The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-09-24
JEWEL MYSTERIES
Bv MAX PElMBERTON.
Copyright, 1904.

how comes it that he can carry them
and yet be unconscious OF their values
But this l endeavored to conceal and
waited for him to speak.
"Well," said he, after pause, "do
you find much the matter with themR'
~ should want my glass to. see,.'
said l with caution; the light is fail
ing and my eyes are not good as they
were.'' =.
"You mean magnifying glass, I
fpdP his po sla ne RelauflP Rsppen lef o
have one.''
Why it was I cannot tell you, but this
trifing circumstance marked down in
my mind as my first sound cause Of
suspicion against him. Perhaps /
coupled it with that spontaneous dis
trust which I felt when first he spoke,
for the very softness of his voice was
obviously assumed; and now that /
saw him near to me, did not fail to
notice that the velvet coat was much
worn, and the rowing club tie he wore
frayed beyond responsibility. But I
took his lens, and, having examined
the stones long and critically under
it, I found them to be without flaw
or blemish. Then l gave him my opin-
ion.
"They are fine stuff said I; edo
from7'7
l looked him full in the face when
L spoke, and observed slight drawing
Of the lines above his mouth. When
he answered me l was sure that he had
thought out a leland with effort.
heard 500
THAT could not possibly be,' said
l; the worst emeralds we have are
the best product OF that mine. fan
cy, they are from Venezuela. -
All, that's the place. said he; II
remember it now; but I've Wretched
head tor geography
While he said this the train to Lon
don steamed out of the railway station,
which is not a stone 8 throw from the
inn, and he, forgetful of his tale to me,
sat watching it unconcernedly. I had
discovered him in a second lie, and l
waited to entrap him to a third with the
practlsed pleasure OF cross-examlner.
do you sell these stones for yourself
or as an agent7' I asked, assuming
some authority as I felt surer of him.
His hesitation in answering was merely
momentary, but it was enough for my
purpose.
clumsy indebtedness he added, "They
were left to me by my father, and I
have never had the heart to offer them
to any one. I'll tell you what, tho; if
you'u give me thousand pounds for
the pair, you shall keep them
,"That,'s a. long price,, - said I; "and
dinner s getting cold.'
I had spoken thus with the design of
putting him off; but he was undisguis
eddy an ill-bred man, and I saw that ]
could have bought the emeralds from
him for $500. Ny hint--if such you
| Eo11 i
he, seeming not to hear it, continued tc
argle-bargle, but .betraying himself in
every word he said.
"Come now,'' he cried, "you dom u
want to be hard upon me; give me q
check for $500, and send the balance tt
g sm 4 q? Is gyy you think That 3 fair offer
1.-THE offer is fair enough" said 7;
"but you forget that I did not come
here to buy emeralds I am in Pan
bourne O. to catch club, as you saw this
r6ped af wtb ssn agree tG h6 See
you catch chub, this afternoon-I saw
you miss three.'
ingly; fish are as canny as men, and
don It take pretty things, if they think
\ L
that he rose up suddenly from his
chair, and. having made bungline
self. He had to pass my window as
he left the inn, and as he crossed the
road T called after him, saying-
"You IL be losing your train to Lon
dom
,.Be I'D to thatl" said he; ant
of the road, and [ lost sight Of him.
But T thought much of his emerald
!, thru the night, both in my walk across
the old wooden bridge to Whitchurch
, when the river lay dark and gloom,
reeds and sedgegrass; and again as
lay in the old wooden "best bed" o:
4 the inn, and contemplated the "sam
pler' which bore witness to the energ,
, Of one Jane Atkins, whose work it was
. BY what chance had the man found MI
: and his iewel1s', Who was the prett,
a 4 woman who had gone up from the hare
with him9 He had come by the stone
fraudulently, Of course; had the cas-
: been different he would have sent then
q q to London to house, of substance, an
= time I felt that it lay upon me to advis
= the police in Reading Of the offer I ha'
= received; at another, there came som
J regret for the stones, and at the man
a ner of his departure. d, The season ha
Z been one Of emeralds. could hav
l sold the pair he had fore some profit
: and, as my greed told me, I could hav
q bought them cheap. At the end Of
! I fell asleep to dream that I. rowed
u Mapledurham in an emerald boat, an
a that man with emerald eyes steere
= me abominably.
o On the next day, quite early in tn
+ morning. set out in dogcart for Reao
~ ing, having a rendezvous with Baris
I broke at the Kennel IS mouth, whenc
J. we were to start for a days sport upo
T. that fsh-breeding river. Ny drive too
J. J. me by the old Bath road turning to tn
"a left midway up the village street; .br
upon the Reading road when
:, as 7 assumed, Of the velvet-coated ma
n now dressed with exceeding poornes
i and carrying heavy bag towards tn
Ii beat early. upon the sandy way with
:, y promised great heat Of the forenoon
y the woods to the left of me, and I d
~ labor. Yet, when reined in the co
v not carry her, bag, to Reading and lea1
y 1t for her, she thanked me somewh'
10 CURLY, thought, and evidently resen
- ed any notice Of her difficulty. It Q
7 Cured to me- as [ drove on, that II
- man, who had been with her on II
previous day, had really left by II