Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-09-18
luxury Of questioning or prooing the
extent OF bis juvenile patrons re-

luxury Oh QuSSucMpg OF proOlnE the
extent Of bis juvenile patrons re-
sources.
But there was a long pause before he
found his tongue again. His voice had
lost its aggressiyeness when he said:
Sin the police court ] valued. the dia-
monds you prcdnced at 5000 1t does
not necessarily follow that am pre-
pared to give such sum fer them at
this moment. might do so as u srccu-
lation, hut | take IL you do not want
mo to figure in that capacity 1t will
be better for you. safer for me, il I be-
come your agent. I will take your stones
to Amsterdam, have them cut sufficient
ly to enable dealers to assess their true
worth and sell them to the best adj
vantage. My charge will be 10 per
cent and pay all expenses. Today l
will give you gao. Tomorrow l will
take you to bank and place five thou
sand to your credit. Meanwhile 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 1 do not
think I will be far out in my estimate.
Are you agrecable:"
Some inner monitor told Philip that
the man was talking on sound business
lines. There was ring of sincerity in
bis 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
laughing interviews in the Hntton Gar
den Office! What gold mine! More
over he would be the head man in the
trade. He was that now, in some re-
spects, but under the new 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 If the boy
kept to his rags and amazed the world
so long as the diamonds were forth
coming? 1t was no silk hated gentle
man who first stumbled across the dia-
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 1t out Of
mere curiosity.
YES. said Philip. 81 agree TO that"
Samuel" yelled Isaacsteln.
Coming, sir" was the answering
shout, and furried clerk appeared.
Bring in the scales, Samuel"
The scales We're brought and level
space cleared for them on the desk.
Philip, of course, had never before
seen an instrument so delicately adj
justed. 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. Ii wns
his first sight of the diamonds.
"Four ounces eight pennyweights five
grains-029 carats in thirty stones.
Oh, good gracious mew murmured the
clerk.
Isaacstein checked the record care.
fully.
"Rightv' he said. "Put them in the
safe"
Philip raised no protest this time.
He knew that the man would keep his
word. Indeed, Isaacstein told Samuel
to bring him fifty sovereigns, and ere
the man returned he began to write
on n sheet of letter paper:
Received FROM Here! What's
your name:' he broke In.
"Philip." &9
"Philip what?'
'That will do today, thank you. The
next time l call 1 will give You my
full name and address,"
''Please yourself. am no judge in
this matter" and lie 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 Clerkenwell police court on
that date thirty meteoric diamonds
weighing in the gross 500 carats. ] hereby
der true account of the sales TO said
Philip or his agents, my commission TO
be 10 per cent, the expenses payable by
me. I have today handed the said Philip
ESQ in gold and undertake to place ,e5,0eO
to his credit tomorrow with my bankers.
REUBEN ISAACSTEIN.
After completing this acknowledge
ment he scrubbed something else.
There lie said, with sigh of re-
lief, that is not very formal docu-
ment, but it will suffice. You can get
1t stamped tomorrow at Somerset
House. Just sign this receipt for ESQ"
Philip took the two papers and read
them carefully. Isaacstein's handwrit-
ing was scrawl, but legible enough.
The boy reached for a pen and signed
his 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 lie simply wrote phil
Up" across the stamp at the foot of the
receipt.
Isaacstein fully appreciated the Incl.
dent and knew that his own eagerness
defeated the chance, all the more pow
eElul -DccuuSc IL WIS lllNOltllltuFN, u
ascertaining the name of this marvel
Gus youth.
Philip gathered up his gold, not with
out counting the coins. They felt
strangely heavy in his pocket-mucl
heavier than the stones they replaced
vet they formed but thousandth part
Of the value of those fiintlike pebbles
What n queer problem 1t was, this RI.
ito Of worth between few stones and
the bright minted sovereigns!
| "What time shall call tomorrow?
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? Sec
what trouble you may get into. Why
the mere possession of so much GOLD
by boy like You may
81 can take care of myself, Mr.. Isaac
stein. l will be here at II. Good aft
ernoon."
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