The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-08-07

tOnSiueltN 10 n1fN lNt NlHHiNNu aNN
rather add to than detract from is
value as a traditional stone with many
historical associations It was hnallv
purchased by Mr. Grey and placed
among bis treasures IN bis manor house
IN Kent Never a suspicious man. he
took delight in exhibiting this acquisl
tion TO such Of his friends and acc
quaintances rs were likely to feel any
interest IN IL. and It was not an I'M
common thing for him to adow u 20
pass flom hand TO hand while he pot
tered over his other treasures and dis
played this and thst to such as had no
eyes for the diamond
It was after one such occasion that
he fouud on taking the stone ia his
hand TO replace it IN the safe he had
had buili for it IN one OF his cabinets
that q did not strike his eve with its
usual force and brilliancy aud on ex-
amining IL closely he discovered the
absence OF the telltale flaw Struck
with dismay. he submitted it TO "A still
more rigid inspection, when he found
that what he held was not even dia-
oond, but a worthless bit OF glass
which had been substituted by some
cunning knave for his Invaluable gem.
For the moment his humiliation al
most equaled his sense Of loss. He
had been so often warned Of the dan
ger he run in letting so priceless All
object pass around under all eyes but
his own. His wife and friends had
prophesied some such loss as this not
once but many dimes and he had al
ways laughed AZ their fears, saying
that he know his friends and there
was not a scamp among them But
now he saw It proved that even the
intuition Of a man well versed ~ hu
man nature is not always infullible,
and, ashamed of his past luXness and
more ashamed YET of the doubts which
this experience called up i'm regard to
all his friends he shut up the false
stone with his usual care and buried
his loss in bis own bosom tin he could
sift his impressions and recall with
some degree OF probability the clrcum
stances under which this exchange
could have been made
II had not been made that evening
OF this he was positive. The only per
sons present on this foccasioh were
friends OF such standing and repute
that suspicion in their regard was sim
ply monstrous When and TO whom,
then, had he shown the diamond last?
Alas, it h9d been long month since
he had shown the Jewel Cecilia. his
Youngest daughter. had died In the in
terim therefore his mind had not been
on Jewels. A month time for his pre-.
oious diamond to have been carried
back to the eastl Time for it TO have
been recut, Surely it was lost 10 him
forever unless he could Immediately
locate the person who hsd robbed him
of it.
But this promised difficulties he
could not remember just what persons
he had entertained on that especial
day in his little hal Of cabinets. and
when he did succeed in getting n list
Of them from his butler, he was by n,
means sure that II included the full
number OF his guests His own mem
ory was execrable. and, in short, h,
had but few facts to offer TO the IS
Greet agent sent up from Scotlait
Yard one morning TO hear his com
plaint and act secretly in his interests
He could give him carte blanche e
carry on his inquiries IN the diamond
market, but little else. And while thii
seemed to satisfy the agent, It did no
lead TO any gratifying result TO him
self, and he had thoroughly made NJ
his mind to swallow bis loss and sa,
nothing about 1t, when one day younl
cousin OF his living in great style in an
! adjoining county informed him that n
some mysterious way he had lost From
his collection OF arms a unique anl
highly priced stiletto OF Italian work
manship.
Startled by hls coincidence Mr- Gre
yentured upon question or two whicl
led to his cousins conhding 20 him IN
fact that This article bad disappeared
after a large supper given by him TO
number Of friends and gentlemen iron
London This piece of knowledge, SUI
| further coinciding with his own expo
rlence caused Mr. Grey 60 ak for
list Of his guests 90 the hope Of andln
among them one wLo had been IN hi
own house.
His cousin, quite unconscious OF III
motives underlying this request, hasteI
ed 10 write Oat this list and togethe
they pored over tie names crossin
out such as were absolutely above su'
plcion When they had reached IA
end Of the list, but two names remaii
ed uncrossed One was that of u raitl
pated youth who had come ip The wax
Of highly reputed connection of theii
and the other that of an America
tourist who gave all the evidences q
great wealth and had presented letter
TO leading men i'm London which ho
insured him attentions not usually a.
corded TO foreigners This mans nam
was Fairbrother and the moment NJ
Grey heard ii he recalled the fact tbs
an American with peculiar name, bl
With a reputation trr wealth, had Ice
among his guests on the su.pectt
evening.
Hiding the effect produced upon hi
by this discovery be placed bis hng
| an This name and beuoed his cousin