Tales of Terror and Mystery

           Purvis,oneofthepartnersofMorsonandCompany,thewell-knowndiamondmerchants.Asanexpertinstoneshewasalwayspreparedtoadvisethepolice.TheyweregroupedroundthecaseinwhichthebreastplateoftheJewishpriesthadbeenexposed.Theplatehadbeentakenoutandlaidupontheglasstopofthecase,andthethreeheadswerebentoverit.

           "Itisobviousthatithasbeentamperedwith,"saidMortimer."ItcaughtmyeyethemomentthatIpassedthroughtheroomthismorning.Iexaminedityesterdayevening,sothatitiscertainthatthishashappenedduringthenight."

           Itwas,ashehadsaid,obviousthatsomeonehadbeenatworkuponit.Thesettingsoftheuppermostrowoffourstones—thecarnelian,peridot,emerald,andruby—wereroughandjaggedasifsomeonehadscrapedallroundthem.Thestoneswereintheirplaces,butthebeautifulgold-workwhichwehadadmiredonlyafewdaysbeforehadbeenveryclumsilypulledabout.

           "Itlookstome,"saidthepoliceinspector,"asifsomeonehadbeentryingtotakeoutthestones."

           "Myfearis,"saidMortimer,"thathenotonlytried,butsucceeded.Ibelievethesefourstonestobeskilfulimitationswhichhavebeenputintheplaceoftheoriginals."

           Thesamesuspicionhadevidentlybeeninthemindoftheexpert,forhehadbeencarefullyexaminingthefourstoneswiththeaidofalens.Henowsubmittedthemtoseveraltests,andfinallyturnedcheerfullytoMortimer.

           "Icongratulateyou,sir,"saidhe,heartily."Iwillpledgemyreputationthatallfourofthesestonesaregenuine,andofamostunusualdegreeofpurity.