Year: 1872

y
an old baehelar died, he left his pro
perty pretty equally divided between
his five nephews and nieces. Ny
bequest, however, as being the eld-
est and his godsoD, vas the most
considerable; it consisted of small
freehold estate in Kent, and a dia-
mond ring.


The ring, which was Of such
value that it had been estimated for
legency duty at five hundred pounds
had little history attached to it.
1t was presented to my uncle by an
Indian rajah-whOse physician he
had been for many years, for having
on one occasion, brought the rajah's
faVorite son successfully through q
severe attack Of smallpox.


On the return of the latter to
England, some years afterwards, he
discontinued wearing the ring, for
the size and brilliancy Of the stone
were so remarkable as invariably to
attract attention; which, being
quiet, reserved man, was distasteful
to him. Besides which, he very
soon discovered that having on his
person, habitually, an article ofsuch
value, was, in this country, not alto
gether unattended with danger, an
attempt having been made on one
occasion to waylay and rob him dur
ing one of the solitary evening walks
he was in the habit of taking.


He therefore decided to run no
more risks of this character, and for
safe keeping placed the ring in the
box containing his securities de-
posted with his bankers, where it
remained for several years prior to
his decease.


With the exception, in fact, of my
self and the elder of my two sisters,
not one of the family now living had
ever seen the nng and even our re-
collection of ithaving become vague
and distinct during the years which
had elapsed since the time when, as
children, We wad gazed with mingled
awe and admiration upon "uncle's
big diamond" 1t was therefore with
some degree Of curiosity that l ex+
amined my precious bequest. 1t
was really magnificent stone, and
Of the purest water-at least so'a
friend who processes to be a con
noisseur in such matters assured me
for l do not pretend to be a Judge
myself Still it was by no means a
useful legacy. All the objections
which had presented themselves to
my uncle's wearing the ring, applied
with still greater force TO my doing
so. For me, a city man, engaged in
a business bringing me in some six
or seven hundred per annum, to dis
play on my hand diamond worth
nearly whole years income would
obviously be absurd, and quite in
consistent with my position in soci-
ETY..


1 could sell the ring. True, 1
could sell it; and I admit that the
idea of doing so presented itself to
my mind more than once. Five
hundred pounds l argued, at five per
cent.-a rate of interest obtainable
from many of the safest investments
gives twenty-five pounds per annum;
a small sum, it is true, but not alto
gether to be despised; while long as
the money is locked up in the ring
it is absolutely unproductive. Why
1 thought, pursuing the subject, had
my uncle sold the stone when he
first returned to England sixteen
years ago, the sum he would have
realized from it would; at compound
interest, have more than doubled it
self by this time.


With this idea, yet uppermOst in
my mind I casually alluded, on one
occasion, in family eonclaye, to my
intention of parting with the ring;
but only to find that, by proposing
to do so, I had raised a hornets nest
about my ears. Indignant protests
met me on all sides. My sister Mary,
indeed, grew quite angry, saying,
that "if poor dear uncle had only
known that I, his favorite nephew,
with a sarcastic emphasis on the
word favorite, would have valued
his legacy, ne would have left it to
some member OF the family who
could have better appreciated his
kindness"


yourself, par example," 1 said.


eyes, to me-" she replied; cor to
Fanny, cher younger sister, or
cousin James; or any one, rather
than to you who have shown so lit
tie respect for his memory
"Well!' 1 rejoined, "but what am l
to do with it?''


"Why, keep it until you get mar
ried, to be sure" was the triumphant
reply. "You can have it made into
a brooch for your wife, if you do
not care to wear it yourself -


"Very true," said, resignedly,
for l felt that was beaten.


1 placed the ring in a strong, Iron
bound plate chest, which 1 kept in
my sleeping chamber and thought
to have no trouble about it; but l
was mistaken. In less than a week
afterwards an attempt was made by
burglars to enter the house, which
was only rendered unsuccessful
Though the accident of the barking
ofa dog next door attracting the at
tention of a policeman to the spot,
Just in time to alarm them and
oblige them to abandon the under
taking.


On investigating the matter the
following day, found that the gossip
of our servants had spread the news
all over the neighborhOod that /
had recently become the possessOr
of a large diamond,-the value of
which rumor had greately exagerat-
ed,-and that to this circumstance 1
might doubtless attribute the fact
that the gentlemen who, to use Mrs.
Norton's phrase, 'devote themselves
to such irregular adventures" as
housebreaking, favored us with their
attention.


Thinking it not improbable that
another attempt to enter the house
might shortly be made, 1 deemed 1t
advisable at once to prepare for
such a contingency. therefore
lhonpht that very day. q lre and