The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-05-12
NOT GUILTY.

Il u IL IL IL
The famous Lambton diamond threw
back the light from its many facets
and strange, brilliant colors shot from
its depths. 1t was the finest stone I
had ever set in my life.
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 | did not
envy young Lord Lambton his fancee;
and as 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
house was upstairs over the large
showroom in Clifford street. 1t was
In my own Nell l had a girl as good
against all custom for Nell to come
down to my workshop, for her father
dsapDroved our engagement. But to-
day ne had not been able to resist the
temptation of having a peep at the
Lambton diamond.
Just as she had slipped it on her fin
ger, and was dancing about twisting
her hand, that the marvellous stone
might catch the light, the door opened
& and Mr.. Nugent entered. l prepared
to defend Nell from harsh reprimand,
but none came. Her father appeared
oddly preoccupied, merely took the
ring from her, examined it earnestly,
land, swapping the lid of the case down
upon it, placed it in his pocket and
walked away.
Next day | was sitting at work when
D saw a hanson drive up and Lord
Hamilton jump out. He came hastily
into the showroom, which adjoined the
one where l was sitting, and where
Dir Nugent was.
"Scoundrel!" l heard him say, and
could scarcely believe my ears. "You
Thought to fool me easily by a false
Stone; but l am as good a judge of
Jewels as you are. You are thief,
Sir! What have you done with the
diamond intrusted to your"
l sat still. l understood very well
that Lord Lambton had deliberately
accused my employer of trying to palm
Off upon him an imitation diamond,
net | knew that | had set the true stone
end delivered it to Mr.. Nugent only
yesterday.
My employer himself was a skilled
Forkman, though not good designer,
and in the time that had elapsed be-
tween my handing him the ring and
bis transferring it to the owner he
gould have removed the stone and re-
placed it by another.
AS | thus speculated on the astound-
~ accusation, Mr.. Nugent himself
opened the door of the workroom. He
looked keenly at me, as if wondering
Hit would be safe to trust me.
f"Did you hear anything of what
PASSED in the next room?" he question
| admitted that l had
"Of course, l shall be triumphantly
&quitted," he announced clearing his
hroat huskily as he spoke. Still, Lord
hmbton can make things disagreea-
be. And look here, Wade, l haven't
dways been as friendly to you as l
might, but | can trust you. You'll be
az important witness. Do what you
ca for me, for the girls sake"
L was given no time to answer, for at
uat moment Lord Lambton returned
n VII two Scotland Yard men. My en-
pbyer was given into custody and
nken to the police station to be
. Mrged, the detectives remaining to
s@rch the premises.
Pr Nugent being widower, with
i only one child, the management of the
DKness practically devolved on me,
and as the detectives ransacked the
pnce, they put many questions to me
'6 All to where the stones were kept. The
saIes were all pointed out to them, but
$ tney seemed disappointed with their
"A variations.
Date in the evening they came to me
re u the workroom, and holding out the
"a rlng that l had made for Lord Lamb
"a ton, one of them said:
This is your work, we understand.
Ike "a That the stone you set?"
Iglanced at it, but l only replied: 81
aQa' call myself an expert in precious
Qnes, and all | can say is that this
q enc precisely resembles in size, shape
~ ana appearance the one given me to
selP
While this statement was practically
lei true that one glance had been enough
70 how me that l was not looking at
- tue 4ambton diamond.
:, vas about to lock up the place for
me hight, when Nell came in. 1t was
ene First time she had let me see her
since her father had been taken away.
7 heres something | must say to
4NH. she painted" something I've
W NHen wild to say all day lest it should
rs eH 20 late, but l dared not let any
Qne inspect A month ago father con-
AaeQ to me that he had lost a great deal
= % Noney--and he showed me how to
Dq, Nen4a secret drawer in his Chippen-
ler bureau. II ever anything happens
@ g He, he said, don't lose moment,
Gs 4st iook into this drawer; throw away
y, fhing that you will find in the
: d md partition, and keep what may
u 81 the right"
4eHether we ransacked the old bu-
s"z' and at length Nell touched the
80 -2 AA8 which opened the secret drawer.
, ens i'ght of the candle which l held
Mp - eek out CLEAN from pile of ex-