The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-02-11

This Croshar-or whatever his name
is,---seems to be a 'strordinary Teller"
observed Grady, relighting his cigar.
He is" agreed M. Pigot, quietly; "a
most extraordinary man. But even he
/ Is not infallible; for, since the memoir
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-
tions-a pure accident which he could
not forsee. And now, gentlement, 1t
| shall be my pleasure to diplay before
you some very beautiful brilliants."
| Not until that instant had thought
OF what the drawer contained; ! had
been too fascinated by the poisoned
fangs and by the story told so quietly
but so effectively by the French de-
| drawer was filled with little rolls Of
cotton, which had been pressed into 1t
quite tightly.
M. Pigot removed the first OF these,
unrolled It and spread II out upon the
desk. and instantly we caught the gilt
ter Of iamonds-diamonds so large, SO
brilliant, so faultlessly white that
| drew a deep breath Of admiration.
Even M. Pigot, evidently as he prided
himself upon his imperturbability, could
not look upon those gems wholly I'M
moved: slow colour crept into his
cheeks as he gazed down at them, and
he. picked up one or two Of the larger
ones to admire them more closely. Then
he unfolded roll after roll, stopping
from time to time for look at the larg-
| er brilliants.
These are from the famous necklace
which the Grand Duke inherited from
his grandmother" he said, calling our
attention to a little pile Of marvellous
gems in one of the last packets.
Orchard, 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
| Europe for many years. Each OF them
Is q marked gem. Here in America,
your police regulations are not so COM
plete: but / fancy that, even here, he
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 have stopped to admire
| the Mazarin diamond in the galerie d
| Apollon at the Louvre" said M. Pigot.
There is always q crowd about that
| case, and a special attendant is in
stalled there to guard 1t, for it con-
tains some articles OF great value. But
the Mazarin is not one OF them; for 1t
is not a diamond at all; it is paste-a
paste facsimile 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 1t was folly to keep 5000, =
900 of francs imprisoned in a single
gem, when their Michael Angeles and
da Vincis and Murillos were encrcsted
with dirt and fading daily. So they
sought a purchaser for the Mazarin
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
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 1t was not
really the diamond. For myself, I think
the directors acted most wisely. And
now" he added with a gesture toward
the glittering heaps, what shall we do
with all this?"
There's only one thing to do" said
Grady, awaking suddenly as from a
trance, land that's to get them in a
safe deposit box as quick as possible.
There's no police safe I'd trust with EN-!
Why, they'd tempt the angel Gabriel"
and he drew a deep breath.
| Can we find q box Of safe deposit
at this hour OF the night?" asked NJ.
Pigot, glancing at his watch. 1T is
almost l o'clock and half"
That's easy in New York" said
Grady. Wen take 'em over to the
Day and Night bank on Fifth avenue.
1t never closes. Wait till get some
| thing to put 'em in"
He went out and came back presently
| with a small valise.
This will do" he said. STOW 'em
away. and I'll call up the bank. and
| arrange for the box"
Simmonds and Pigot rolled up the
packets carefully and placed them in
| the valise. while I sat watching them
| in q kind Of daze. And l understood
the temptation which would assail a
man in the presence of so much beauty.
| 1t was not the value Of the jewels
which shook and dazZled mel scarcely
| thought of that; 1t was their seduc-
tive brilltance, 1t was the thought that,
II l possessed them. I might take them
| out at any hour Of the day or night
and run my fingers through them and
watch them simmer and culver in the
light.
The Grand Duke Michael must have
been considerably upset." remarked
| Simmonds, who. throughout all this
scene. had lost no whit Of his serenity
| of demeanor.
He has been like a madman." said
M. Pigot. smiling a little at Simmond's
Unconditional tone. These jewels are
q passion with him; he worships them:
he never has parted with them. even
for day: where he goes, they have
gone. In his most desperate need of
money-and he has had such need
many times-he has never sold one Of
! his brilliants. On the contrary. when
ever he has money or credit. and the
opportunity comes to purchase a stone
of unusual beauty. he cannot resist,
| even though his debts go unpaid.
| Since the loss of these stones, he has
raved. he has cursed. he has beat his
| servants-one of them has died. in con-
sequence. We are all a little mad on
some one subject, / have heard 1t said;
we'll. the Grand Duke Michael is very
mad on the subject OF diamonds"
why didn't he offer a reward for
their return" queried Simmonds.
"Oh. he did" said M. Pigot. He Of
fered Immediately his whole fortune
for their return. But his fortune was
not large enough to tempt Crochard,
| for the Grand Duke really has nothing
but the income from his family estates,
and you may we'll believe that he
spends all Of 1t. It will be a great Joy
to him that we have found them"
The thought flashed through my
mind that doubtless M. Pigot was in