The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-02-11

was =IlS result OI IedQlilS lila
memoir
This Croshar-or whatever his name
1s,-seems to be a 'strordinary feller,"
observed Grady, relighting his cigar.
He is" agreed M. Pigot, quietly: "a
most extraordinary man. But even he
made no mention of the other secret
drawer-the one in which Madame la
Duchesse concealed her love letters
Crochard knew nothing of it. 1t was
that fact which defeated his combina-
t1ons-a pure accident which he could
not forsee. And now, g~entlement, it
shall be my pleasure to diplay before
you some very beautiful brilliants."'
Not until that instant had I thought
of h the drawer contained; I had
been too fascinated by the poisoned
fangs and by the story told SO quietly
but so effectively by the French de-
tective; but now I perceived that the
drawer was filled with little rolls of
cotton, which had been pressed into 1t
quite tightly.
unrolled it and spread it out upon the
desk, and instantly we caught the gilt
ter of Observation-Disclosures so large, SC
brilliant, SO faultlessly white that /
drew a deep breath of admiration.
Even M. Pigot, evidently as he prided
himself upon his ilnperturbability, could
not look upon those gems wholly IN
moved; a slow colour crept into his
cheeks as he gazed down al them, and
he picked up one or two Of the larger
he unfolded roll after roll, stopping
from time to time for a look at the larg-
er brilliants.
These are from the famous necklace
which the Grand Duke inherited from
his grandmother he said, calling u
attention to a little pile of marvellous
gems in one Of the last packets.
"Crochard, of course, removed them
from their settings-that was newt
able. He could melt down the settings
and sell the gold; but not one of these
brilliants would be marketable in
is a marked gem. Here in America,
your police regulations are not SO COM
plete; but I fancy that, even here, he
would have had difficulty in marketing
this one" and he unfolded the last
packet, and held up to the light a rose
diamond which seemed to me as large
as a walnut, and aglow with lovely
color.
Perhaps you AVE stopped to admire
the Mazarin diamond in the galerie d
Apollon at the Louvre" said M. Pigot.
There is always a crowd about that
case, and a special attendant is in
stalled there to guard it, for it con-
tains some articles Of great value. But
the Mazarin is not one of them; for it
is not a diamond at all; it is paste-a
paste fac-simile of which this is the
original. Oh, it is all quite honest" he
added, as Grady snorted derisively.
"Some years ago, the director Of the
Louvre needed a fund for the pur-
chase Of new paintings; needed also to
clean and restore the old one. They
decided that it was folly to keep 3,000,-
600 Of francs imprisoned in a single
gem, when their Michael Angeles and
da Vincis and Murillos were encrusted
with dirt and fading daily. So they
co,1oht q r11roha Sar fnr the #M9z9rin
they found one in the empress of Rus
STA, who had a craze for precious stones,
and who, at her death, left this remark
able collection to her favorite son who
t had inherited her passion. A paste
replica of the Mazarin was placed In
) the Loupvre for the crowds to admire,
and every one soon forgot that it was not
really the diamond. For myself, I think
the directors acted most wisely. And
! now" he added with a gesture toward
!, with all this?"
There's only one thing to de-" said
! Grady, awaktng suddenly as from E
trance, land that's to get them in 6
!, safe deposit box as quick as possible
There's 20 police safe I'd trust with EN-!
Why, they'd tempt the angel Gabriel
t and he drew a deep breath.
Can we find a box Of safe deposi'
I, at this hour Of the night?" asked M
Pigot, glancing at his watch. TT Is
l almost L . ClOCh# anu d lldll.
That easy in New York" sait
: Grady. Wen take 'em over to the
: Day and Night bank on Fifth avenue
), 1t never closes. Wait till I get some
: thing to put 'em in"
He went out and came back presently
: with a small valise.
This will do" he said. STOW EN-
r away, and I'll call up the bank. ant
: range for the box"
Simmonds and Pigot rolled up thu
- nE1H.. ~ - 49, .
e the valise. willie L sat Watching then
in a kind of daze. And I understood
e the temptation which would assail
e man in the presence Of SO, much beauty
1t was not the value of the jewel
which shook and dazzled mel s~carcel.
e thought Of that; it was their seduc
tive ~brilliance, it was the thought thai
8 If 1 possessed them, L might take then
out at n hour Of the day or nigh
s and run my fingers through them an,
" watch them simmer and culver in tn
y light.
d The Grand Duke Michael must hav
been considerably upset" remarke
Simmonds. who. throughout all thi
scene, had lost no whit Of his serenit
Of demeanor.
He has been like a madman," sal
y M. Pigot. smiling a little at Simmond'
II Unconditional tone. These Jewels ar
a passion with him; he worships them
If he never has parted with them. eve
for a day; where he goes, they hav
p gone. In his most desperate need {
ID money-and he has had such nee
many times-he has never sold one {
;, his brilliants. On the contrary, when
ever he has money or credit. and tn
k opportunity comes to purchase a ston
Of unusual beauty. he cannot resis
to even though his debts go unpai'
Since the loss of these stones. he ha
l. raved. he has cursed. he has beat h!
e servants-one Of them has died. in con
sequence. We are all a little mad o
Id some one subject. 1 ave heard it SAID
DR. Well. the Grand Duke Michael is yer
g mad on the subject of diamonds"
,e why didn't he offer a reward Il
u their %return?" queried Simmonds.
& "Oh. he did" said M. Pigot. HE o.
"a fered Immediately his whole fortur
III for their return. But his fortune WI
Or not large enough to tempt Crochar
ut for the Grand Duke really has nothin
~ but the income from his family estate
he and you may well believe tina l
10 spends all Of it. It will be q great ic