Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-10-13

| lnVoluntarily | betrayed the dreadful
nature OF the discovery BY an exclama-
ton for, left to herself, Nell would not
nave understood. But she was quick 10
comprehend, and, realizing the worst.
she syayed, staggering backward.
My poor father," she moaned, as
held her. He is ruined foreyer-and I.
too! The daughter Of convicted thief
is no fit wife Of an honest mani"
My darling! You are a wife for a
king. and as for your father, l swear to
you that Will save him yet"
your You cannot"
Il tell you that / can and Will" For
even as | spoke an idea fashd into my
head which startled me BY its audacity.
In moment had thought out every de-
| tail.
made up the stones. CHAMPION dia-
mond and all into a packet. carefully
closing the secret drawer. and. eontriv-
ing to get away without being seen, went
straight to my brothers house In Kent.
managing to avoid the service Of a sub
poena. Thus ! was not present at the
police court proceedings. which would
have meant ruin for my plan.
Mr.. Nugent was committed for trial.
and meanwhile / staid In the country.
working each night IN my locked room
with the tools | had brought with me
until the gray dawn filtered under my
closed shutters
When | saw my old employer in the
| dock at the trial | was shocked at the
CHASTITY change which had come over
him.
The evidence al first went steadily
against him Il 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, 1t was not a genuine jewel at
all. but a marvellous imitation An-
other was not 30 positive He looked at
the gem through his glass. turning II this
way and that. declaring that In all his ex-
perience he had never seen a false stone
so eleverly executed as this. Indeed he
| was not prepared 10 swear that II 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 I was cool now for the
game had gone into had cost me many a
qualm Of conscience. But ! had no in
tentlon Of cheating Mir Champion,
swearing falsely, or furnishing my per-
soual 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 H.
What sort Of a stone was Il your en-
ployer gave you 10 set2" was the next
| question.
IAN extremely valuable white dia-
mond" | replied
DO you swear that you set the genuine
stone and delivered the ring when fin
ished to the prisoner"
Il do"
DO You consider L possible that stone
might have been taken out and an imi-
tation one substituted"
Certainly! But | could tell whether
the ring had been tempered with since
Il left my hands
Takeethis then. examine II, and in
form the court II that is the stone you
set"
The ring was handed ONE. and hush
| felI upon the court. The kind Of lull
which denotes that vital point in case
has been reached
put my hand to my waistcoat pocket
for my jewelers. glass. and the sharpest
eve could not have seen that also drew
forth a new ring. made in the secret
hours Of the night--an exact counterpart
Of the other. save that il contained the
real Champion diamond.
/ pretended to examine the imitation
with great care. while all eyes we're
Axed upon me. At length returned the
glass 10 my pocket and with ii the ring
Nth the false stone ! could hear my
heart beating. but handing TO the court
UENGT the new u ms NtAtAts a. 49, ~ -
ply TO the snappish "Well?' Of the pros
ecuting counsel:
Il swear unhesitatingly that the set
ting Of this ring has not been tempered
with and that this Is the genuine dia-
mnnd which was given me to set.
4 rustic went round the room; the
doubling expert pricked up his ears the
prosecuting counsel with Mi. Cramp-
ion and the treasury solicitor, we're
whispering over the ring.
You honor. said the counsel. i ask
nermission to recall the expert
stepped out Of the box and the expert
stepped il. The new ring was put into
~ hand a friendly ray Of sunshine
lighting up the jewel
This is remarkable be said at last
of Is the first time | have ever made
mistake. This stone is genuine. can
not doubt t."
And so the prisoner was free. But
| -. ~, verdict az Not guilty" was