Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1904-06-18

audacity. In a moment L had thought
out every detail.
1 made up the stones, Champion dia-
mond and all, into a packet, carefully
closing the secret drawer, and, con-
irving to get away without being seen,
went straight to my brothers house in
Kent, managing to avoid the service
of subpoena. Thus l was not present
at the police court proceedings, which
would 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 had brought with me
until the gray dawn filtered under my
closed shutters.
When 1 saw my old employer in the
dock at the trial 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
exchange. 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 jewel at all, but a marvellous
imitation. Another was not so posi-
tive. He looked at the gem through
his glass. turning it this way and that,
declaring that in all his experience he
had never seen a false stone so clev-
erly 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 ev1.
dence upon Mr.. Nugent's guilt; and
then l went into the box. l was cool
now, for the game l had determined
on had cost me many qualm of con-
science. But 1 had no intention of
cheating Mr.. Champion, swearing
falsely or furnishing my personal
honor.
The preliminary question of the
prosecuting counsel brought out the
fact that 1 had designed the rings
setting and had done all the work upon
it.
What sort of stone was it your
employer gave you to set?' was the
next question.
IAN extremely valuable white dia-
mond," 1 replied.
do you swear that you set the gen.
uine stone and delivered the ring
when finished to the prisoner"
II do"
DO you consider it possible that
stone might have been taken out and
IN imitation one substituted?"
Certainly! But could tell wheth-
er the ring had been tempered with
since it left my hands,"
Take this, then, examine it. and
MORN une court rr enar is the srone
you set"
The ring was handed to me. and a
lush fell upon the court. The kind
If lull which denotes that vital point
n case has been reached.
put my hand in my waistcoat pock- q,
It for my jewelers. glass. and the
harpest eye could not have seen that
also drew forth a new ring. made
n the secret hours of the night-on
xact counterpart of the other. save
hat it contained the real Crampton
liamond.
L pretended to examine the imitation
With great care, while all eyes were
lXed upon me. At length | returned
he glass to my pocket, and with it
be ring with the false stone. could
ear my own heart beating; but. hand
ng 10 the court usher the new ring. | h
ald hrmly, in reply to the snappish !,
WellT' of the prosecuting counsel: +,
L swear unhesitatingly that the set h
ing OF this ring has not been tam
cred with, and that this is the gen
Inc diamond which was given me 70
et'' Il
A rustic went round the court; the a
Quilting expert pricked up his ears: a
ne prosecuting counsel, with Mr..
hampton and the treasury solicitor,
'ere whispering over the ring. q
Your honor" said the counsel 81 l.
SIX permission to recall the expert" a
L stepped out of the box and the c,
xpert stepped in. The new ring was
ut into his hand, a friendly ray of
lnshine lighting up the jewel.
This is remarkable" he said at
lst ut is the first time 1 have ever
lade mistake. This stone is gen
Inc. l cannot doubt it."
And so the prisoner was free. But e'
hen the verdict of mot guilty" was al
ronounced faint groan echoed IT. ct
nd dead man was taken from the
ock. A spasm Of the heart had
rOved fatal g,