Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1905-01-07

audAcity. In moment L nau tnOuSnt
out every detail.
1 made up the stones, Champion dia-
mond and all, into 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 q subpoena. 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 1 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 l saw my old employer in the
dock at the trial was shocked at the
ghastly 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.. Nugents 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
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 1t was
false.
This was the first ray Of doubt
which had been thrown by the evil
dence upon Mr. Nugents guilt; and
then went into the box. l was cool
now, for the game 1 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 l had designed the rings
setting and had done all the work upor
it
what sort of stone was 1t you
| employer gave you to set?" was thu
next question.
| IAN extremely valuable white dia
= mond," / replied.
, "Do you swear that you set the gen
uine stone and delivered the RIM
] when finished to the prisoner"
, IL do"
!, do you consider 1t possible tina
3 stone might have been taken out an
e an imitation one substitutedT
:. Certainly! But l could tell wheth
, err the ring had been tempered wit
D since it left my hands"
"Take this, then, examine it, an
o inform the court if that is the ston
t you set"
:. The ring was handed to me, and
hush fell upon the court. The kin
|. of lull which denotes that vital poir
in a case has been, reached.
|: put my hand in my waistcoat pool
= ct for my jewelers. glass, and til
t sharpest eye could not have seen thu
:, l also drew forth a new ring, mad
exact counterpart of the other, say
/ that it contained the real Crampto
n diamond.
IT 1 pretended to examine the initiate
with great care, while all eyes wei
I fixed upon me. At length l returnt
le the glass to my pocket, and with
Is the ring with the false stone. I cou
| T., - 1Noo fivr ht,f hon
st ing to the court usher the new ring,
or said firmly, in reply to the snappi'
?" of the prosecuting counsel:
lie Il swear unhesitatingly that the sc
e. ting of this ring has not been tai
er pered with, and that this is the ge
uine diamond which was given me
TO set"
IN A rustic went round the court; Il
be doubling expert pricked up his eaI
1e the prosecuting counsel, with N
d. Champion and the treasury solicltt
al were whispering over the ring.
to "Your honor" said the counsel,
n ask permission to recall the expert"
D. l stepped out of the box and t
O. expert stepped in. The new ring W
r; put into his hand, a friendly ray
i'll sunshine lighting up the jewel.
I'd This Ia remarkable" he said
last. ut Is the first time 1 have ey
made a mistake. This stone is 90
Id uine. 1 cannot doubt it."
be And so the prisoner was free. 3
er. when the verdict of mot guilty" W
he pronounced a faint groan echoed
Id and a dead man was taken from
X dock. A spasp Of the heart b