The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-06-14

fool to pay hundreds or thousands for
them. Seer
Yes" nodded Philip again. His
sententiousness brought the man to
the point.
Therefore you must take me into
your confidence. What quantity OF /
stones do you possess and what are
their sizes? l must know"
Isaacstein. cooler now. pursed his /
lips and pressed his thumbs together /
until they appeared TO be in danger of .
dislocation. 1t was his favorite atti-
tude when engaged in a deal II signi- .
fed that he had cornered his victim. +
Philip. appealed 10 in this strictly I
commercial way, could not fail 10 see +
1t was 10 his own interest TO tell his +
chosen expert the exact facts and moth i
ing but the facts.
The boy. singularly unlurried in tone
and manner. hazarded an inquiry.
What amount of ordinary diamonds
in their money value. l mean-can
you dispose of readily In the course Of /
a year, Mr. Isaacstein?'
"Oh. 100000 or $500 900 worth. It
is a matter largely dependent on the
condition of trade generally. But that
may be regarded as a minimum"
And the bigger stones. worth many
thousands each?"
at is impossible TO say. Taking
them in the lump at values varying
from a thousand each TO fancy figures,
perhaps $4,000 worth"
ut would be safe TO reckon on a
quarter of a million year. all told?"
"Quite safe"
"Then. Mr.. Isaacstein, l will supply
you with diamonds of that value every
year for many years"
The man relaxed the pressure on his
thumbs. Indeed, he passed a tremu-
lous hand across his forehead. He was
beaten again. and he knew it-worsted
| by gutter snipe in a war OF wits.
The contest had one excellent effect.
It stopped all further efforts on Isaac
! STEMS part to wrest Philips secret
from him. Thenceforth he asked for
and obtained such diamonds as he need
| ed and resolutely forbade himself the
luxury of questioning or probing the
extent of his Juvenile patrons re-
| sources.
But there was a long pause before he
| found his tongue again His voice had
lost its aggressiveness when he said:
"In the police court l valued the dia-
monds you produced at $4,000. 1t does
not necessarily follow that l am pre-
pared to give such sum for them at
this moment might do so as specu
- &nI- a 11\ NJ
me to figure IN that capacity. 1t will
be better for you. safer for me if be-
come your agent 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 ad-
vantage Ny charge will be 10 per
cent and l pay all expenses. Today |
will give you $50. Tomorrow 1 will
take you to a bank and place five thou
sand to your credit Meanwhile l 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, 050 and my 10 per cent
The total price may exceed fifty thou
sand or 1t may be less. but I do not
think will be far out in my estimate
Are you agreeable?"
Some inner monitor told Philip that
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 pei
cent.
And this might we'll be- twenty-five
thousand pounds a year earned by 6
few Journeys to the continental few
haggling interviews in the Hatton Gar
den officel 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 DO!
kept to his rags and amazed the work
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
Tsaacstein had made I'D his mind. Fat
had thrust this business into his lal
2 He would be a fool to lose it out c
e mere curiosity.
IT YES" said Philip. 81 agree to that.
IS Samuel" yelled Isaacstein.
II Coming, sir was the answerin
8 shout, and a flurried clerk appeared.
1t Bring in the scales. Samuel"
1t The scales were brought and a lev
n space cleared for them on the desl
IS Philip, of course, had never befol
seen an instrument so delicately q,
IT justed. A breath would serve to d
lg press the balance.
S. The boy held forth his paper al
5. poured the contents into the tiny bra!