Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-10-13


the left-hand partition, and keep what
may be In the right"
II.
Together we ransacted 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 Il part!-
tiCn on the left hand, while on thu right
was the Lnmbton diamond.
Involuntary l betrayed the dread
full nature of the discovery by an eX-
clamation, for, left to herself, Nell
would not have understood. But sho
was quick TO comprehend, and reaiiz-
ing the worst She 6wayed, staggering
backward.
''Aly poor father" she moaned, as
held her. He Is ruined forever-nnd
I, too, Tho daughter of a convicted
thief IS no fit wife for On honest man
"My darling, you are wife for king,
and as for your father, I swear to you
that Will save him yet"
'You-you cannot
II tell you that can and VIII" For
even as spoke an idea had flashed Into
my head which startled me by It's au-
dacity. In moment had thought
out every detail
l made up the stones, Lanbton did-
mond and all into packet, carefully
closing the secret drawer, and contriv-
Ing to get away without being seen,
and went straight to my brother )
house In Kent, managing to avoid the
service of O 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 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 was shocked at the
ghastly change which had come over
him.
The evidence at first went steadily
against him. Lord Lambton swore
that the stone In the ring was not mis-
diamond. One expert testified that
not only was the stone he now saw not
the Lambton diamond. but was not a
genuine Jewel at oil, but a marvellous
imitation. Another was not so posi-
tive. He looked at the gem through
his glass, turning 1t 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 1t was false.
This was the first ray of doubt which
had been thrown by the evidence upon
Mr.. Nugents guilt: and then went
into the box. | was very cool now, for
the game l had determined on had
cost me many 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 II your en-
ployer gave you to set?' was the next
question.
IAN extremely valuable white dia-
mond." ! replied.
"Do YOU swear that you set the genu.
Inc stone, and delivered the ring when
finished TO the prisonerT"
II do"
"po you consider 1t possible that
stone might have been taken out aud
an imitation one substituted?"
"Certainly. But could tell whether
the ring had been tempered with since
it left my hands,
Take this, then, examine II, 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 of
lull which denotes that vital point in
a case has been reached.
l put my hand in my waistcoat
pocket for my jewelers. glass, and the
sharpest eye could not have seen that
| also drew forth new ring, made In
the secret hours Of the night--an ex-
act counterpart of the other, save that
1t contained the real Lambton dia-
mond.
| pretended to examine the imitation
with great care while all eyes were
fixed upon me. At length / returned
the glass to my pocket, and with 1t the
false stone. l could hear my own
heart beating, but, handing the court
usher the new ring. l said firmly, in
reply to the snappish "Well?" Of the
prosecuting counsel:
Il swear unhesitatingly that the set.
ting Of this ring has not been tempered
with, and that this IS the genuine dia-
mond which was given me to set"