no time to answer, for at
that moment Lord Lamhton returned
with TWO Scotland Yard men. My EN-
plOyer was given into custody and
taken 10 The police station to be
charged, the detectives remaining to
search the premises.
Mr., Nugent being n widower, with
only one child. the management of the
business practically devolved on me,
and a. the detectives ransacked the
place, they put many questions TO me
as To where the y. nes were kept The
safes were all pointed out TO them,
but they seemed disappointed with
their operations.
Later in the evening they came TO me
in the workroom, and, holding out the
ring that | had made for Lord Lamb
ton. one of them said
t.'rbi. X vn,1r u-or.l- v,-a trD1nrstaDJ