The San Francisco call., 1913-11-08

man who sat there glowering at him
so intently. Already the boy began
to grasp dimly the reality of the
power which enormous wealth would
give him
Such people as the Jew and his
satellites would be mere automata in
the affairs of his life, important
enough in g sense, with the import
anee OF stamp for letter or rail-
way ticket for a journey, but gov
erned and controlled utterly by the
greater parsonage who could unlock
the door of the treasure house. For
the first time Philip wished he was
older. bigger. more experienced. He
even found himself beginning to
wonder what he should do until he
reached mans estate. He sighed.
Isaacstein was watching him close
ly. trying to solve the puzzle by the
aid of each trick and dodge known in
a trade which lends itself to acute
roguery of every description The
look of unconscious anxiety, of men,
tai WEAKNESS, on Philips face seemed
TO clear away his doubts. He
chuckled thickly.
How many, now2r he rnurmured.
Ten. twenty-of assorted sizes. eh?'
Far morei Far morel Be content
with what I tell you today, Mr.
lsaacstein J said my business was
important. When you are better ac-
quainted with me I think you will
ind II sufficiently valuable to occupy
the whole OF your time
A~BIG SECRET
Philip was ever on the verge Of
bursting out into condolences. His
secret was too vast, too overpower-
ing for a boy of 15. He wanted the
knowIedge and the trust of an older
man. He did not realize that the
Jew. beginning by regarding him as
thief. was now veering around to
the opinion that he was a lunatie For
II IS known to most men that the
values of diamonds increase out of all
proportion to their weight
While one karat stone is worth.
roughly speaking, 10 pounds, a 20
karat gem of the same purity is
worth any sum beyond two thousand
pounds, and the diamond Philip had
submitted for inspection would prob
ably cut into 10 or IL karats of fine
luster. To speak, therefore, of an
abundance of larger and finer stones
was simple absurdity. The De
Beers company alone could use such
figure of speech, and even then
only at isolated dates in its history.
The boy, with his eyes steadfastly
fixed on the Jews face and yet with
distant expression in them that
paid slight heed to the waves of emo
ton exhibited by the heavy cheeks
and pursed up mouth. awaited some
final utterance on the part OF his
questioner. Surely he had said suffi-
cient to make this man keenly alive
to the commercial value OF the "busi-
ness he offered. Under the condi-
tions Isaacstein could not refuse to
give him sufficient money to meet his
immediate wants.
The Jew, seemingly at a loss for
words, bent again over the stone. He
was scrutinizing it closely when a
heavy tread crossed the outer show
room and the door was flung open.
A policeman entered, and Isaacstein
bounced out Of his chair.
Il have sent for you. constable. to
take this boy into custody" he cried
excitedly. He came here 10 minutes
ago and offered for sale a very valu-
able diamond, so rare and worth SO
much that he must have stolen it,
Philip, too. sprang up.
1T is lier he shouted. How
dare you say such thing when 7
have told you that 1t is mine?"
The policeman collared him by the
shoulder.
ARRESTED
L
Steady. my young spark" he said.
Mr.. Isaacstein knows what he is
about. and don't suppose he is very
/ far from wrong this time Do Won
know the boy sir?" he went on.
Isaacstein gave a volubIe and accu-
rate summary of Philips statements.
Each moment the policeman's grin
became frmer Evidently the bov
was the mere agent Of a gang Of
thieves, though it was beyond COM
prehension that any one short of an
idiot should choose an emissary with
broken shoes and ragged clothing in
order TO effect deal with the leading
house in Hatton garden.
| Philip listened to the recital in
dumb agony. His face was deathlv
pale and his eyes glowed with the
rage and shame that filled his soul
So the jew had been playing with him
merely fooling him until some secret
signal by an electric bell had sent a
messenger flying for the police. uie
dream of wealth would end In fbe
jail, his fairy oasis would be a felon.s
cell. Very well, be il so. If he could
help II, not all the policemen in Lon
don should rend his secret from Mir,
With a sudden glow Of fiery sails
faction he remembered that his clotb-
ing contained no clew to his addrase
and he had not given his name either
at Ludgate hill or Hatton gardan
How long could they keep him 4 nrls-
loner? Would others find his noa+sor
and rob him of his mothers rift9 n
less than a fortnight men would come
to tear down the buildings in Jobn-
sons News
| Well, it mattered not. The cour-
age of despair which nerved him Sbe
previous night came to his aid again
He would defy them all. careless OF
consequence.
The policeman was saying:
Its a queer affair, sir Did be
really say he had lots more Of emp