Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-02-07


wife to get up and come DOWN.
~ hope there'll be no necessity Tor
that" replied the inspector, with
pleasant smile. "But now, gentlemen,
we must get to work. please. Ii isn't
pleasant for any Of ms, ] know, but it's
our duty, and IL must be done"
The formality resulted exactly as the
sstute Mickey had predicted II would.
The diamonds, parcel Of stones worth
about a200 at first cost. were promptly
found in Jossey's pocket, and he played
the tyro IN !. d. B. with q perfection
that was by no means all art.
Mickey Of course did the virtuously
indignant relative and disappointed
bcnefacsor without naw. not only a,
the moment Of discovery, but at the
police court the next morning. So well
indeed did both play their parts that to
Inspector Lipinski's intense disgust the
magistrate refused to send the chief
criminal to the special court for trial,
and so after providing generously for
the defense OF his erring relative he
left the courthouse . triurhphantly
whitewashed man.
Al the next sitting Of the special
court Jossey got Eve years. and the
Same train which took him to Caps
Town happened also to take Mrs. Mi.
chael Muratti. who. for reasons Of
health, had been advised TO take . trip
10 Europe to avoid the worst Of the hot
season In Kimberley. Inspector Lipin-
ski still had his suspicious. but even
they did not 60 20 far as to put value
Of about $50, 900 ON the high and hol-
low heels Of the lady's dainty French
made boots.
Nearly I've years later Michael Mu.
ratti. Esq, was sitting at the writing
table in the library Of his town resi-
dence In Lancaster Gate. He was read.
ing letter and swearing softly under
his breath at every line Of II. When he
had read IL through for the second time,
he crushed il up In his hand, stuffed il
into his trousers pocket, went and stood
ON the hearth rug with his short, sturdy
legs wide apart, and said to life sized
portrait Of himself which hung in the
middle Of the opposite wall:
"No, bust me IL do! I've been gen.
erous to both Of them. and | can't stick
Il any longer. I'll give 'em just another
ci. 900 apiece for old times sake, and
that's the LOT. Half million apiece,
whew! Why don't they ask for the
whole caboodle at once? I'll SEQ them
selling fried fish first.
The explanation Of this resolution
may be briefly given ~ follows: Thanks
70 exemplary behavior aud certain
amount Of judiciously applied influence,
Mr.. Muratti's scapegoat had got of
with little over three years. The day
he came out he received the welcome
but not unexpected intelligence that
through the death Of relative in Lon
don he had come into about SO, 900
ready cash and property and securities
yielding about another 81. 900 year.
The same evening he renewed the ac-
quaintance Of Frank Ridley. who bad
been discharged without any assigned
reason in few weeks after the great
coup which had proved 20 worthless to
him. The bank had been advised by
cable that leaf had been stolen out Of
Mr.. Muratti's London checkbook and
cautioned not to cash any checks with.
out further notice. Hence the first g., :
500 had not been paid. The l o U Mr..
Muratti had laughed at The stones had
cost him quite enough already or would
do 80 before he had done with Jossey.
and he didn't propose 10 pay any more.
II was case Of dog eating dog, but
Ridley could do nothing without dis
closing the whole transaction, and that
would mean not less than ten years on
the breakwater for him, SO he grinned
aud bore 10 aud waited till Jossey came
out.
Meanwhile Mr.. Muratti grew ana
dourished exceedingly. Everything he
touched turned either to gold or dia.
monds, though he never touched any
thing Illicit after the last big deal.
He was quite great man now; but.
a. every one knows him, there Is no
need to repeat that, and there was not
a cloud on his financial or social horizon
save his connection with Jossey and the
present impossibiliiy Of getting intro
duced to the Prince Of Wales.
He had given Ridley . couple Of
thousand in cash on Jossey's strong rep
Tesentation and fondly thought that
would settle his unprovable claim for
good, but that was just where he had
made the biggest mistake Of his life.
Jossey came out Of penal servitude q
very different person from the shiftless
ne'er do we'll that he was when he EN-.
tered it. 1t had done him lot Of good.
II had put backbone into him. and be-
sides he had learned many things that
he VOTED not of before.
After more than three years Of penal
toll and discipline, imbittered by depri-
vation Of all creature comforts, Ii was
only In the course Of nature when he
regained his freedom and found himself
In command Of plenty Of money he
should be strongly inclined to compen.
.snte himself for his vicarious sufferings
ON q somewhat liberal scale.
It was in this humor that Ridley
had found him. He had made little
money. more or less honestly since his
discharge. and 20 there was no sugges-
tion of sponging. but he was very sore
still about the check and the 0 U, and
In Jcssey he thought be saw the means
Of getting square with the millionaire
who had done him such an unscrupu.
lous "shot In the eye"
To this end he worked both skillfully
and successfully on the ex-convict's Q
feelings until he came to look upon
himself as martyr and Michael Murat.
Il as monster Of ingratitude. What
were few paltry thousands to the mil
lions that were literally rolling in-the
millions which would never have bet
his II he, Joshua. had not borne the
penalty Of his crime? He had the plain
est right to good substantial share Of
them, aud 90, too, for the matter Of
that, had the man from whom Mick,
had 60 dishonesty obtained the stones
on which his new fortunes had been
founded.
As time went on these arguments were
very strongly enforced BY the fact th;
the aforesaid "paltry thousands" di
not 90 very far when Mr.. Joshua Mosen-
stein had once learned the joys Of spend
ing money with tho cheerful freedo
that is born Of sure and certain hoi
- - Icxo Sko~o I'LL A