The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1912-08-13

married in San Francisco" cried he.
but she has no sinecure: you didn't
hear that l paid his passage broad
last spring after he'd robbed me of a
/ thousand--Well and IL was emeralds
he wanted to sell you?"
1.-TWO of the finest have ever SEEN"
said l, "and matching perfectly"
The import of the emeralds had evil
IDENTIFY been lost upon him until this
time; but now of q sudden he realized
that he might be concerned I'm the
/ business, and his agitation was re-
/ newed. 81 wonder what emeralds
/ they were?" he asked as If of himself:
then turning to me, he exclaimed.
"Will you como upstairs with me a
minute?"
He did not wait for me to answer.
but led the way up bare stone steps
I to landing of which there led two
/ passages: and in big and not uncom-
Portable bedroom he showed me three
safes, one a little one. which he
opened, and took therefrom a case
containing seven emeralds OF n size
and quality apparently similar to the
two l had seen at Pangbourne. But
]
| saw at once that five of them were
genuine and two were false.
We'll" said he, after l had looked
at them long and closely. how do you
like them?"
Il like them enough" said L; eat
least, | like five of them, but the
other two are glass;"
At this he cried, "Oh, my God!"
and clutched the stones from me with
the trembling fingers of a mailman
When he had seen them for himself
being judge enough to follow me in
my conclusions-he began to roar out
oaths and complaints most pitifully
cursing his nephew as / have never
heard man cursed before or since
BY and by he got sufficient reason
to tell me that he had the administra-
ton of some of his nephew's property,
and that in his work he had first fall
en- foul of man, headstrong, vindic-
tive, by no means honest, and, in some
moods, dangerous. Yet, even knowing
his relatives character and the threats
he had urged against him, he could
not tell how the safe was broken. or
by what means the emeralds had
gone. He was not even aware that his
nephew was in England; and had
been the first to bring intelligence of
his coming. | asked him, naturally,
if these two stones represented the
whole of his loss, and at that he fell
off again to his rayng. but took two
keys of the larger safes from a Sc
cret drawer in the smaller as could
see; and began to pour upon the faded
bed-cover wealth of treasure which
might have bought a city
In the midst of this strange scene,
and while we were both held spell.
bound by the wondrous vision of
wealth, a sudden exclamation drew
the miser from his employment 1t
came from the girl who had been sent
TO the village, she now standing in
the doorway of the bedroom. and cry
ing, ooh, good Lord" as she saw the
glitter of the gems. But Ladd turned
upon her at the words, AMI grasped
her by the wrists, crying out as he
had cried when first he knew that
he was robbed.
you hussy," he Kissed, bending her
by the arms backward almost to the
floor; what do you watch me fort
What do you mean by coming here
Where are the emeralds you have
stolen? Tell me- wench; do you hear
Tell me, or ! shall hurt you!"
He held her in so firm a grasp that
I feared she would suffocate, and went
to pull him off; at which action he
turned to cry out against me; but
the anger had played upon him so
that he tainted suddenly all across tho
bed, and amongst the jewels. The girl,
whom he had forced upon the floor,
now rose impudently, and said
did ye ever see the like of him ?
but I'll make him pay for it! Oh.
you needn't look, he's that way often.
He'll come to in a minute; but he
won't find me in the house tomorrow
wages or no wages"
DO what you like" / cried 60 her
angrily, but don't chatter. Have YOU
got any brandy in the house?"
Brandy and for him." said she,
arranging her dress which he had
torn. rs it me that should be running
for K? Not If l know it; brandy. I
like that!"
Then leave the ROOM" exclaimed
inperatively; and with thnt she went
off, banging the door behind her. and
1 was alone with the man and his
jewels. l think it was the stranecst
situation I have ever known. Some
thousands of pounds worth of gems
lay scattered upon the coverlet, upon
the sheets, and even upon the carpet.
LaGd himself lay Ike the figure upon
q tomb, white and motionless; there
was only the light of a common paraf-
fin lamp; and three parts of the room
lay in darkness. My first thought was
for The mans life, and remembering
that 7 had a flask in my pocket. I
forced brandy between his clenchcd
teeth, and laid him fat upon his back.
In a few moments there was a per
ceptible, though very quicl, beat Of
his pulse, and after that, when he had
taken more Of the spirit, he opened
his eyes. and endcavored TO raise him.
self; but / forbade him roughly. and
gathering up his gems I bundled them
i'm thc sTefter safe. and turned the
key upon them re however watched
me with glazing eyes, scarce being
ghlr for 1eetf nj ofrrptsfI a., ttftc~ Cd,