The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-05-25
THE GERMAN GIRL s. DIAMONDS.
They Were Well Hidden Her Hair and the Maid Was Beaut
full, but the Gems Did Not Escape the Ken5.of
Betenut Jack.

ton; It having been overworked to the
Ioint Of death since my connection with
the Customs.
But alas! these white dreams faded;
at the end I was ready to execute the
orders Of Betelnut Jack: and that which
decided ME was surely the weakest
thought of all. Somehow, 1 had In my
conscience put down the coming German
maiden as beautiful; Bete!nut Jack had
said her age was twenty-five which
helped me, doubtless, to this thought OF
a girlish loneliness Thus, my imagin-
ings worked in favor of the girl. But
next the thought fell blackly that she
would some day-probab bly, a near LAY
love some man unknown and marry
him. Possibly this lover she already
knew; perhaps he was here and she on
her way to meet him! This will SOUND
like jest; it will earn derision from
healthful balanced spirits: and yet j tell
but the truth experienced vague re-
sentfu1 jealousy, hated this imagined low
er of a girl I'd never met; and Waxed
contemptuous OF aug11t of leniency to-
wards one or both. would do as Be-
telnut Jack said; would go down to
quarantine on the morrow and would
find the diamonds.
1t was late in the afternoon when with
a woman assistant, boarded the Nv Ole
gang" in the Narrows. My lean, gray,
aged German was readily picked up; his
daughter was with him. And her beauty
was as I'd painted on the canvas OF my
thoughts. Yet as beheld the loneliness
which might have melted me, / recalled
that lover to whose arms she might be
coming and was hardened beyond recall
I told the 1nspectress to take her into
private room and find tlle diamonds
With that I turned my back and strolieo
to the forward deck. Even at that als-
lance I heard the s.-riek Of the girl when
her treasure was discovered; smiled:
.'There will be less for the loVer!s1
thought.
% When NV woman assistant-accom
might be the better term-Jolneds me- sue
had the Jewels. They We're IN a 1ol's
eel-skin receptacle, sewed l1ghtiy; anu
had been secreted in the girls hair as de-
ecrihed nv Betelnut Jack. I took the
gems. and buttoning them in my coat,
fold NV aide-who with a, feminine tash-
ion of bitterness, seemed exultanl over
having deprived another of her geW-
gaws-to arrest the girl, hold her until
the boat locked frignten her with tales
Of letters and dungeons and Changing
bars. and at the last to lose her on the
wharf. It would be nine o'clock OF thc
night by then, and murk dark; this loss
of her prisoner would seem to come hon
estly about.
than bending to a relation of cold gray,
ha rd snntenders facts, 7 would at this crisis
defy Retelnut Jack, rescue the beautlIul
girl. restore her jewels, love her, WIN
her. wed her, and with her true GEAR
arms about me- live happy ever after.
AS It was, however, did nothing OF thai
good sort Ny aide obeyed dlrectlons
in mood at once thorough, bhthe a11c
spi,efui and never more did = ser eyes
on the blind father or the tearlui
poor. pretty victim Of our diamond hunt
ing. Lost in the crush and hustle OF
the wharf, they were never found, never
looked for and never rendered themselves:
I had considered what profit from these
Jewels might accrue to the ring and the
means by which it would be arrived at.
T took it for granted that some subst1tu-
tional arts-when paste would take the
places of old mine gens-would be re-
sorted to as in the excellent Instance OF
the Emperor's Cigars. I still believe that
this would have been the better, as II
would surely have been the more prom
table course.
But Betelnut Jack shook his careful
head: there would be no hokus-pokus OF
substitution; there were good reasons
also, there was another way secure. II
our profits were somewhat shaved. our
safety would be augmented; and Betel-
| nut Jacks watchword was Safety first
T was bound to acquiesce: the more
| readily did SO as I, like Lorns and Gum
had grown to feelings Of perfect conf
dence in the plans of Retelnut JACK
| However. since I had brushed ASIDE ell
auette and broken the ice of the matter
with my chief, I at tle close of discussion
! asked how he meant to manoeuvre IN
| the affair.
| ..Waitn' retorted Betelnut Jack, and
| that was the utmost he would say
! n due time came the usual auction
| and the gems were sold. They were
snapped up by syndicate Of wise folk
| of Maiden Lane who paid therefor into
the hands of the government the even
SIM Of one hundred thousand dollars
| Still II saw not how the ring would have
| advantages; no way could open Tor US
| to handle those one hundred thousand
dollars in whole or in part. | was in
error: a condition whereof l was soon
to be made pleasantly aware.
OnGthe following the sale. and while
| the price paid still slept 5unbanked IN The
customs boxes of protested there came
| one to see our canny chief. is useless
| to waste description on this man. Suffice
| # that he was in fact and in appearance
as skulkingly the coward scoundrs as
might anywhere be met. This creeping
creature was shown into the Drivate
rooms of Betelnut Jack. A moment later