The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-05-19
audacity. In moment had thought
mt lnknil

/
out every detail.
| | made up the ones, Lambton dia-
mOnd aud all, into packet, carefully
closing the secret drawer, and con-
| irving to get away without being seen,
and went straight to my brothers
| house i'll Kent, managing to avoid the
subpoena. Thus | was II 1t present at
| the police court proceedings.
Mr.. Nugent was committed for trial
and meanwhile stayed in the coun-
try working each night in my locked
room, with the tools | had brought
with lie, until the first dawn filtered
| under nv shutters.
When l saw my old employer in the
| dock ut the trial | was Stocked at the
CHASTITY change that came over him.
The evidence at first went against
him. Lord Lambton swore that the
stone in the ring delivered to him by
MIR. Nugent's own hand was not the
same diamond. One expert t, stified
that not only was the stone he now
saw not the Lambton diamond, but
not genuine jewel at all, but mar
vicious imitation. Another was not SO
positive. Indeed he was not prepared
TO swear it was false.
Then | went into the box. l was
very cool now, for the game l had de-
termined on had cost me many qualm
of conscience. But / had 10 intention
of cheating Lord Lsmbton. swearing
falsely or furnishing my personal
honor.
The preliminary question of the
prosecuting counsel brought out the
fact that l had designed the rings set
ting, and done all the work upon it.
What sort of stone was it 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 gen.
uine stone, and delivered the ring
when finished to the prisoner 81
81 do"
do you consider it possible that
that stone might have been taken out
and an imitation one substituted ?''
Certainly. But could tell whether
the ring had been tempered with since
it left my hands,"
Take this then, examine it, ard in
form the court if that is the stone you
t."
The ring was handed to me and q
hush fell upon the court. The kind of
lull which denotes that vital point
in case has been reached.
l put my hand in my waistcoat
pocket for my jewelers. glass, and then
the sharpest eye could not have seen
that l also drew forth a new ring, made
in the secret hours of night-an exact
counterpart of the other save that it
contained the real Lambton diamond.
AT length ! returned the glass to my
! l. A.
false stone. could hearmy own heart
beating, but, handing to the court
usher the new ring, said firmly in reply
to the snappish well ?" of the prose-
cutting counsel:
"Iswear 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"
The toubting expert pricked up his
ears. The prosecuting counsel, with
Lord Lambton and the treasury solicit
tor, were whispering over the ring.
"M'lud," said the counsel, 81 ask
permission to recall the expert"
| stepped out of the box and The ex-
pert stepped in. The new ring was
put into his hand, friendly ray of
sunshine lighting up the jewel.
This is very remarkable. It's the
first time have ever made mistake.
This stone is genuine" he said.
And SO the prisoner was free, but
when the verdict Not guilty" was
given, "a dead man was taken from the
dock. A spasm of tie heart had proved
fatal.
Six months later Nell and were mar.
ried. One day in lane ne r Ilfracombe
we came face to face with Lord Lamb
ton, who was stopping with his bride
in a neighboring country house.
'Ah, Mr.. Wade !" he exclaimed, 81
haven't seen you since tsat very mys-
teiious case of mine. Do you know, l
have ever since thought of you as a
very clever man? Pr
THANK you," said quietly. "Will
you allow me, my l.rd, to present to
you my wife-the only daughter of the
late Nugent."
Lord Lambton removed his hat,
looked keenly ut pretty Nell, shook
hands with us both and murmured:
thAh I tndorctonl ~