Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1914-03-04

ed by the embassy to the baron, one
of the clerks of the legation called at
his hotel and accompanied him to the
jewelers.. Won Hemmerstein received
the ruby in a leather box lined with
velvet and. calling Il cab, drove to the
pawnshop of Jules Pombeau. where
he pledged 1t for loan of thousand
francs.
A few days later Won Hemmerstein
called again at NJ. Cheseul's shop and
confided to him that he was about to
be married and ii had occurred TO him
that two rubies, of the size and shape
and hue of the one he had purchased,
would make 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 9TH
er stones that would come near to
matching the first. and in all there was
some slight variation. The baron APP
peared disappointed. and the jewel
er, bent on making 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
perfect mate would require consider
able labor and the second gem would
be worth a much larger sum than the
first. Won Hemmerstein asked him to
fix price for the mate, and after some
deliberation he named 10000 francs.
Won Hemmerstein did not seem
staggered At this figure. saying that
he would give it provided 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 Nj.
! Cheseu began hunt all over Paris
| for the second ruby.
| A great many valuable gems are to
| be found in the hands of pawnbrokers,
and among others to whom the jew
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 part of his plan. few days
after ordering the second gem he call
ed at NJ. 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 stoner
"No. indeed. ! value it very highly.
1t has been in my family hundreds Of
years"
II have brooch into which it would
fit nicely. On this account, If you
were willing to part with it, would
give you good price for it."
What do you call good priceT
Pombeau would not mind giving 49,
600 francs for it. Won Hemmerstein
sneered at this and started to leave
and said that the ruby to him would
be worth 10000 francs. This seemed
to arrest the baron's attention. Aft
er some diekering he sold the stone
for 21,0OO francs and received the
money for it on the spot
Calling a cab. he drove at once to NJ.
Cheseul's 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 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 receipt
| BY this ingenious device he had real
lied 1000 francs, or 1900.
But that the baron was gentleman
of superior caliber is proved by the
sequel. With the 1900 francs that
he had made he returned to Monte
Carlo and by one of the most remarka-
BILE runs of luck ever known there won
back all he had lost and 1000 per cent
In addition. When he left Monte Carlo
he went direct to Paris and ON arriy-
ing there made straight for Pombeau's
pawnshop The pawnbroker met him
as though nothing disagreeable had
happened
81 have been regretting parting with
the ruby | sold you and would like to
buy it back" said the baron.
II do not wish to sell it,
mot for better price than you paid
me?"
81 do nos say that Will not sell
anything own at price"
! "Let me see; think you paid BE
| $1,000 francs. How would $4,000
! francs suit your
The pawnbroker was perplexed. He
had been done once. and now he fear
ed to- be done again. He baked at
| the offer.
well" said the baron, turning
away, IF you conclude to sell the geis
address me at the Circle Francois Ma
tional. Good morning
This was enough to decide tie pawn-
| broker, who regarded bird in the
! hand worth two in the bush. He call