Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-01

demand on the appar entity bottomless purse
OF the multi-millionaire. until at last
which, after due deliberation together, had
inspired them to write the joint letter that
had so disturbed Mr.. Murattfs equanimity.
They travelled home by the same mail
boat which carried their letter. and
the morning following its delivery they
paid a visit to the millionaire at his
west End mansion The interview was
not exactly friendly one. Mr.. Muratti
clustered. and his viaitors quietly but firm
~ doubled their already eXorbitant de-
mands.
The nan of millions threatened to have
them put into the street and broadly hint
ca AT the ACCESSIBILITY of giving them into
custody as blackmailers. That brought
matters to head in a somewhat dramatic
fashion. The exsorter took out his pocket
DOCK and produced from it half sheet
or note paper. on which pasted
snort newspaper cutting. He handed it 10
the millionaire and said:
THAT'S from the Cape Times. Mr.. MI
Iattf. Do you think you could throw any
light on the subject? 1 have an idea that
YOU could, especially with our assistance.
De Beers would give good deal to know
now that stone got away. 1 believe they
would even accept me as queens evidence
10 get the mystery cleared up. What do
you Think"
With slowly widening eyes and sinking
heart. the man of many millions and moro
ambitions, read the cutting. 1t ran thus:
The king of the Belgians has just in
dulged in his well-known taste for gems
by the addition to his already priceless
collection of magnificent rose-colored dia-
mend weighing nearly thirty karats in its
cut state. His majesty Is rumored to have
paid the enormous price of thousand
pounds karat to the Amsterdam mer-
chant of whom he bought 1t. In color
ana water 1t is the exact counterpart of
the famous rose diamond in the De Beers
collection. but it Is much larger.
Its origin Is involved in some little
mystery. The merchants from whom his
majesty purchased 1t affirm that the deal.
er from whom they bought 1t declared
that 1t was an ancient eastern gem re.
cut IN Amsterdam. but experts who have
seen 1t state with equal positiveness that
1t is a Kimberley stone.
"A rumor reaches us from Diamond
opOlis that certain Kaffir who has since
disappeared. boosted one night in his cups,
just after he had been discharged from
the Kimberley compound. that he had
found the biggest rOoiklippe red stone)
that ever was found on the fields. II this
Is true. the stone never reached the dia-
mond room at DE Beers. 1t Is just pos
slbc that some of the l. ID. Is. fraternity
could throw some light on the subsequent
wanderinEs of the moot roo!-klippe' OF
which the vanished kafIir boasted.'
Frank Ridley and Joshua Mosenstein
watched the millionare's changing face
narrowly as he rend. When he saw that
he had finished Ridley said quietly:
can find that kafiir If necessary. MIR.
"uThtti VI course, the diamond law does
not hold good in this country. but the laws
as to conspiracy and dealing in stolen
goods do. If De Beers prosecuted they
would find my evidence worth buying.
Jcssey Ecre has done his time. and could
make n clean breast of it without fear, and
so the only one who could be touched
would be-
"Oh. that'll do,'' exclaimed the million
are. In last burst of despairing anger.
What do you WANT
Il want half a million down. and an
other half In approved securitics-prefcr-
ably De Beers" replied Ridley; land as a
in favor of Miss RanSomc duly honorcd.
a miionaires wife should be above sus
pIcion."
And want a million. too chimcd in Mr.
Mosenstcin, same way Frank wants
his. And whatb more. Mickey Muratt."
he went on, shaasing his finger In his face,
AS you diSgracfd mo by sending me to the
breakwatcr forfSo,T crime. you must
store my crcdit{iu the eyes of the society
that shall go 4fntoSnow. by making your
wife let me matry that pretty little sister
Rcbecca of hers tho l have loved all my
life. She was twayt fond OF me. and will
have me when ann millonalrc. I dare
say you can spare her a decent marriage
portion"
They were big teams but Mr. Muratti
did not yet DESPAIR or being introduced to
the Prince of Wtalest and so in the end he
yielded. few.week& later two newmadc
South African IEmill Dnaires, one English
and one Hebrew, bl6ssomcd forth. each In
his congenial sthereSof London society. A
little later on there were two splendid we'd
dings. and until these lines appear I'm
print. the mystery of the kings rose da
mond'' will remain uusolved