Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1898-10-28


YOU" she painted, something I've been
wild to say all day. lest 1t should be
too late, but dared not let anyone
suspect. \ month ago father contided
to me that he had lost a great deal of
money-and he showed me how to
open a secret drawer in his Chippen-
dale bureau. If ever anything hap
pens to me- he said. don't lose a mo-
ment. but look into this drawer: throw
away everything that you will find in
| the left-hand partition. and keep what
may be in the right
Together we ransacked the old bu-
reau, and at length Nell touched the
spring which opened the secret drawer.
| drew In my breath sharply. for the
| light Of the candle which | held struck
| out CLEAN from a pile of exquisitely
| made false stones. which lay in parti-
| ticn on the left hand. while on the right
was the Lambton diamond.
Involuntarily | betrayed the dread
| full nature of the discovery by an ex-
| clamation, for. left to herself. Nell
would not have understood. But she
was quick to comprehend, and realiz-
ing the worst she swayed, staggering
| backward.
My poor father" she moaned. as
held her. He Is ruined forever-and
l. too. The daughter Of convicted
thief Is no tit wife for an honest man."
MY darling, you are wife for king.
and as for your father. swear to you
that will save him yet"
"YOu-you cannot
81 tell you that can and will" For
even rs spoke an idea had flashed into
my head which startled me by its au-
dacity. In a moment l had thought
out every detail.
| l made up the stones, Lambton dia-
mond and all. into a packet, carefully
closing the secret drawer, and contriv-
ing to get away without being seen.
and went straight to my brothers
house In Kent. managing to avoid the
service of a subpoena. Thus l was not
present at the police court proceedings,
which would have meant ruin for my
plan.
Mr.. Nugent was committed for trial,
and meanwhile l stayed in the country,
working each night in locked room,
with the tools had brought with me,
until the gray dawn filtered upon my
closed shutters.
When | saw my old employer in the
dock at the trial l was shocked at the
| oh w, oh y-h i,.l, boI
him.
The evidence at first went steadily
against him. Lord Lambton swore
that the stone in the ring was not his
diamond. One expert testified that
not only was the stone he now saw not
the Lambton diamond, but was not a
genuine jewel at all, but a marvellous
imitation. Another was not so posi-
tive. He looked at the gem through
his glass, turning it this way and that,
declaring that in all his experience he
had never seen false stone so cleverly
executed as this. Indeed. he was not
prepared to swear that it was false.
This was the first ray of doubt which
had been thrown by the evidence upon
i Mr.. Nugent's guilt: and then | went
into the box. | was very cool now. for
the game l had determined on had
cost me many a qualm OF conscience.
But l had no intention of cheating
Lord Lamhton. swearing falsely, or
furnishing my personal honor
The preliminary question of the pros
ecuting counsel brought out the fact
that | had designed the rings setting,
and done all the work upon it.
What sort of stone was 1t your en-
ployer gave you TO set:' was the next
question.
An extremely valuable white dia-
: mond." | replied.
do you swear that you set the genu.
Inc stone. and delivered the ring when
finished to the prisoner?'
Il do"
do you consider 1t possible tina,
stone might have been taken out and
: an imitation one substituted?"
) Certainly. But | could tell whether
the ring had been tempered with since
1t left my hands,"
Take this. then. examine It, and in
form the court if that Is the stone yor
| set"
t The ring was handed to me, and
hush fell upon the court. The kind o.
lull which denotes that a vital point il
[ a case has been reached.
l l put my hand In my waistcoa
: pocket for my jewelers. glass. and tn,
sharpest eye could not have seen tina
e | also drew forth a new ring. made Ii
0 the secret hours of the night-an ex
act counterpart of the other, save tina
h 1t contained the real Lambton dia
e mond.
J, l pretended to examine the imitation
e with great care while all eyes wer
e fixed upon me. At length / returne,
g the glass to my pocket. and with 1t tn
/, false stone. ] could hear my owl
b heart beating. but. handing the cour
usher the new ring. l said firmly, il
q | reDly 70 the snanDiSh sWeIl7r of RI