Ruby's Reward — page 348: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

”' Mrs. Gordon immediately took a small case from her pocket and handed it to him. He opened it, and upon their velvet bed there flashed a pair of magnificent solitaire diamond ear- rings, The man looked blank. “Have you the money also?” he demanded. “T have, but not in the form in which it was taken from me,” Mrs. Gordon answered, with a swift glance at Edmund Carpenter. ‘‘The full amount, however, has been restored to me.” “By whoin ?” “T win not at liberty to say. Iam only allowed to | state this much in order to establish Mr. Richard- son’s innocence, and secure his honorable acquit- tal.” “Do you swear Mr. Richardson knew nothing what- ever of the robbery at the time of it, and that he is not coneerned in any way with the restoration of | your property ?’ asked the judge. “Yes, I can swear that he has never even seen the diamonds, unless he may have seen them upon my person months ago, until they were produced here to-day,’ Mrs. Gordon firmly asserted. “And the money ?” persisted his honor, in order to be sure there shovl4 be nd prevarication. “The money IT ktiow he conld never have seen or touched, since the bill is still in the hands of another person.” “Of the real thief ?’’ “Yes, sir, of the real thief.” And Edinund Carpenter quaked as he listened to this assertion. “You solemnly declare, on oath, that these state- a es are true?” said the judge, impressively. “T do. Mrs. Gordon’s inanner was above suspicion, and his honor appeared satisfied; but the attorney for the prosecution insisted upon a fuller explanation. Tt was extremely mortifying to have the chief wit- ness avainst the prisoner turn upon him in this inex- plicable way; to have the case quashed in so uncere- monious and ignoble a manner, and a warin, discus- sion followed upon the matter. comlicbooks.com oes Ce. lee