The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-09-03
COPYRIGHT BY HARPER g. BROTHERS.


unwise to place ones self under obli-
Cations
For how long, may / ask, do you
want this sum? / asked.
Next Monday | have a large sum
due to me. and shall then most GER
tainly repay what you advance, with
whatever interest | think it is right to
charge. But it is very essential to
me that the money should be paid at
once
I should be happy to advance it
without further parley from my own
private purse said /, were it not that
the strain would be rather more than
it could bear. If, on the other hand, l
am to do it in the name of the firm.
then in justice to my partner l must
insist that even in your case, every
security be taken
81 should much prefer to have it
so, said he, raising up square, black
morocco case which he laid beside his
chair. You have doubtless heard of
the Beryl Coronet?
One of the most precious public
possessions of the empire said T.
Precisely He opened the case,
and there, imbedded in soft, flesh-col-
ored velvet, lay the magnificent piece
of jewelry which he had named There
are thirty-nine enormous beryls' said
he, and the price of the gold chasing
is incalculable. The lowest estimate
would put the worth of the coronet
at double the sum which l have asked.
am prepared to leave it with you as
my security
Il took the precious case into my
hands and looked in. some perplexity
from it to my illustrious client.
You doubt it's value?' he asked.
Not at all. I only doubt
tnfv of
You may set your mind at rest about
that. l should not dream of doing so
We're it not absolutely certain that
should be able in four days to re-
claim 1T. 1t is pure matter of form.
Is the security sufficient
Ample.
You understand. Mr. Holder. that
[ am giving you strong proof of the
confidence which I have in YOU
founded upon all that l have heard of
you. l rely upon you not only to be
discreet and to refrain from gossip
upon the matter. but, above all, to
preserve this coronet with every pos
Sible precautiOn, because / need not
say that great public scandal would
be caused if any harm were to befall
it. Any injury to it would be almost
rs serious as it's complete loss. for
there are no beryls in the world to
match these, and it would be impossi-
bic to replace them. | leave it with
you, however, with every confidence
and / shall call for, it in person on
Monday morning.
Seeing that my client was anxious
to leave, l said no more; but, calling
for my cashier, | ordered him to pay
over fifty $1,000 notes When was
alone once more. with the precious
case lying upon the table in front of
me, / could not but think with some
misgivings of the immense RESPONSE
bility entailed upon me. There
could be no doubt that, as it was a
national possession, a horrible scandal
would ensue if any misfortune should
occur to it. | already regretted hav-
ing ever consented to take charge of
it. However it was too late to alter
the matter now. SO ! locked it up in
my private safe, and turned once
more to my work.
when evening came | felt it was
an imprudence to leave so precious a
thing in the office behind me. Bank
ers' safes had been forced before now
and why should not mine be? If so,
how terrible would be the position in
which / should find myself! l determin-
ed, therefore, that for the next few days
[ would carry the case backward and
forward with me. SO that it might
never really be out of my reach. With
this intention, | called a cab and
drove out to my house at Streatham
carrying the jewels with me- I did not
breathe freely until | had taken it up
stairs and locked it in the bureau Of
my dressing-room.
"And now a word as to my house.
hold, Mr. Holmes, for I wish you
thoroughly to understand the situation.
My groom and page sleep outside of
the house and may be set aside alto
gether. / have three maid-servants
who have been with me number of
years, and whose absolute reliability Is
quite above suspicion. Another, Lucy
Parr, the second waiting maid. has
only been in my service a few months
She came with an excellent character
however, and has always given me
satisfaction. She is a very pretty girl
and has attracted admirers who have
occasionally hung about the place.
That is the only drawback which we
have found to her. but we believe her
to be thoroughly good girl in every
way.
SO much for the servants. My fam
lily itself is so small that it will not
take me long to describe it. / am a
widower. and have an only son, Ar
thur. He has been a disappointment
to me, Mr.. Holiness grievous dis
appointment / have no doubt that
1 am myself to blame. People tell
me that / have spoiled him. Very
likely | have. When my dear wife died
l felt that he was all | had to love.
could not bear to see the smile fade
even for a moment from his face. [
have never denied him wish. Per-
haps it would have been better for both
of us had 1 been sterner, but l meant
it for the best.
1T was naturally my intention that
he should succeed me in my buSines S,
but he was not of a business turn. He
was wild, hayward, and. to speak the
truth, l could not trust him in the
handling of large sums of money.
When he was young he became a
member of an aristocratic club, and
there. having charming manners. he
was soon the intimate of a number
of men with long purses and expensive
habits. He learned to play heavily at
cards and to squander money on the
turf, until he had again and again to
come to me and implore me to give
him an advance upon his allowance,
that he might settle his debts of hon
or. He tried more than once to break
away from the dangerous company
which he was keeping. but each time
the influence of his friend Sir George
Burnwell was enough TO draw him
to oh IN,