The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1904-05-12

! defEiood. Bat sbe wAs du'ck 10 and
. s,nd ard reair'ng the wcrsi she s~sy
staggering backward.
Ny poor father she moaned ~ b.
! her. He 10 ruined forevcr-and !, Il
The dsughier Of convicted thief 10 no
wife for "a honest man
Ny dsrling You are wife for kir
J AID ss for your father swear to you II
! ~ill save him jet.
Yous You carno.
4 tell you that can and will FJr ev
~ spoke an idea a uhed into my he
which startl,d me bg Ito audacity. In
moment ] bad thought out every detail.
i made up the stones, Champion diamol
and al, into packet, carefully closing Il
secret drawer. and, contriylng to get awi
without belfg seen, went straight to n
brothers house 10 Kent, managing to syo
the service OF subp,era. Thus | Was NJ
prefent ct the police court proces ding
which would have msaS. ruin TO my pla
Mr. Nugsnt was committed for trial, an
meanwhile | stay ed in the country, worl
ing each night In my locked room wit
the tools had brought with me until th
gray dawn filtered under my tl,,ed shu
ters.
When saw my old employer In the doc
at the trial was shocked At tie Rhastl
change which had come over him.
The evidence at first went steadily sgains
him. II was proved that he had los. none.
heavily on the Sock Exchange, Mr.
Champion swore that the stone In the RIM
delivered to him by Mr.. Nugent's own hant
was not his diamond. 0le expert testified
that not Only was the stone he now saw
not the Champion diamond. I. was not ,
genuine stone at al, but q marvellous imita,
tion. Another was not 30 positive. He
looked at the gem through his glass, turn
Ing 1t this way and that, declaring that in
al his experience be had rever aeen false
stone SO cleverly executed as this. Indeed
he was not prepared to swear that 1t was
'alse.
This was the first ray Of doubt which
lad been thrown by the evidence upon Mr..
sugent's guilt, and then | went into the
'ox. was cool now, for the game bad
on bad cost me many qualm
I conscience. But / had no intention Of
heating Mr.. Champion, swearing falsely
r furnishing my honor.
The preliminary question Of the prosecut.
,g counstl brought out the fact that had
eslgned the rings setting and done all the
'ork upon 1t.
What sort Of stone was 1t your en-
loyer gave you to set9 WAS the mex! ques-
on.
An extremely valuable white diamond, |
piled.
Do you swear that you set the genuine
one and delivered the ring when finished
the prisoner?
! do.
DO you consider 1t possible that the stone
Ight haye been taken out and an imitation
e substituted?
But could tell whether the
X had been tampered with since 1t left
= hands.
Take this, ther, tximine II aud inform
Q court II that is the stone you set.
The ring was handed to me and a hush
] upon the court. The kind Of flull which
notes that vital point in case has
en- reached. Ii
put my hand 10 my waistcoat pocket
my jeweler' glass, and the sharpest eye t
lld not have seen that also drew forth c
ew ring, made In the secret hours Of the O
ht--an exact counterpart Of the other, c
'e that II contained the real Champion G
mond.
pretended to examine the imitation v
b great care, while all eyes were fired a
IN me. At length | returned the glass Il
ny pocket, and with 1t the ring with the b
'e stone. | could hear my own heart D
ting, but handing to the court usher the
ring, | said firmly in reply to the snap b
"Well?' OF the prosecuting counsel: al
swear unhesitatipgly that the setting N
bis ring has not been .ampered with, OF
that this is the genuine diamond which v
given me to set. dt
rustic went round the court, the doubt b,
expert pricked up bis ears; the prose- sp
pg counsel, with Mr.. Champion and the bc
sury solicitor, were whispering over
ring. an
our honor, said the counsel, | ask per- ct,
ion to recall the expert, tn
stepped out Of the box and the expert fal
ped in. The new ling was put iato bis sp
!, friendly ray Of sunshine lighting th'
be jswel. to
lie Is remarkable. he said at last. Itl
9 first time have ever made mistake pr,
stone Ia genuine. Icsnnot doubtit. to
ID SO the prisoner was free. But when MOI
'erdict Of mot guilty" was pronounc, set
faint groan echoed Il, and dead man abr
Eaken from the dock A spssm Of the
had proved fatal. SOU
Tn
months later Nell ard ! we're mar 10
o. cur honey moon We were walking wei
ane rear Iifrscombe when we came and
o face with Mr.. Champion, who was era
" with bis bile Ia neighboring i
ry house. we
Mr.. Wade be exclaimed. Ihlyen't er.
you since tha. mysterious case OF boa
d. you know, have always since ball
ht OF you--as--a--2e 2ery--cl ver mar sool
nk you, ] said quietly. win you al The
,e to present you to my wifc--.he Ing
laughter Of the late Mr.. Nugenif us.
Champion raised His hat, looked keen- ty y
pretty Nell, shook hands with us both mas
Iurmund: iron
understand. VI
~.
Rivals In Ginseng. time
good
N WAS nfteen years old my two ais Ii