Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-10-13
FOR THE
GIRLS SAKE
By FRANK THOMAS


had ever seen In my life.
was particularly pleased with my de-
sign for the setting. No other hand had
touched 1t. and / felt that the frame, so
~ speak, was worthy OF the picture.
The ring. now that it was finished, was
At even 10 adorn the hand Of Gwendolen
FORREST. the beauty and heiress Of the
season. But did not envy young Mr..
CHAMPION his fiancee; in my own Nell
7 had a girl as good 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 pri-
vate house was upstairs over the large
showroom In Clifford street II was
AGAINST all custom for Nell to come down
To my workshop, for her father disap-
proved our engagement. But to-day she
lad not been able to resist the tempta-
ton Of having a peep at the Champion
diamond.
Just as f'.a had slipped It on her finger
and was L@ncing about, twisting her
hand that the marvellous stone might
catch the light. the door opened and Mr.
Eugent entered | prepared to defend
Nell from a harsh reprimand but none
came. He father appeared oddly preoe-
cupled. merely took the ring from her
examined ii earnestly and swapping the
I'D OF the case down upon Il. placed II in
his pocket and walked away.
Next day | was sitting al work when
Igaw a hanson drive up, and Mr. CFamp-
ton jump ont He came hastily into the
showroom. which adjoIBed the one where
was sitting, and where Mr. Nugent
was
"scountrtlt" I heard him say. and
could scarcely believe my ears You
thought to fool me easily BY a false
stone but ! am as good judge Of jew
els as you are. You are thief sir!
What have you done with the diamond
] lntrusted 70 you?'
Mr. Nugent answered In a lower voice
What be said could not have made any
great impression upon Mr. Champion
however for he impatiently interrupted
and at last an ominous threat concerning
the police reached my ears
I sat still understood well that Mt
CHAMPION had deliberately accused my
employer u trying 70 palm OF upon him
an imitation diamond. yet ! knew that
I had set the true stone and delivered IL
to MI. Nugent only yesterday
Ny employer himself was a skilled
workman. though not a good designer,
and In the time that had elapsed between
my handing him the ring and his trans
ferring ii TO the owner he could have re-
moved the stone and replaced Il By an
other. But such a bold trick 20 succeed
the imitation must be maguifcently
made. and the original diamond must
have been carefully measured
I had never known that Mr.. Nugent
kept any false gems about the place and
besides, was IL likely that a man in his
position would care to run soterrible a
risk Sull ! could not help remember
ing how haggard and irritable he had
been Of late and the keen interest that
De took in the stock exchange intelli-
pence.
ASH thus speculated on the astounding
accusation Mr. Nugent himself opend
the door Of the workroom.
Did you hear anything OF what passed
In the next room hequestioned.
! admitted that had
"Of course, / shall be triumphantly ac-
Quilted. he answered clearing his
throat huskily as he spoke ''still Mr..
CHAMPION can make things disagreeable,
And. look here. Wade haven't always
been as frindly TO you as might but
can trust you You'll be an important
witness, DO what you can for ne, for the
girls sake"
The words sounded strange, but was
given no time to answer. for at that mo-
ment Mr.. Champion returned with two
Scotland Yard men. Ny employer was
given into custody and taken to the po-
lice station to BE charged, the detectives
remaining TO search the premises.
Late In the evening they came tomei in
the workroom. and. holding ont the
ring, that had made for Mr. Champion,
one of them said:
This Is your work, we understand. Is
hat the stone you set?'
glanced at it. but | only replied: Il
don't call myself an expert 10 precious
stones and all can say Is that this one
r-e~.~el- -cs -rh'e7 II s'7o, share. and
appearance the one given me 70 set :"
While this statement was SUPERFICIAL
ly true. that one glance had been enough
TO show me that | was not looking at the
Champion diamond
The detectives left. saving that would
have 10 tell all ] knew IN the witness
Oox. and then. just as was about 70 lock
up the place for the night Nell came in.
i was the first time she had let me see
her since her father had been taken
away.
The face which thought the sweetest
On earth was marble white and there
were dark shadows under her lashes-
There's something must say to