The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-05-04
FOR THE GIRLS" SAKE


its depths 1t was the finest stone ! ha
ever seen in my life.
1 was particularly pleased with m
design for the setting. No other han
had touche dit, and 1 felt that the frame
so to speak, was worthy of the picture.
The ring, now that it was finished, wa
fit even TO adorn the hand of Gwendoli
Forrest, the beauty and heiress of tn
season. But l did not envy young Nj
Champion his fiancee; in my own Nell
had a girl as good and as pretty as an.
in the land
1 was about to take the ring to Nh
Nugent when Nell herself ran in. Sh
was my employers daughter, and hi
private house was upstairs over the larg,
showroom in Clifford street. 1t wa
against all custom for Nell to come dowr
10 my workshop, for her father disap
proved of our engagement. But today
she had not been able TO resist the temp
tation of having a peep at the Cramptor
diamond.
Just as she had slipped it her fin.
ger and was dancing about, twisting hel
hand that the marvellous stone might
catch the light, the door opened and Mr.
Nugent entered. l prepared to defend
Nell from a harsh reprmand. but none
came. Her father appeared oddly preoc-
cupied, merely took the ring from her.
examined it earnestly, and, swapping the
lid Of the case down upon it. placed it in
his pocket and walked away.
Next day l was sitting at work when 1
saw handsom drive up and Mr.. Cramp-
ton jump out. He came hastily into the
x1-b; or, I'd,
I was sitting, and where Mr.. Nugent was.
''Scoundrel"' l heard him say. and could
scarcely believe my ears. You thought
to fool me easily by false stone, but
am as good a judge of Jewels as you
are. You are thief. sir! What have
you done with the diamond 1 intrusted
to you?"
MI NUgent answered in lower tone.
What he said could not have made any
great impression upon Mr.. Champion,
however, for he impatently interrupted,
and at last an omnibus threat concerning
the police" reached my ears.
/ sat still l understood we'll that Mr..
Champion had deliberately accused my
employer of trying to palm off upon him
an imitation diamond, yet L knew that
i had set the true stone and delivered it
70 Mr.. Nugent only yesterday.
My employer himself was a skilled
workman, though not a good designer,
and in the time that had elapsed be-
tween my handing him the rang and his
transferring it 10 the owner he could
have removed the stone and replaced it
by another. But for such q bold trick to
succeed the imitation must be magnifi-
C6ntlV 10 nric
must have been carefully measured.
l had never known that Mr. Nugent
kept any false gems about the place,
and, besides. was it likely that a man in
his position would care to run so terri
BILE a risk? Still, 1 could not help re-
membering how haggard and irritable he
had been of late, and keen interest he
took in the stock exchange intelligence
As l thus speculated on the astounding
accusation Mr.. Nugent himself opened the
door of the workroom. He looked keen
ly at me, if wondering if ii would be
safe TO trust me-
Did you hear anything of what passed |!
In the next room?" he questioned.
/. / admitted that 1 had.
of course 1 shah be triumphantly ac-
Quilted" he announced, clearing his
throat huskly as he spoke. Still. Mr.
Champion can make things disagreeabIe
Aud, look here. Wade, ! haven't always
been as friendly to you as l might, but I
can trust you. You IL be an important
witness. Do what you can for me. for
the girls sake.
The words sounded strange. but l was
given no time TO answer. for at that mo-
ment Mr. Champion returned with two
Scotland Yard men. My employer was
given into custody and taken to the po-
lice station to be charged. the detectives
remaining to search the premises
Mr.. Nugent being a widower, with only
one child. the management of the business
practically devolved on me. and as the
detectives ransacked the place they put
many questions to me as to where the
stones Were kept. The safes were all
pointed out to them. but they seemed dis
appointed with their operations
Late in the evening they came to me
In the worllroom. and. holding out the
ring that l had made for Mr.. CHAMPION.
one of them said:
This is your work, we understand. Is
that the stone you ses!.'
l glanced at il. but | only replied: 81
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 superficially
true, that one glance had been enough to
show me that l was not looking at the
CHAMPION diamond
The detectives. saying that / would
have to tell all l knew in the witness
BOX, and then. Just as l was about to
ock up the place for the night Nell
,ame in. 1t WAS the first time she had
ct me see her since her father had been
AIKEN away.
The face which 1 had thought the
weetest on earth was marble white and
here were dark shadows under her :
ashes.
There's something / must say 10 YOU
he painted; something I've been wild to
ay all day lest it should be too late. but
dared not let any one suspect. \ month
go father confided to me that he had lost
great deal of money, and he showed me
ow to open a secret drawer in his Chip
endale bureau. If ever anything hap
ems TO me- he said. don't lose mo-
1ent, but look into this drawer; throw
way everything that you will find in the +
sft-hand partition and keep what may be
! the right
Together we ransacked the old bureau.
nd at length Nell touched the spring
'hich opened the secret drawer 1 drew :
! my breath sharply, for the light of the
andle which l held struck out a gieam
rom pile Of evquisitely made false r
tones which lay in a partition on the