The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1904-06-17
seemed disappointed with their opera

the workroom, and, holding out the
ring, that had made for Mr.. Champion,
one of them said:
This is your work, we understand. Is
that the stone you set?"
| glanced at it. but only replied: II
don't call myself an expert in precious
stones, and all l can say is that this one
precisely resembles in size, shape, and
appearance the one given me to set"
While this statement was superfecial-
ly true, that one glance had been enough
to show me that was not looking at the
Champion diamond.
The detectives left, saying that would
have to tell all l knew in the witness
box, and then, just as was about to lock
I'D the place for the night, Nell came in.
1t 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 l must say to
you," she painted, something I've been
wild to say all day lest it should be too
late, but / dared not let any one suspect.
month ago father confided to me that
he had lost a great deal of money, and
he showed me how to open a secret
drawer in his Chippendale bureau. If
ever anything happens to me- he said.
don't lose a moment. but look into this
drawer; throw away everything that you
will find in the left hand partition, and
keep what may be in the right.
Together we ransacked the old bureau,
and at length Nell touched the spring
which opened the secert drawer. drew
in my breath sharply, for the light of the
candle which l held struck OH. CLEAN
from a pile of exquisitely made false
stones which lay in a partition on the left
hand, while on the right was the Cramp-
ton diamond.
Inyoluntarily I betrayed the dreadful
nature of the discovery by an exciama-
ton for. left to herself, Nell would not
have understood. But she was quick TO
comprehend, and, realizing the worst,
she swayed, staggering backward.
s'My poor father!" she moaned, as |
held her. HE is ruined forever-and |,
too. The daughter of convicted thief
is no, fit wife of an honest mani
"My darlingi You are a wife for
king, and as for your father, swear to
you that will save him yet"
"You? You cannot!
81 tell you that I can and will" For
even as spoke an idea f1ashd into my
| head which startled me by its audacity.
In a moment had thought out every Ge-
tail.
made UP the stones. Champion dia-
mond and all, into packet, carefully
closing the secret drawer, and. contriv-
ing to get away without being seen, went
straight to my brothers house in Kent,
| managing to avoid the service OF sub
poena Thus / was not present at the
police court proceedings, which wouid
have meant ruin for my plan.
Mr. Nugent was committed for trial,
and meanwhile l staid in the country.
working each night in my locked room
with the tools l had brought with me
| until the gray dawn filtered under my
closed shutters.
When I saw my old employer in the
! dock at the trial l was shocked at the
CHASTITY change which had come over
him
| The evidence at first went steadily
against him. 1t was proved that he had
| lost money heavily on the stock eX-
| change. Mr.. Champion swore that the
stone in the ring delivered to him by Mr.
| Nugent's own hand was not his diamond.
| One expert testified that not only was
| the stone he now saw not the Champion
| diamond it was not a genuine jewef at
all, but a marvellous imitation. ALI
other was not so positive. He looked at
the gem through his glass, turning it this
way and that, declaring that in all his ex-
| perience he had never seen false stone
| so cleverly executed as this. Indeed, he
! was not prepared to swear that it was
false.
| This was the first ray of doubt which
| had been thrown by the evidence upon
Mr.. Nugent's guilt; and then went
| into the box | was cool now, for the
game had gone into had cost me many
qualm of conscience. But | had no in
| tention of cheating Mr.. Champion,
| swearing falsely, or furnishing my per-
sonal honor.
The preliminary question of the prose-
cutting counsel brought out the fact that
| had designed the rings setting and
done all the work upon it.
| What sort of a stone was it your en-
| ployer gave you to set?' was the next
| question.
IAN extremely valuable white dia-
L soI