Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-06-01

escape from the meteor than on the accident that prevented his contem- plated suicide. This latter idea had vanished with the madness that induc- ed 1t. Philip was sane again, morally and mentally. He was keenly anxious to Justify his mothers trust in him. The clustering wind, annoying to most wayfarers, only aroused in him spirit of resistance, of fortitude. He breast ed it so manfully that when at last he paused at the door of great jewelry establishment in Ludgate Hill his face was flushed and his manner eager and animated.
 l He opened the door, but was rudely brought back to sense of his sur roundings by the suspicious question of shopwalker:
 "Now. boy, what do you want here?"
 The unconscious stress in the mans words was certainly borne out by the contrast between Philip, social pariah in attire, and the wealth of gold and precious stones cut off from him by panes of thick glass and iron bars. What, indeed, did this outcast want there?
 Confused by the sudden demand and no less by its complete obviousness, Philip flushed and stammered:
 T-er-only wished to obtain some information. sir" he answered.
 Like all others, the shopman was amazed by the difference between the boys manners and his appearance.
 "Information?" he repeated in his surprise. "What information can we give you?''
 The wealth of the firm oppressed this man. He could only speak in ac cents of adulation where the shop was concerned.
 Philip produced his white pebble.
 "What is this?" he said. The directness of the query again took his nearer aback. Without n | word, he bent and examined the stone. Professional instinct mastered all oth- CT considerations.
 "You must apply to that depart ment." He majestically waved his hand toward a side counter. Philip obeyed silently and approached a small, elderly parsonage, a man with clever, kindly eyes, who was submit ting to microscopical examination a number of tiny stones spread out on a chamois leather folding case. He quietly removed the case when his glance rested on the boy.
 .Wellg' he said blankly, wondering why on earth the skilled shopwalker had sent such disreputable urchin tc him. Philip was now quite collected in his wits. He held out the pebble. with more detailed statement.
 q found this," he said. T thought that 1t might be valuable, and q friend advised me to bring 1t here. will you kindly tell me what it is?"
 The man behind the counter stared at him for a moment, but he reached over for the stone. Without word ht placed it beneath the microscope and gave 1t a very brief examination. Ther he pressed 1t against his cheek.
 "Where did you get iti" he asked.
 q found 1t where 1t had fallen on the pavement"
 Are you sure"
 Quite sure"
 Stranger was the muttered com ment, and Philip began to understand that his meteor possessed attributes hitherto unsuspected
 But what is it?" he inquired after a pause.
 "A meteGic diamond"
 "A meteoric diamord~
 "Yes."
 "Is it worth much"
 "A great deal Probably some hun dreds of pounds"
 Philip felt his face growing pale. That dlrty-white. small stone worth hundreds of pounds! Yet in his pocket he had twenty-nine other specimens, many of them much larger than the one chosen haphazard for inspection. and fin the back yard of his tenement lay heaps of them. scattered about the pavement like hailstones after a show CT, while the meteor itself was a com pact mass of them. He became some what faint and leaned against the glass case that surmounted the counter.
 'Is that really true?" was all that he could say.
 The expert valuer of diamonds sm!l- ed. His first impulse was to send for the police, but he knew that meteoric diamonds did fall to earth occasionally. and he believed the boys story. More over, the thing was such a rarity and of such value that the holder must be fully able to account for Its possession before he could dispose of 1t So his tone was not unliindly IS he replied:
 Tt Is quite true, but If you want 10 ascertain its exact value you should go to Hatton Garden merchant. and he. most probably, would make you a fair offer. It has to be cut and polish. ed. you know. before 1t becomes sal able. and I must warn you that most rigid inquiry will be made as to how 1t came Into your hands,"
 'It fell from heavenr' was the who'll ly unexpected answer, for Philip was shaken and hardly master of his fac ulties.
 "Yes. yes. know. Personally. be- lIeve you or you would be in custody at this moment Take it to Messrs. Isaacstein & Co. Hatton Garden. Say I sent you-Mr. Wilson Is my name and make your best terms with Mir