Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-07-01

Once or twice he appeared to be on the point of returning an indignant re | ply, but hesitated and finally broke down altogether.
 Don't expose me, Mir. Hewittw he pleaded. T beg you won't expose me! | haven't harmed soul but myself. I've paid Lord Stanway every penny back, and never knew the thing was forgery till began to clean 1t. I'm an old man, Mfr. Hewitt, and my pro- fessional reputation has been spotless till now. beg you won't expose me-" Hewitt's voice softened. "Let us talk the affair over. Tell me about it." he said. Tt was that swindler Hahn who de ceived me in the beginning" Claridge said. T felt as sure as I possibly could feel that had bought one of the finest, if not actually the finest, cameo known to exist. It was not until after it had come back from Lord Stan ways, and I was cleaAing 1t the even- ing before last, that in course of my work 1t became apparent that the thing was nothing but consummately clev- CT forgery. It was made of three lay CTS of molded glass, nothing more nor less, but the glass was treated in a way had never before known of, and the surface had been cunningly worked on till 1t defied any ordinary examina- tion.
 T was amazed and mortified. I put the thing away and went home. All that night I lay awake in state of distraction, quite unable to decide what to do. To let the cameo go out of my possession was impossible. Soon- CT or later the forgery would be dis covered, and my reputation, the growth of nearly fifty years of honest applica- tion and good judgment, would be gone forever. But without considering this there was the fact that I had taken f5.000 of Lord Stanway's money for a mere piece of glass, and that money I must, in mere common honesty as well as for my own sake, return. But how? Even if I confided in Lord Stanway privately, returned his money and de- stroyed the cameo, what then? The sudden disappearance of an article so famous would excite remark at once. It had been presented to the British museum, and If 1t never appeared in that collection md no news were to be got of it, people would guess at the truth at once.
 'what could I do? Every expedient seemed useless but one-the one I adopted. It was not straightforward. I admit; but, oh, Mir. Hewitt, consider the temptation-and remember that 1t couldn't do soul any harm! No mat ter who might be suspected. knew there could not possibly be evidence to make them suffer. More I needn't tell you. You know fl. I have only now to beg that you will use your best in- fiuence with Lord Stanway to save me from public derision and exposure. will do anything-pay anything-any- thing but exposure at my age and with my position"
 "well, you see" Hewitt replied thoughtfully, I've no doubt Lord stanway will show you every consid- eration. and certainly I will do what I can to save you in the circumstances; though you must remember that you have done some harm you have caused suspicious to rest on at least one honest man But as to reputation, I've a professional reputation of my own If I help to conceal your pro fessional failure, shall appear to have failed in my part cf the business"
 But the cases are different, Mr. Hewitt. Consider. You are not ex- pected-it wsuId be impossibIe-to succeed invariably. and there are only two or three who know you have look cd into the case. Then. your other con spicuous successess-
 "weT. well. we shall see. One thing I don't know. though-whether you climbed out of a window to break open the trapdoor or whether you got up through the trspdoor Itself and pulled the bolt with q string through tha 1anh. % ss b helt t after x2u.-