Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-18

Gen. Sir George Amy was a wealthy re-
tired officer. living in Park lane and known
to a large circle of friends and acquaint-
ances as a collector of unset and uncut
gems.
1t was custom Of his to give small din
ner parties weekly during the season to ten
or twelve gentlemen. of whom the greater
part were old friends and regular attend
ants at his little affairs.
Sir George had excellent chef. but
Ter who was prize. the menu of the
best A man deemed himself lucky to get
cards for these dinners for. besides the
superiority of the generals wines and food.
the diners at his table were picked men
whose minds were active, memories broad
and humor pleasing.
Conversation never dragged at his table.
The man of the year. the man who had
done things, had achieved successes of
which the world talked, found himself,
with his knees tucked under Sir Georges
mahogany and deft serving man at his
elbows, filing his glasses with choice Bur
gundy, claret or Chiantl, which aid to di-
gestion conversation and good fellowship
opened the foodgates of Renaissance, and
strange and interesting tales of exploring
adventures of weird scientific and psyche
logical experiments, of odd foreign esca-
padeS ana Outl3ndiSh customs, lnNdrldDly
circlcd around the board when cigars and
liquors were reached.
A few weeks ago, at the generals right
hand, sat the guest Of the evening, re-
nowned scientist, a Cambridge man, whose
researches in the line of rare clements and
whose brilliant discoveries had set the SCI
entific world and everyday world well
agog, Sir Henry Brookfeld was an author
ity on gems and metals as might well be
expected from his line of scientific work
1t was the generals custom to have
brought TO the table with the liquors his
latest find. diamonds, rubies. sapphires.
and passed from hand to hand for admra-
ton. Some of these jewels were worth thou
sands Of pounds. every one being a rarity
of color, size or cutting.
AT the generals left hand was seated
man who had been seen there before by Sir
Georges guests, and in whom the host
seemed to take great interest. He was
dark. sWarthy even, an explorer. Afri-
can traveller it was said. He seemed 4
foreigner though he bore an English name,
Herbert Gray. The general had met him
at meeting of the geographical society,
at which Gray had made some remarks
concerning the results of archaeological
excavation in Egypt which had much in
terested Sir George and he made the eX-
plorer's acquaintance and frequently in
vited him to his dinners. Gray was bril-
liant talker and an enthusiast in precious
stones. He wore one in a ring wonder
ful diamond. with an odd violet CLEAN IN
the very center. and a color play which IN
certain lights was almost dazzling He
had bought II in Cairo he said, though the
setting was in modern French design.
This night he wore the ring and a pair
of most peculiar cuff buttons, exact copies
In dull metal OF the Egyptian scarab.
Strangely enough, Sir George had IN his
collection a pair of diamonds with the
same violet purple CLEAN as the one worn
by Gray. The cutting was the same, bril-
liant, but the stones were larger and finer
and very valuable. They were pierced
with minute hole and evidently had been
used as pendants strung upon a fine wire
or thread.
As the cigars were lighted Sir George,
taking advantage of the hesitating mo-
ment, made an announcement TO his guests.
Gentlemen" he said, my friend, Mr..
Gray, of whom many of you have heard
as a distinguished explorer and traveller,
has just confessed 20 me that, during his