The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1898-11-25
THE LAMBT0N
DIAMOND.

/" HE famous Lambton diamond
threw back the light from its
- many facets, and strange, bril-
liant colors shot from its depths. 1t
was the finest stone had ever set In
my life.
was particularly pleased with my
design for the setting. No other hand
had touched It, and l felt that the
frame, so to speak, was worthy Of the
picture.
The ring, now that It was finished,
was fit even to adorn the hand Of
Lady Gwendolen Forrest the beauty
and heiress Of the season. But l did
not envy young Lord Lambton his
fiancee; in my own Nell had girl
as good and as pretty as any In the
land.
1 was about to take the ring to Mr..
Nugent when Nell herself ran In. She
was my employers daughter, and his
private house was upstairs over the
large showroom In Clifford street 1t
was against all custom for Nell to come
down to my workshop, for her father
disapproved our engagement. But to-
day she had not been able to resist the
temptation Of having a peep at the
Lambton diamond.
Just as she had slipped Il on her
finger, and was dancing about twisting
her hand, that the marvellous stone
might catch the light, the door opened
and Mr.. Nugent entered. prepared to
defend Nell from q harsh reprimand,
but none came. Her father appeared
oddly preoccupled, merely took the ring
from her, examined 1t earnestly, and,
swapping the lid of the case down
upon It, placed II IN his pocket and
walked away.
Next day l was sitting az work, when
I saw a hanson drive up, and Lord
Lambton jump out He came hastily
into the room, which adjoined the
one where l was sitting where Mr.. NJ
gent was.
"Scoundreis J heard him say, and
could scarcely believe my ears, "You
thought to fool me easily by false
stone, but I am as good a Judge Of
Jewels as you are, You are q thief,
sir What have you done with the
diamond intrusted to your
Mr.. Nugent answered IN o lower
voice. What he said could not have
made any great impression upon Lord
LambtOn, however, for he impatiently
interrupted, and at last an ominOus
threat concerning the police" reached
my ears.
sat still 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 had set the
true stone and delivered 1t to Mr.. MI
gent only yesterday.
My employer himself was a skilled
workman, though not a good designer
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 it by another. But for such q
bold trick to succeed the imitation must
be magnihcently made, and the orig
lnaI diamond must have been carefully
measured.
I had never known that Mr. Nugent
kept any false gems about the place
and besides was It likely that a man II
his position would care to run so ter
rible risk? Still, could not help re
membering how haggard and irritabl,
he had been of late, and the keen in
terest that he took in the racing in
telligence.
As thus speculated on the astound
ing accusation, Mr.. Nugent himsel
opened the door Of the workroom. III
looked keenly ut me as If wondering +
It would be safe to trust me.
Did you hear anything of wha
passed in the next roomY' he Ques
toned.
! admitted that had.
"Of course. / shall be triumphant,
acquitted" be announced, clearing hi
throat, huskily, as he spoke. "Still
Lord Lambton can make things dis
agreeable. And look here, Wade,
haven't always been as friendly to yor
MS / might, but l can trust you. You'll
be an important witness. Do wha
you can for me, for the girls sake"
The words sounded strange. but
was given no time to answer, for a
: that moment Lord LambtOn returne
} with two Scotland Yard men. My en-
= ployer was given into custody an
taken to the police station to b
charged, the detectives remaining t
search the promises.
. Mr.. Nugent being n widOwer wit
only one child, the management Of IN
business practically devolved on m,
and as the detectives ransacked tn
. place, they put many questions to N
as to where the stones were kept. Tn
safes were all pointed out to then
but they seemed disappointed wit
their operations.
Later In the evening they came 10 N
IN the workroOm, and, holding out III
ring that l had made for Lord Laml
ton, one Of them said;
''This is your work" we understan'