Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-09-16

railway ticket for a journey, but gov
erned and controlled utterly by the
greater parsonage who could unlock the
door of the treasure house. For the first
time, Philip wished he was older, bigger,
more experinced. He even found himself
beginning to wonder what he should do
until he reached mans estate. He sighed.
Isaacstein was watching him closely,
trying to solve the puzzle by the aid of
each trick and dodge known in a trade
which lends itself to acute roguery of
every description. The look of uncon-
soious anxiety, of mental WEAKNESS, on
| Philips face, seemed to clear away his
doubts. He chuckled thickly.
How many, now" he murmured. Ten,
| twenty--of assorted sizes, eh?"
Ear more! Far more! Be content
with what l tell you today, Mr.. Isaac
stein. | said my business was important.
When you are better acquainted with me,
| l think you will find it sufficiently val,
liable to occupy the whole of your time"
| Philip was ever on the verge of burst
| ing out into condolences. His secret was
too vast, too overpowering for a boy of
| Is. He wanted the knowledge and the
| trust of an older man. He did not real
ize that the Jew, beginning by regarding
| him as thief, was now veering round TO
the opinion that he was a lunaGc. For
| it Is known to most men that the values
of diamonds increase out of all proper
ton to their weight. While one-carat
stone is worth, roughly speaking, ten
| pounds, twenty carat gem of the same
purity is worth any sum beyond $4,000,
and the diamond Philip had submitted
for inspection would probably cut into
ten or twelve carats of fine luster. To
| speak therefore, of an abundance of
larger and finer stones, was simple alb
surdity. The De Beers company alone
could use such a figure of speech, and
even then only at isolated dates in its
history.
The boy, with his eyes steadfastly
fixed on the Jews face and yet with a
distant expression in them that paid
slight heed to the waves of emotion ex-
hibited by the heavy cheeks ard pursed-
up mouth, awaited some final utterance
on the part of his questioner. Surely he
| had said sufficient to make this man
keenly alive to the commercial value of
the business" he offered. Under the con-
ditions Isaacstein could not refuse to
| give him sufficient money to meet his inn
mediate wants.
The jew, seemingly at a loss for words,
bent again over the stone. He was scru-
timing it closely when a heavy tread
crossed the outer showroom and the door
was flung open.
A policeman entered, and Isaacstein
bounced out of his chair
Il have sent for you, constable to take
| this boy into custody" he cried, excited
| ly. He came here ten minutes ago and
offered for sale very valuable diamond,
so rare, and worth so much, that he must
have stolen it."
Philip, too, sprang up.
1T is a lie!" he shouted. "How dare
you say such a thing when | have told
you that it is mine!"
The policeman collared him by the
shoulder
STEADY, my young spark" he said.
mfr. Isaaestein knows what he is about,
and | don't suppose he is very far wrong
this time. Do you know the boy, sir?"
he went on.
Isaacstein gave voluble and accurate
summary of Philips statements. Each
moment the policemans grip became
firmer. Evidently the boy was the mere
agent of a gang of thieves, though it was
beyond comprehension that anyone short
of an idiot should choose an emissary
with broken boots and ragged clothing in
order to effect a deal with the leading
house in Hatton Garden.
Philip listened to the recital in dumb
agony. His face was deathly pale, and
his eyes glowed with the rage and shame
that filled his soul. So the Jew had been
playing with him, merely fooling him
until some secret signal by an electric
bell had sent a messenger flying for the
police. His dream of wealth would end
in the jail his fairy oasis would be q
felon's cell. Very well, be it 80. If he
could help it, not all the policemen in
London should rend his secret from him
With a sudden glow of fiery satisfaction,
he remembered that his clothing con
tanned no clue to his address, and he had
not given his name either at Ludgate
Hill or Hatton Garden How long could
they keep him prisoner? Would Others
find his meteor and rob him of his
mothers gift? In less than fortnight
men would come to tear down the build
ings in Johnson's News. Well, it mat
tered not. The courage of despair which
neryed him the previous night came to
his aid again. He would defy them all,
careless of consequence.
The policeman was saying:
TITS queer affair, sir. Did he really
say he had lots more of 'em?"
Eyes, yes! Do you think am romano
ing? Perhaps they are in his possession
now"
Have you any more of these stones,
boyf"
Philip, with lips tensely set. was des-
perately cool again. He moved his arm,
and the constabe's grasp frightened.
"You are hurting me-" said the boy
81 merely wish to put my hand in my
pocket. Are you afraid of me, that you
hold me 80 fast?"
The policeman, like the rest. did not
fail to notice Philips diction The scorn-
ful superiority of his words, the chal.
lenge Of the final question, took him
abaek. He relaxed his grip and grinned
confusedly.
Philip instantly produced his paper of
diamonds and opened it widely, SO that
all the stones could be seen. He handed
the parcel to the policeman