Amador ledger., 1903-08-07

well, what do you think of itT
asked Hinchman's friend of Hinchman.
"They amt worth as much as we
thought, but there's a good clear profit
in it for you in case my friend here
don't pay, and if he does you get your
money back, with good big interest and
q bonus besides at the end of a week" ="
The diamonds were again produced
and once more examined. From that
time on Abe Hinchman kept his eyes,
not on the faces of his friends, but on
the diamonds.
"I'll do it," he finally announced. He
slowly withdrew from his pocket the
envelope containing the $3.50 and a
small bag. He counted the money
in front of the two men, and they
put the diamonds in the bag at his
request After he had counted the
money and replaced it in the envelope
and once more examined the diamonds
and replaced them in the bag, which
he did more or less carelessly, keeping
up a steady conversation all the time,
he laid both upon the table.
NOW, gents. uc Ill q
stranger here, and 1 rely on your honor
not to do me. This here is a fair and
square deal on my part, and s'pose IL
is on yours. Now, there's your moray
and here's''-
There was a loud rap on the door
and a man broke in. He was not in
uniform. but he wore some kind of
shield, which he exhibited. Behind
him were two other men.
Don't mover he yelled to the three
men around the table. 81 arrest the
whole gang for robbery
Hinchman's two companions sprane
to the table, showed Hinchman aside
Liabbed the bag containing the jewels
and the envelope containing the money
and made for the door.
Run for your lifer' they yelled to
Hinchman. Its the cops! These
stones is sselenp' They waited not,
but burst through the men at the door
and leaped down the stairs Hinch-
man was left to face the three men.
'Well, SIR" said the leader severely.
1--WE got you anyways. What you got
to say for yourself?"
Hinchman told the whole story from
beginning to end. The three men evi-
IDENTIFY didn't believe it, but neverthe-
less they marched him to the corner of
the street and there told him they
would let him go provided he would
appear at the police station in the
morning to prosecute the others. He
promised, and they left him He took
to his heels and sprinted for his board
ing house: Once there, he gathered up
his grip, paid his reckoning and jump
ed on the nearest trolley car Eventu-
ally he fetched up at the Astor House
There he took a ROOM
Once in his room, he slung his grip
in corner, took off his hat and wiped
his brow with a bandanna kerchief:
Then he drew carefully from his in
side pocket first an envelope and then
a small bag. In the envelope was Abe
Hinchman's 5000, and in the bag were
four genuine stones. The other men,
wherever they were, also had an en-
velope and little bag. but in the one
was simply a roll of green paper and
in the other few dried beans.
Abe Hinchman had merely played it
as low down on 'em as he could; that's
ALL Legerdemain comes in handy once
in awhile. He shopped around and
sold two of the stones. The other two
he kept.
A week later Abe Hinchman stepped
off the train at Flatbrook and saun-
tered down the street. A diamond stud
shone in his shirt bosom. He smoked
twenty cent cigar.
"Pretty flip, Abe remarked towns
mantle jeweler, in fact-as he in
spected the pin. where d you get
the dough?'
"Just been taking little flier in Wall
street with the boys" remarked Abe
carelessly. Another hailed him.
"Well, Abe" said this one, you look
first rate. What you been doin' down
thereT'
"Well," returned Abe, you can just
bet that l stood on the steps in front
of the Astor House along with the best
of them; yes, sir, did,
Here's a, little thing Tor YOU NIL
lie," suggested Abe to Doc Clarkson's
girl that day-"that is, if you'll say
Yes" 1t was a magnificent solitaire
ring. ooh, Abew sighed the young lady
in assent.
A week later Abe Hinchman enter
tanned a select audience with the In
dian box trick, the sword trick, the
clothes basket trick, the cabinet trick
and every trick in the business. 1t was
simply great