Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-14
The Daily Story
"A sHREWD BUSINESS DEAL-BY r. A. mitchell
Copyrighted by Literary

No
bride. Did the jeweler have such An
other ruby I'm stock?
VI. Cbeseul had only one or two oth
er stones that would come near -
matching the first and in all there was
some slight variation. The baron an
peared disappointed. and the level
er. bent on making double prof,
agreed to try to find match for tba
! ruby in the stock OF some other tew.
eler. But he explained that TO Ana a
| perfect mate would require consider.
able labor and the second gem wouA
| be worth a much larger sum than the
! first. Won Hemmerstein asked him h
! fix price for the mate, and after sora
| deliberation he named 10000 francs
Won Hemmerstein did not sesn
staggered at this figure, saying that
| he would give it provided perfect
match were obtained. and the jeweler
called his attention to the fact tina,
the two together would command a
much higher price than separately.
The baron gave the order. and N
CheseuI began a hunt all over Paris
for the second ruby.
A great many valuable gems are 70
be found in the hands of pawnbrokers.
and among others to whom the lew
eler applied was NJ. Pombeau, one OF
the principal members of that trade
in Paris. That he would do so was
expected by Won Hemmerstein and
was a part of his plan. A few dars
after ordering the second gem be cali
ed at NJ. Pombeau's shop and said he
would redeem his pledge. He laid down
the thousand francs borrowed on II.
and the broker handed it back to him.
BY the bye, baron" said Pombeau.
would you like to sell that stonet'
mo. indeed l value it very highly.
1t has been in my family hundreds Of
years"
Il have brooch into which It would
fit nicely. On this account, if you
were willing to part with it. 1 would
give you a good price for it."
What do you call good price,"
Pombeau would not mind giving 10
600 francs for it. Won Hemmersteia
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
er some dickering he sold the stone
for 21,O0O francs ana received the
money IDE IL Oh tue Spot.
Calling a cab, he drove at once to N
Cheseurs shop and asked if they had
found a mate to the ruby. No: they
had not had time. They had sent out
a minute description of it and were
expecting replies. The baron said that
was fortunate. He had changed his
mind. He had determined on a more
magnificent present for his bride than
the twin rubies. and. now that his
mind was made up, he would pay for
the stone he had bought. SO he pro-
duced bank notes to the amount of TO-
600 francs and took a receipt
BY this ingenious device he had real
lied 1000 francs, or $4,000.
But that the baron was a gentleman
of superior caliber is proved by the
sequel. With the 1000 francs that
he had made he returned TO Monte
Carlo and by one Of the most remaTka-
BILE runs of luck ever known there won
back all he had lost and 1000 per cent
in addition. When he left Monte Cario
he went direct to Paris and on arriy-
ing there made straight for Pombeau's
The pawnbroker met him
as though nothing disagreeable had
81 have been regretting parting with
the ruby l sold you and would like 10
buy it back" said the baron.
II do not wish to sell it,
"Not for better price than you paid
me?"
81 do not say that 1 will not sell
anything own at a price"
Let me see; 1 think you paid me
p 900 francs. How would $4,000
francs suit you?"
The pawnbroker was perplexed. BE
had been done once. and now he fear
ed to be done again. He baked at
The offer.
Well" said the baron, turning
away, 'ft you conclude to sell the gem
address me at the Circle Francois Ma
ional. Good morning"
This was enough TO decide the pawn
broker, who regarded a bird in the
land worth two in the bush. He cali
ID the baron back and sold him the
stone, after all clearing 5000 francs
IN the transaction.
From Paris Won Hemmerstein went
o Berlin. where he was received witE
he usual eclat attending his return
" the emperor, the nobility and the
ommon people. He was as suaye as
yer, and no one dreamed that he had
,een ruined and had brought himself
Jack TO fortune by a clever bit of ras-
ality. He had not only succeeded; ne
ad covered his tracks.
Had he been unsuccessful the world
n which he had been living would
ave known him no more except as one
rho had degenerated from gentle
nan to swinder AS it was, when
l company with those who know the
Torld he tells the story OF his fnai'
ial embarrassment, as he calls It. ana
ow he extricated himself Seldom
oes he tell it to one who considers
is operation as without the pale OF
egitimGte bargains and safe