Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-07-11

Will give you tOU. OmOrTOW l VIII
take you to n bank and place 1--WE thou
sand to your credit Meanwhile I will
give you a receipt for thirty stones
weighing In the rough so many carats
and you or any one you may appoint
can see the sale vouchers subsequently
when will hand you the balance aft.
er deducting f5,O50 and my 10 per cent
The total price may exceed fifty thou
sand or 1t may be less. but I do not
think I will be far out in my estimate
Are you agreeableT'
Some inner monitor told Philip tina,
the man was talking on sound business
lines. There was a ring Of sincerity in
his voice. Apparently he had thrust
temptation aside and was firmly re-
solved to be content with his 10 per
cent
And this might well be. twenty-five
thousand pounds year earned by a
few journeys to the continental few
haggllng interviews in the Uatton Gar.
den Office. What gold mine! More
| over he would be the head man in the
trade. lie was that now, in some re-
spects. but under the now conditions
none could gainsay his place at the top.
Even the magnates Of Kimberley would
be staggered by this new source Of sup.
| ply. What did It matter II the boy
kept to his rags and amazed the world
so long as the diamonds were forth
coming? IT was no silk hated gentle
| man who first stumbled across the din.
mond laden earth OF South Africa.
! Isaacstein had made up his mind. Fate
had thrust this business into his lap.
| He would be fool to lose it out Of
mere curiosity.
Yes" said Philip. 81 agree to that"
Samuel" yelled lsaacstcin.
Coming, sir" was the answering
shout. and a Hurried clerk appeared.
Bring in the scales Samuel
The scales were brought and n level
space cleared for them on the desk.
| Philip. of course, had never before
seen an instrument so delicately adj
| iusted A breath would serve to de-
/ press the balance.
The boy held forth his paper and
poured the contents into the tiny brass
tray of the scales. Samuel's mouth
opened and his eyes widened. 1t was
! his first sight of the diamonds.
-Four ounces eight pennyweights five
grains 600 carats in thirty stones.
Oh, good gracious me-" murmured the
clerk.
Isaacstein checked the record care.
fully.
Right he said. "Put them in the
safe
Philip raised no protest this time.
I lie knew that the man would keep his
word. Indeed lsaacstein told Samuel
to bring him fifty sovereicns, and ere
the man returned he began to write
on sheet of letter paper:
Received from Here! What's
your name?" he broke in.
"Philip'
"Philip WHAT"
THAT will do today. thank you. The
next time l call | will give you my
full name and address"
please yourself. l am no judge in
this matter" and he wrote on:
Received from Philip boy who refuses
any other name, but the same whom
saw in this Office on the goth inst and
again at the CerlIenwell police court on
that date, thirty meteoric diamonds
weighing In the gross 600 carats. ] hereby
| agree to dispose of the same and to rem
der true account OF the sales to said
| Philip or his agents, my commission to
be 10 per cent, the expenses payable by
me. l have today handed the said PHILIP
ESQ In gold and undertake to place s5, OK
| to his credit tomorrow with my bankers
REUBEN ISAACSTEIN.
After completing this acknowledg-
ment he scrubbed something else.
There" he said, with a sigh of re,
lief, that is not very formal docu-
ment, but it will suffice. You can get
It stamped tomorrow at Somerset
House. Just sign this receipt for $50 u
Philip took the two papers and read
them carefully. Isaacstein's handwrit
ing was scrawl, but lecible enough
The boy reached for pen and signed
hiy Christian name. He was on the
point OF adding his surname in an un.
guarded moment. but he felt the mans
eye on him, so he simply wrote phil
ip' across the stamp at the foot of the
receipt
Isancstein fully appreciated the incl
dent and knew that his own cagerness
defeated the chance, all the more pow
erful because II was involuntary, OF
ascertaining the name Of this marvel
Gus youth.
Philip gathered up his gold, not with
out counting the coins. They fell
strangely heavy in his pocket-muct
heavier than the stones they rcpla ced
yet they formed but a thousandth par
of the value Of those fintllke pebbles
What queer problem it was, this ra
ito OF worth between few stones ant
the bright minted sovereigns
"What time shall | call tomorrow 2
he asked, standing cap in hand. ready
to take his departure.
AT II. But wait one moment. Have
you no friends to look after you? SET
what trouble You may get into. Why
the mere possession of so much golC
by boy like you may
81 can take care Of myself, Mr.. Isaac
stein. will be here at II. Good aft
ernOon.N
(TO BE CONTINUED