Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1899-02-24
NOT GULL

/
| In my own Nell had girl good |
| against all custom for Nell come
| down to my workshop, for h.ather
| disapproved our engagement II to-
| day she had not been able to rH the
| temptation OF having peep the
LAM ton diamond.
Just as she had slipped it on fin
ger, and was dancing about txing
her hand, that the marveloustone
might catch the light, the door ened
and Mr.. Nugent entered. l pared
to defend Nell from harsh repr and,
but none came. Her father apTed
oddly preoccupied, merely too the
ring from her, examined it earthly,
and, swapping the lid of the case pwn
upon it, placed it in his pockeand
walked away.
Next day l was sitting at work zen
saw a hanson drive up and ord
Lambton Jump out. He came hily
into the showroom, which adjoinethe
one where l was sitting, and we're
Mr.. Nugent was.
"Scoundrel," l heard him say. nd
could scarcely believe my ears. ou
thought to fool me easily by fse
stone; but l am as good a judgeoi
Jewels as you are. You are a thnf
sir, What have you done with II
diamond l intrusted to you?"
l sat still l understood very vi
that Lord Lambton had deliberate
accused my employer of trying to pa1
off upon him an imitation diamon
yet knew that / had set the true stoa
and delivered it to Mr.. Nugent on,
yesterday.
My employer himself was a skill
| workman. though not good designe
| and in the time that had elapsed b
| tween my handing him the ring al
| his transferring it to the owner
| could have removed the stone and r
! N kisssa acedsaflon. Mr.. Nugent himse
opened the door of the workroom.
| looked keenly at NE. as if wonderir
| if it would be safe to trust me.
Ibid you hear anything of VIII
| passed in the next ROOM" he question
| ed
| / admitted that l had.
| "Of course. l shall be triumphant
l acquitted" he announced, clearing b
| throat huskily as he spoke. Still, Lol
Lambton can make things disagree
BILE. And look here, Wade, l haven
always been as friendly to you as
might, but l can trust you. You'll
an important witness. Do what W
can for me, for the girls sake"
| was given no time to answer, for
that moment Lord Lambton return
with two Scotland Yard men. My er
ployer was given into custody al
taken to the police station to
charged, the detectives remaining
search the premises.
Mr.. Nugent being a widower, wi
only one child, the management of t
business practically deyolved on n
and as the detectives ransacked t
place, they put many questions to L
as to where the stones were kept t
safes were all pointed out to them, b
Ithey seemed disappointed with the
operations.
| Late in the evening they came to 7
in the workroom, and holding out t
lring that l had made for Lord Lam
ton, one of them said:
This is your work, we understaT
Is that the stone you set?"
| glanced at it, but / only replied:
don't call myself an expert in precio
stones, and all 1 can say is that Il
one precisely resembles in size, sha
and appearance the one given me
set"
While this statement was practical
true, that one glance had been enou
to show me that / was not looking
the Lambton diamond.
was about to lock up the place
the night, when Nell came in. It W
the first time she had let me see /
since her father had been taken aw;
There's something l must say
you," she something I
been wild to say all day lest it shot
be too late, but l dared not let a
: one suspect A month ago father &C
!, I, fided TO me that he ad lost great d,
of money-and he showed me how
Iopen a secret drawer in his Chippe
dale bureau. If ever anything happ,
!, 10 me- ne Sdlu. QOu lose mOHt
. but look into this drawer; throw av
| everything that you will find in
, left-hand partition, and keep what n
. be in the right
II Together We ransacked the old
!, reau, and at length Nell touched
spring which opened the secret draw
The light OF the candle which Il b
struck out CLEAN from a pile of
. | quisitely made false stones, which
in partition on the left hand, while
the right was the Lambton diamons
Ny poor father" she moaned, a
held her. He is ruined forever
II /, too. The daughter of convie
/ | thief IS no fit wife for an honest ma
II My darling, You are a wife 70
? king, and as for your father. ! sw
to you that / will save him yet
Even as spoke an idea had hasl
into my head which startled me by
audacity- In moment / had thou
out every detail.
\ / made up the stones, Lambton {
mond and all, into a packet. carefI
closing the secret drawer, and cont