The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1909-12-31
\ DEAL IN DIAMONDS.
The True Story Of an Ingenious
SWindle In London.
A cLEvERLY WORKED GAME.
u Melted an Impeeunious Russian No
bleman a Thousand Pounds Sterling.
The Easy Manner lr Which Count
Sacha Got Something For Nothina,

The Easy Manner In Which Count
Sacha Got Something For Nothing.
Coun. Sacha Ronbletsky was on his
beam ends in London To the world
he was still dashing young noble
man. son Of an immensely wealthy
Russian prince. but l.: point of fact
he was financially ut his lasS gasp.
He wanted a thousand or SO for
nothing That was the problem he de-
bated us he sat in his lodging smoking
cigarette after cigarette. At last he
rose with satisfied smile. Next morn
ing Count Sacha called on Messrs.
Sparkle Il Shine, the we'll known Bond
stree, jewelers.. He explained who he
Was and that he had come to select
some jewelry for his sweetheart
From the glitterng tray he selected
a beautiful stone, price $500. He then
explained that. his remiltunces being
delayed. he was not in Il position to
complete the purchase at the moment.
and. in any case. he wished first to
submit the stone to his sweetheart's
approval.
He added suavely that as he was un-
known to MessrS. Sparkle T. Shine he
could not expect them to part with the
gem without making inquiries. but
they were at liberty to apply to the
Russian embassy FOR any information
they desired concerning him. He
would return the following day and.
everything being satisfactory. take the
diamond.
To this the jewelers. agreed and. in
quiring at the Russian embassy, were
Informed that Count Sacha was un-
queStionably the son of a wealthy
prince and that they would probably
be safe in giving him credit for even
more than the amount mentioned.
They did not know at the embassy
that Sacha had been disowned by his
father. and they were agreeable to the
counts own suggestion that member
of the embassy should attend at the
jewelers. next day to identify him.
This WAS done. and Count Sacha re-
ceived the diamond. The same day
he called at Il big pawnbroker's and.
mentioning airily that he was in tenn
porary difficulties. pledged the diamond
for the small sum of ESQ.
The next day found Count Sacha
again at Messrs. Sparkle & Shines.
His sweetheart. he said. was enchant.
ed with the diamond. but nothing
would satisfy her now but that she
should have another diamond abso-
lutely matching the first.
The jewelers. explained that to match
such stone would be il matter of
great difficulty and the price of the
second gem would be enormously in
creased-in short. for such pair of
twin diamonds they would have to
charge $4,000. Count Sacha shrugged
his shoulders. The price was stiff, but
he could deny his sweetheart nothing.
Would Messrs. Sparkle & Shine please
at once set about procuring the second
diamond?
The jewelers., being, unable to match
the diamond themselves. wrote to the
leading dealers and pawnbrokers de-
scrlblng the stone they wanted and
1ntimating that they were prepared to
go as far as $4,000 for perfect speci-
men. Among those they wrote to was
the pawnbroker with whom Count Sa-
cha had pledged the original diamond,
which was just what that ingenious
rascal expected.
\ few days later Count Sacha called
at the pawnbroker's to redeem his dia-
mond. The pawnbroker had had
Messrs. Sparkle & Shines letter, and.
remembering the beautiful diamond
pledged with him day or two before,
he had examined it and found that It
met all of Sparkle & Shines require
ments.
The count redeemed the stone. and
then the pawnbroker inquired whether
by any chance he would care to sell it.
Oh. no. 1t was a family heirloom.
His customer would not dream of part
ing with it.
That was pity. said the pawnbro-
ker. He had CHANGED to show the dia-
mond to his wife. and she had taken q
violent fancy to it-so much so that
he was prepared to give fancy price.
He offered $500.
Count Sacha laughed and shook his
head. One thousand pounds? Oh, no.!
he really did not want to sell it. An
offer of f1.3OO. however, made him hes
itate. At last. after prolonged chatter
Ing. Count Sacha passed back the dia-
mond to the pawnbroker and received
f1.5O0 in exchange. Once outside he
jumped into cab and drove as fast
as he could to Messrs. Sparkle &
Shines.
Arrived there. he explained. with
many regrets. that his sweetheart had
changed her mind. She no longer
wanted the second diamond. Had the
jewelers. yet found It? No? All. that
was well! Still. be feared be had put
them to much trouble. However. he
was glad to say his remittances had
arrived and he had now much pleas
ure in handing over $500 in payment
for the original diamond. which his
sweetheart had decided to keep.
One thousand pounds to the good,