The Press., 1914-12-30


 ed by the embassy to the baron, one of the clerks of the legation called at his hotel and accompanied him to the jewellers. Von Hemmerstein received the ruby in a leather box lined with velvet and. calling cab, drove to the pawnshop of Jules Pombeau, where he pledged it for loan of thousand francs.
 A few days later Von Hemmerstelh called again at NJ. CheseuPs shop and confided to him that he was about to be married and it had occurred to him that two rubies, of the size and shape and hue of the one he had purchased would make a pair of earrings suitable for a gentleman's wedding gift to his bride. Did the jeweler have such an' other ruby in stock?
 NJ. Cheseul had only one or two oth- CT stones that would come near to matching the first, and in all there was some slight variation. The baron ap- peared disappointed. and the jewel CT. bent on making d double profit, agreed to try to find a match for the ruby in the stock of some other jew eler. But he explained that to find q perfect mate would require consider able labor and the second gem would be worth a much larger sum than the first. Non Hemmerstein asked him to fix a price for the mate, and after some deliberation he named 30000 francs.
 Von Hemmerstein did not seem staggered at this figure, saying that he would give it provided a perfect match were obtained. and the jeweler called his attention to the fact that the two together would command a much higher price than separately. The baron gave the order. and M. Cheseul began a hunt all over Paris for the second ruby.
 A great many valuable gems are to be found ill the hands of pawnbrokers, and among others to whom the jew eler applied was NJ. Pombeau, one of the principal members of that trade ill Paris. That he would do so was expected by Von Hemmerstein and was part of his plan. few days after ordering the second gem he call ed at M. Pombeau's shop and said he would redeem his pledge. He laid down the thousand francs borrowed on it.. and the broker handed it back to him.
 By the bye. baron." said Pombeau, would you like to sell that stone?'
 "No. indeed. 1 value it very highly. It has been in my family hundreds of years.
 "I have brooch into which it would it nicely. On this account, if you were willing to part with it, 1 would give you good price for it."
 What do you call a good priceW
 Pombeau would not mind giving 15.- GOO francs for it. VOn Hemmerstein sneered at this and started to leave the shop. POmbeau called him back and said that the ruby to him would be worth 10000 francs. This seemed to arrest the baron's attention. Aft CT some dickering he sold the stone for 2l GOO francs and received the money for it on the spot. Calling cab. he drove at once to NJ Cheseuls shop and asked if they bad found matg t0 -th tie ee-Esl6y ruby No; they had not had time They had sent out minute description of it and were expecting replies. The baron said thai was fortunate. He had changed his mind. He had determined on q more magnificent present for his bride thai the twin rubieS. And. now that his mind was made up. he would pay fol the stone he had bought. So he pro duced bank notes to the amount of 1O, 900 francs and took receipt.
 By this ingenious device he had real ized II. GOO francs, or $2.200.
 But that the baron was a gentleman of superior caliber is proved by tht sequel. With the 11,OO0 francs tha he had made he returned to Monte Carlo and by one of the most relnarka ble runs of luck ever known there wOr back all he had lost and 1000 per cent | in addition. When he left Monte Carll he went direct to Paris and on arriV ing there made straight for Pombeau'I pawnshop. The pawnbroker met hin as though nothing disagreeable haC happened.
 "i have been regretting parting witl the ruby I sold you and would like t' | buy it back" said the baron. | "I do not wish to sell it." Not for a better price than you paiC me-"
 "I do not say that l will not seI anything own at a price"
 Let me see: think you paid m | 21.OOO francs. How would 24.0G francs suit you?"
 The pawnbrOker was perplexed. H had been done once, and now he fear ed to be done again. He baked a the offer.
 Well" said the baron, turning | away, If you conclude to sell the gen address me at the Circle Francais Ma tionaI Good morning."
 This was enough to decide the pawn l broker who regarded bird in tn | hand worth two in the bush. He call ed the baron back and sold him tn stone. after. all clearing 5000 franc on the transaction.
 From Paris Von Hemmerstein wen to Berlin, where he was received wit the usual eclat attending his returl by the emperor. the nobility and tn common people. He was as suave a ! ever. and no one dreamed that he hat been ruined and had brought himsel back to fortune by q clever bit of ras cality. He had not only succeeded h had covered his tracks.
 Had he been unsuccessful the worl in which he had been living woul 1 have known hin no more except as on who had degenerated from gentle man to a swindler. AS it was. whe in company with those who know tn world he tells the story of his finaH cial embarrassment. as he calls it. an how he extricated himself. SeldOn does he tell 1t to one who consider his operation as without the pale o legitimate bargains and sale.