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

"Of course, l shall be triumphantly
acquitted" he announced, clearing his
throat huskily as he spoke. "Stlll,
Mr.. Champion can make things dis
agreeable. And, look here, Wade, l
haven't always been as friendly to
you as 1 might, but can trust you.
You'll be an important witness. Do
what you can for me, for the girls
sake"
The words sounded strange, but /
was given no time to answer, for at
that moment Mr.. Champion returned
with two Scotland Yard men. My en-
ployer was given into custody and
taken to the police station to be
charged, the detectives remaining to
search the premises.
Mr.. Nugent being a widower, with
only one child, the management Of tho
business practically devolved on me,
and as the detectives ransacked the
place they put many question to me
as to where the stones were kept.
The safes were all pointed out to them,
but they seemed disappointed with
their operations.
Late in the evening they came to
me in the workroom, and, holding out
the ring that l had made for Mr..
Champion, one of them said:
This is your work, we understand.
Is that the stone 20 uset?'
1 glanced at it, but l only replied:
81 don't call myself an expert in pre-
cious stones, and all l can say is that
this one precisely resembles in size,
shape and appearance the one given
me to set"
While this statement was superficial
ly true, that one glance had been
enough to show me that l was not
looking at the Champion diamond.
The detectives left, saying that I
would have to tell all l knew in the
witness box, and then, just as 1 was
about to lock up the place for the
night Nell came in. 1t was the first
time she had let me see her since her
father had been taken away.
The face which l had thought the
sweetest on earth was marble white
and there were dark shadows under
her lashes.
"There's something l must say Il
YOU" she painted, something I've beer
wild to say all day lest it should bt
too late, but l dared not let any one
suspect. A month ago father confid
ed to me that he had lost great dea
of money, and he showed me how t.
open a secret drawer in his Chippen
dale bureau. If ever anything hap
pens to me- he said, don't lose a mo
ment, but look into this drawer
throw away everything that you will
find in the left-hand partition, ant
keep what may be in the right"
Together we ransacked the oil,
bureau, and at length Nell touched tn
| spring which opened the secret drawer
; drew in my breath sharply, for tn
light of the candle which 1 he'll
struck out a CLEAN from pile of eS
, quisitely made false stones which la
, in a partition on the left hand, Will
= on the right was the Champion dia
mond.
[ Involuntarily 1 betrayed the dread
, full nature of the discovery by an eS
4 clamation, for, left to herself, Ne
D would not have understood. But sh
p was quick to comprehend, and, realis
: ing the worst, she swayed, staggerin
4 backward.
: my poor father!" she moaned, q
1 held her. "He is ruined forever
/ and 1, tool The daughter of a col
f victed thief is no fit wife for an hor
e est manw
g my darling! You are a wife fC
a king, and as for your father, swea
t to you that 1 will save him yet"
= "You? You cannot"
II tell you that can and WILL" FC
even as l spoke an idea flashed I'M