St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1904-07-09
FOR. THE
GIRLS SAKE
By FRANK THOMAS

HE famous CHAMPION diamor
/ threw back the light from it's man
Facets, and strange, brilliant colors sht
from its depths. 1t was the finest stor
mad ever seen in my life.
was particularly pleased with my d.
sign for the setting. No other hand ha
touched it, and felt that the frame, 8
70 speak, was worthy of the picture.
Inc ring, now that it was finished, wa
" even to adorn the hand of Gwendole
FORREST, the beauty and heiress of tn
season. But did not envy young MI
Crampton his fiancee; in my own Me-
mad girl as good and as pretty as an
In the land.
| was about to take the ring to MI
Nugent when Nell herself ran in. Sh
was my employers daughter, and his pri
vate house was upstairs over the larg
showroom in Clifford street. It wa
against all custom for Nell to come dow
| 70 my workshop, for her father disap
proved our engagement. But to-day sh,
naa not been able to resist the tempta
tloa OF having peep at the Cramptor
dia-nond..
Just as she had slipped 1t on her finger
anu was dancing about, twisting hel
hand that the marvellous stone NIGH
catch the light, the door opened and Mr.
Nugent entered. l prepared to defend
Nell from a harsh reprimand, but none
came. He father appeared oddly preoc-
cupled, merely took the ring from her
examined it earnestly, and, swapping the
10 OF the case down upon it, placed it in
MS pocket and walked away.
Next day l was sitting at work when
saw hanson drive up, and Mr.. Cramp-
ton jump out. He came hastily into the
showroom, which adjoined the one where
l was sitting, and where Mr.. Nugent
was.
Scoundrel!" heard him say, and
could scarcely believe my ears. "You
thought to fool me easily by a false
stone, but l am as good Judge of jew
els as you are. You are a thief sir!
What have you done with the diamond
intrusted to your"
Mr.. Nugent answered in lower voice.
What he said could not have made any
great impression upon Mr.. Champion,
however, for he impatiently interrupted,
aid at last an ominous threat concerning
the police" reached my ears.
I sat, still. understood we'll that Mr..
Champion had deliberately accused my
employer of trying to palm off upon him
an imitation diamond, yet knew that
had set the true stone and delivered it
to Mr.. Nugent only yesterday.
My employer himself was skilled
workman, though not good designer,
and in the time that had elapsed between
my handing him the ring and his trans
ferring it to the owner he could have re-
moved the stone and replaced 1t by an
other. But such a bold trick to succeed
the imitation must be magnif1cently
made, and the original diamond must
have been carefully measured.
had never known that Mr. Nugent
Kept any false gems about the place. and
Jesides, was it likely that a man in his
position would care to run so terrible
'isk? Still, could not help remember
ng how haggard and irritable he had
been of late, and the keen interest that !
lie took in the stock exchange intelli- |
,ence.
As l thus specialized on the astounding
accusation Mr.. Nugent himself opend
he door of the workroom. He looked |
1v of vvon 10 - 4
'e safe to trust me.
did you hear anything of what passed
n the next room ?" he questioned.
I admitted that had.
"Of course, I shall be triumphantly ac-
uitted," he answered, clearing his
hroat huskily as he spoke. "Still, Mr..
hampton can make things disagreeable.
md, look here, Wade, haven't always
cen as frindly to you as might, but
an trust you. You'll be an important
Do what you can for me, for the
iris sake"
The words sounded strange, but was
lven no time to answer, for at that mo-
rent Mr.. Champion returned with two
cotland Yard men. My employer was
ven into custody and taken to the po-
ce station to be charged, the detectives
to search the premises.
Mr.. Nugent. being widower, with
1ly one child. the management of the ,
lsiness practically devolved on me,
i'd as the detectives ransacked the
ace they put many questions to me as
where the stones were kept. The safes
ere all pointed out to them, but they ,
emed disappointed with their opera f,
ons.
Late in the evening they came to me in :
e workroom, and, holding out the r
ng, that had made for Mr.. Champion. .
10 of them said:
This is your worF. we understand. Is
at the stone you set?"
glanced at it, but only replied: II :
MT call myself an expert in precious /,
mes, and all can say is that this one 6
ecisely resembles in size, shape, and y
pearance the one given me to set" n
While this statement was SUPERFICIAL
true, that one glance had been enough h
show me that was not looking at the G.
ampton diamond. v
The detectives left, saying that would n
We to tell all knew in the witness
K, and then, just as was about to lock a
the place for the night, Nell came in. O
was the first time she had let me see
r since her father had been taken k
'ay. u
rhe face which thought the sweetest
earth was marble white. and there
re dark shadows under her lashes,
There's something must say to
L." she painted. something I've been "
d to say all day lest it should be too :.
e, but dared not let any one suspect. II