The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-03-06

She looked up Will al n1h -, nohiod
e1nppdi ao,npapthine, Her hesitation was so
marlied that / put her whole story from
me as a clever fabrication ana retu'"ou
again 10 the theory OF robbery
"Madame." | said. unless your nus,
band can add to that which you tell
me, / shall be unable to purchase Sou'
"oh. for the love OF God don't say 1a,
that she cried. I'VE are so poor we
nave hardly eaten for days Come u anu
tell you all. / implore you, and you WI, VIII
never regret this Kindness! MY husnana
is a good friend; he Will reward Ega Eou5
friendship. You viii not refuse me TINS
Il is harder still when she pleads WIZ,
tears in her voice. 1 told her mat ]
would 60 and see her husband on tLe
following evening at o CLOCK anu I0p,s hn
tween time 10 be frank with me, since Sine
frankness alone could avail MN; 9nS
accepted my advice with gratitude @ @anc
made handsomer by its look OF gloom
and penslveness. Then ] fell to thlnkins
upon the wisdom, or want OF WisugHI' ~ ~
tha promise | had given. stories OF
men me drugged, or robbed, or murdered by
level thieves crowded upon my mlho,
but always with the recollection that
should carry nothing to BoscoDel P'1I G :.
than a well-worn suit OF clothes ana n
SWISS lever watch in a silver case such
as l carry invariably, would scarce DC
quarry for the most venturesome snop-
hawk that the history OF knavery mas
made known to us. | could risk nothins
by going to the house was sure, ouf
might get the opal, and 10Y thaL
lonCed stiil with fever of possession
which could only be accounted Tor oy
the beauty OF the gem
Being come TO this determination,
left my own house in hanson CAP on
the following evening at half-past eisht
bEl
INV usual custom than from any
prophetic alarm. l had money upon me
sufficient only for the payment OF the
cab; and l took the extreme precautlon
OF putting aside the diamond ring that
I had been wearing during the day, AS
| live In Bayswater. 1t was but shor'
drive across Paddington green ana GOVT
the Marylebone road TO Boscopel place
and when we reached the mousse VIC
found II lighted up on the drawing room
noor as Abel had seen II at MS mrs.
darkness. and / had to ring twice be,
fore the shrill-voiced dame i had heaTc
OF answered TO my knock. she carrleo
a frowsy candle In her hand ana "hS
so uncanny looking that l motioned Abe
TO keep watch from the outside upoI
the house before l went upstairs to thai
which was a typical lodging house room
There was tapestry sofa against one %
wall: half a dozen chairs In evident de-
cline stood In hilarious attitudes; some
seaweed, protected for no obvious rea'
son by shades OF glass. decorated IN;
mantelpiece. and sampler displayed
the obviously aggravating advice to q
tenant OF such a place, waste not, wan
not" But the rickety writing table wa:
strewn with papers, and there was hal
cigar lying upon the edge OF IL, anc
a cup OF coffee there had grown cold II
the dish.
The aspect OF the place amazed me
I began TO regret that l had set ou
upon any such enterprise, but had ne
time to draw back before the Russian
entered. He wore an out t-elbow velve
coat. and the rest OF his dress was shah.
| by enough TO suit his surroundings
noticed however, that he. offered me s
| seat with a gesture that was superb
and that his manner was less agltatee
than 1t had been at our first meeting;
have come to buy the opal?'
Under certain conditions. yes"
THAT is very good of you; but I an
Offering you a great bargain. My price
for the stone now is $4,000. one thousand
day"
''Decidedly. or 1 should not have low
cred my claim-but see for yourself
He took the stone from the wash
leather bag, and laid it upon the writ,
and sorrow at the sight of It. The glo-
rlous lights I had admired not twenty
| days ago were half gone: dull, salty
red tinge was creeping over, the supert
green and the scIntillating black which
| had made me covet the jewel with suct
| longing Yet IL remained, even In IL;
! comparative poverty, the most remarka'
BILE gem l have ever put hand upon:
''The stone Is certainly going of,
said In answer to him. What guaran
tee have l that II will not be worth
| less In a months timer
| You have my word. 1t is tradition
of our family that he who owns tina
heirloom when it begins TO fade must sci
II or die-apd sell il at its worth l
| I continue to possess it. the tradition
must prove Itself. for I shall die of sheeI
starvation"
| 1T will regain its lights. I have NJ
doubt OF II, for II has gone like thi.
before when n death has happened
amongst us. If you are content TO tak'
my word, / will return TO you in si'
months time and make good any los
you have suffered by 81 But shoult
want some money now, tonight, before al
| hour-could you let me have it?'
III / bought your stone, you coulC
have the money for It; my man. who 1!
outside. would fetch my. check book.
AT the word man." he went to th'
window and saw Abel standing be
meath the gas lamp. He looked ixedll
at the fellow for a moment. and ther
drew down the blinds In a deliberate way
which ] did not like at all
THAT servant of yours has been Sc
to watch this house for ten days" h
said WAS that by your order?"
| I was so completely taken aback b,
his discovery that I sat for a momen
dumfounded, and gave him no answer
| He. however, seemed trembling with pas
| sion,