Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-08-27

| instant once lie reucneu lSddcStelu I
office. A new note In his character
was revealing itself. Always resolute,
fearless and outspoken, now he was
confident He pushed open the swing
door with the manner Of one who ex,
poets his fellows to bow before him.
Was he not rich, able to command the
services of men? Why should he fal.
ter? He forgot his rags, forgot the
difficulties and dangers that might yet
beset his path, for In very truth he
had achieved but little actual progress
since he first entered that office five
days earlier.
But he had suffered much since
then, and suffering had strengthened
him. Moreover, lie had taken the
measure of Isaacstein. There was Il
score to be wiped off before that
worthy and he entered into amicable
business relations.
The instant the youth behind the
grille set yes OH Philip he bounded
back from the window and gazed at
him with frightened look. Had this
young desperate broken out Of prison
and come to murder them all?
Help! Helpr' he shouted. "Mur'
der!''
Clerks came running from the inner
office, among them the elderly man
who interfered in Philips behalf OIL
the last occasion.
Make that idiot shut up said Phil
lip calmly, "and tell Mr.. Isaacstein l
am here"
The Office COY was silenced, and the
excitement calmed down. Yes, the dia-
mond merchant was in. II Philip
would walk upstairs to the waitln"
room, his presence would be an
nounced.
THANK you," he said, "but kindly
see that this urchin does not let others
know | am here. don't want a
crowd to be gathered in the street
when come out"
Such cool impudence from a raga-
muffin was intolerable. or nearly so.
But Isaacstein ruled his minions with
rod of irpn, and they would fain wait
the little mans pleasure ere they ven.
tured their wrath on the boy. Bcsices.
they were afraid of Philip. Like most
people In London, they had read the
newspaper reports of the police court
proceedings, and they were awed by
his strangely incomprehensible sur
roundings.
So he was silently ushered upstairs,
and soon he caught the thick voiced or
der Of Isaacstein:
"ShOw him in.'
Isaacstein. however, divel into his
| private sanctum before Philip entered
the general Office The boy found HIN
there seated at his table.
The duel began with questions:
"How did you get out so soon? You
were reuta nded for week"
"Are you going to send for police
MANI"
Don't be rude, boy. but answer me-"
Il am not hele to satisfy your curios-
| ity, Mr.. Isaacstein. | have called SIM
| u
ficient for you to know that Mr.. AbinS-
don has set me at liberty and restored
my property to me. DO you wish to
deal with me or not?'
TIE diamond merchant tinslcl with
anger. He was not accustomed to be-
J ing browbeaten even by the represent
| atives of the De Beers company. yet
here was Il callow yOungster address
| ing him in this outra geous fashion, be-
| traying, too, an insufferable air Of con-
tempt in voice and manner. He glared
at Philip in silent wrath for an instant.
The boy smiled. He took from his
pocket the paper of diamonds and be-
| gan to count them. The action said
plainly:
You know you cannot send me
away. If 60 to your trade rivals.
you will lose magnificent opportuni-
ty. You are in my hands. No matter
how rude am to you, you must put
up with it,"
| Nevertheless he made an effort to
preserve his tottering dignity.
"Do you think" he said, that you
are behaving properly In treating
man of my position in such a way In
his own ofi:ce?"
In his own oflice-that was the sting
of 1t!
The head of the firm Of Isaacstein &
Co. of London, Amsterdam and Kim
| In, fn -
in his own particular shrine! Why, the
thing was monstrous!
Philip looked him squarely IN the
eyes.
"Mr. Isaacstein," he said calmly,
shave you forgotten that you caused
me to be arrested as thief and drag
ped handcufred through the open
streets by a policeman? l have spent
five DAYS in jail because Of you. At
the moment when was praising your
honesty You were conveying secret
signals to your clerks In the belief that
I was something worse than Il pick
pocket. Was your treatment Of me so
free from blame ut our first meeting
as to serve as q model at the second:
The chair was creaking now contin-
uously. The man swung from side to
side during this lecture. He stroVe
hard to restrain himself, but the fever
ish excitement Of Saturday returned
with greater intensity than ever. He
Jumped up, and Philip imagined for n
second that robbery with violence was
imminent.
"Confound 1t all, boy" yelled the
merchant, what was to do when a
ragged loafer like you came In and
showed me a diamond worth thou
sand pounds and told me he had doz-
ems, hundreds, more like 1t? Did you
expect me to risk standing In the dock
by your side? Who could have given
fairer evidence in your behalf than !
did? Who proved that you could moi
have stolen tie stoncs? Whom have