The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1898-11-25

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 al 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 a CLEAN from a pile Of exquisitely
made false stones, which lay In a parti-
ticn on the left hand, while on the right
was the Lambton diamond.
IDvoluntarily I betrayed the dread
full nature Of the discovery 10y 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
l held her. ale Is ruined forever-and
I. too. The daughter Of a convicted
thief is no fit 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
II tell you that can and WILL" For
even as I spoke an idea had flashed into
my head which startled me by It's au-
dacity. In O moment had thought
out every detail.
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 was not
present at the police court proceedings,
which would have meant ruin for my
plan.
Mr.. Nugent was committed for trial,
and meanwhile I stayed In the country,
working each night IN locked room,
with the tools 1 had brought with me,
until the gray dawn filtered upon my
closed shutters.
When I saw my old employer in the
dock at the trial was shocked at the
CHASTITY change which had come over
him.
The evidence at fret 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 q
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 a 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
Mr.. Nugent's guilt; and then / went
into the box. l was very cool now, for
| the game | had determined on had
cost me many a qualm of conscience
But I had no Intention Of cheating
Lord LambtOn. swearing falsely, OF
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 1t.
what sort Of stone was 1t your EN-
ployer gave you to set?" was the mex
question.
IAN extremely valuable white dla
mond," I replied.
do you swear that you set the genu
me stone, and delivered the ring wher
finished to the prsOnerT
81 do"
"Do you consider It possible tina
stone might have been taken out anC
an imitation one substltutedT
Certainly. But could tell whether
the ring had been tempered with since
It left my hands,
"Take this, then, examine It, and IN
form the court If that is the stone you
set"
The ring was handed to me, and
hush fell upon the court. The kind o
lull which denotes that a vital point Il
case has been reached.
l put my hand In my waistcoa
pocket for my jewelers. glass, and tn
sharpest eye could not have seen tina
I also drew forth a new ring, made Il
the secret hours Of the night-an ex
act counterpart of the other, save tina
It contained the real Lambton dia
mond.
pretended TO examine the Imitation
with great care while all eyes wer
fixed upon me. At length 1 returne'
the glass to my pocket, and with 1t tn
false stone. / could hear my owl
heart beating, but handing the cour
usher the new ring. l said firmly, 4
reply to the snapplsh "WellT' Of tn
prosecuting counsel:
Il swear unhesitatlngly that the sci
ting Of this ring has not been tampere
with, and that this Is the genuine dis
mond which was given me to set"