Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1904-06-18

@HE famous Champion diamond
threw back the light from its
many facets, and strange, bril-
liant coors shot from its depths. it
was the finest stone l had ever seen
in my life.
/ was particularly pleased with my
design for the setting. No other hand
had touched it, and | felt that the
frame, so to speak, was worthy of the
picture.
The ring, now that it was finished
was fit even to adorn the hand OF
Gwendolen Forrest, the beauty and
heiress of the season. But | did nor
envy young Mr.. Champion his fiancee;
In my own Nell l had a girl as good
and as pretty as any in the land.
l was about to take the ring to Mr..
Nugent, when Nell herself ran in. She
was my employers daughter, and his
private house was upstairs over the
large showroom in Clifford street. 1t
was against all custom for Nell to
come down to my workshop, for her
father disapproved Of our engagement
But to-day she had not been able to
resist the temptation of having a peep
at the Champion diamond.
Just as she had slipped it on her fin
ger and was dancing about, twisting
her hand that the marvellous stone
might catch the light, the door opened
and Mr.. Nugent entered | prepared
to defend Nell from a harsh reprimand,
but none came. Her father appeared
oddly preoccupied, 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 was sitting at work when
| saw a hanson drive up, and Mr..
Champion jump out He came hastily
into the showroom, which adjoined the
one where l was sitting, and where
MIR. Nugent was.
"Scoundrelv' | heard him say and
could scarcely believe my ears You
thought to fool me easily by false
stone, but l am as good a judge of
jewels as you are. You are a thief,
Sir! What have you done with the
diamond | intrusted to your
Mr.. Nugent answered in q lower
voice. What he said could not have
made any great impression upon Mr..
CHAMPION, however, for he Impatient
interrupted, and at last an ominouS
threat concerning the "police" reached
my ears.
l sat still. I understood we'll that
MI. Champion had deliberately ac-
FUSED my employer of trying to palm
vi upon him an imitation diamond,
YET knew that I had set the true
stone and delivered it to Mr.. Nugent
only yesterday.
MY employer himself was a skilled
workman, though not good designer
anu IN the time that had elapsed be-
tween my handing him the ring and
us transferring it to the owner he
Vuiu nave removed the stone and re-
paced 1t by another. But for such d
o0iu trlck to succeed the imitation
wust be magnificently made, and the
slhai diamond must have been care
July measured
had never known that Mr.. Nugent
aept any false gems about the place
T. u besides, was it likely that mar
to ns position would care to run SC
ron. risk? Still, l could not hell
i hn eihoerlng how haggard and irrita
4 ,rto ne mad been Of late, and the keen
cha that he took in the stock ex
snange intelligence.
Inc mus specialized on the astound
ono accusation Mr.. Nugent himself
! la" s.'ea The door of the workroom. He
] r keenly at me, as If wondering
! an WOULD be safe to trust me.
passos you hear anything of what
Toned. meat room' ne CUES
admitted that had