Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1898-10-26
THE LAMBTON
DIAMOND.

many Ihcels- anu oA"Neo'
liant colors shot from its depths. III
was the finest stone | had ever set In
my life.
| was particularly pleased with my
design for the setting. NO other hahu
had touched It, and | felt that the
frame, so to speak, was worthy OF the
picture.
The ring, now that 1t was finished,
was fit even 10 adorn the hand OF
Lady Gwendolen Forrest, the beauty
and heiress of the season. But L ola
not envy young Lord Lambton his
fancee; In my own Nell | had a girl
as good and rs pretty as any In the
land.
| 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 peep AT the
Lambton diamond.
Just as she had slipped 1t 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 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 adjoined the
one where | was sitting where Mr.. Nh
gent was.
"Seoundrel." | heard him say. and
could scarcely believe my ears. You
thought to fool me easily by false
stone; but | am as good a Judge of
jewels as you are. You are thief,
sir What have you done with the
diamond intrusted TO you!"
Mr.. Nugent answered In lower
voice. What he said could not have
made any great impression upon Lord
Lambton. however. for he impatlently
Interrupted. and at last an ominous
threat concerning the police reached
my ears.
sat still. l understood very well
that Lord Lambton had deliberately
accused my employer of trying 10
palm off upon him an imitation dia
mond yet | 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 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
bold trick TO succeed the imitation must
be magnificently made, and the orig
inal diamond must have been carefully
measured
| had never known that Mr.. Nugent
kept any false gems about the place.
and besides was 1t likely that man in
r.ble risk? STILL | could not help re-
membering how haggard and irritable
he had been of late and the keen In
terest that he took in the racing In
telligence.
AS thus speculated on the astound-
inn NIr Nnnant hin,
opened the door of the workroom. He
looked keenly mt me as il wondering IL
1t would be safe to trust me.
did you hear anything of what
passed in the next room?" he ques-
toned.
| admitted that | had.
"Of course. | shall be triumphantly
acquitted" he announced, clearing his
throat huskily. MS he spoke. Still,
Lord Lambton can make things dis
agreeable. And look here, Wade. |
haven't always been as friendly TO you
as | might, but ! can trust you. You'll
be an important witness. Do what
you can for me. for the girls sake"
The words sounded strange. but |
was given no time To answer. for at
that moment Lord Lambton returned
with two Scotland Yard men. My EN-
ployer was given into custody and
taken TO the police station to be
charged, the detectives remaining to
search the premises.
Mr. Nugent being wldower, with
only one child, the management of the
business practically devolved ON me,
and rs the detectives ransacked the
place, they put many questions to me
as 10 where the stones 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:
This Is your work" we understand.
"Is thar the stone you setT