THE ARISTOCRATIC CUSTOMER.

Evening Post, Volume XLIV, Issue 44, 20 August 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE ARISTOCRATIC CUSTOMER.

" Sharp ? Have you been sharp ? I believe you, my boy ; the ways of transgressors may be hard, but the I lives of thoso who have to watch them are certainly harder, especially in our trade ; sharp's the word with us all the time." Bullion, my friend, whose laugh as he made the above remarks was not so jolly as usual, is known to be one of the largest and most reliable dealers in jewellery and precious stones in a prominent city. " Was I ever bit ?" he continued ; " Yes, I have been bit, and in the worse way, too. As I have acknowledged this much to you, which I don't do to every man, I may as well tell the worst and most complete swindle of which I was ever made the victim. It was just after the close of a recent war, when, in certain lands, money was as plentiful as promises in the mouth of a candidate. One day in August all my clerks but one were away on vocation, and I was 'tending shop. Business was dull, and I thought, as I leaned on a showcase and gazed out upon the almost deserted streets, that for all the profit there was in keeping open we might as well shut up and be off to the seashore with tho rest of creation. My attention was aroused from this reverie by the opening of the shop door. I looked as there entered a perfect type of the elegant gentleman. His clothes were of the best material, and in thorough taste. He was tall, handsome, dignified, with snow-white necktie, and gold-rimmed spectacles acrocs his aristocratic nose. He might have been a bank manager, a member of Parliament, a clergyman, a bishop. He certainly lopked respectable enongh to be either, or all jn one. I was possessed in his favour in an instant, and set him down for a sure customer if I could suit him by any possible amount of care or trouble. " I haye been recommended to you, sir — Mr. Bullion, I believe ?" I bowed — " by Messrs. Blank, Blaukety, and Blank. I understand you have the best assortment or collection of diamonds iv the city." " I believe honestly, sir, that no other house in the country carries a larger or more valued stock," I replied, proudly. " Well, my daughter is with me here from the West, and has met the gentloman to whom she has been engaged for several years. He has been through the war and gained the high promotion he merits, but his leave of absence will not give him time to visit our far-off home, and 1 have, weakly perhaps, yielded to the solicitation of the young people, and consented that the m-rriago should take place hero and immediately. *' My motherless girl js alj I have on earth, and, Javkir.g tjmo to make moro rational gifts, I must do the best I eati in tho way of trinkets, and deck her with jewels that all women love so well. At all events, diamonds aro a good investment. But come, let me see what you have fch&t might please my little girl." I displayed my entire stock ; tray after tray' of glittering gorns I produced, and though be bandied them, and held tlvm up in different lights, there was not one sign of those suspicious movements which we dealers have learned to know so well and to watch for so closely. At last he madu his selection — a pair of earrings £60, a bracelet £100, a brooch £25, a solitaire ring £40, and a lace pin for the only bridesmaid £20. AH these were set with the finest first-water diamonds, you will understand ; £245 !— rather a good hour's work for a fine August morning, wasn't it ? My customer was particular about the cases in which these precious

gifts were to repose ; the usual one would not suit his fastidious taste, and so I fitted the trinkets into special receptacles, which brought the amount up to £20 more. While this was done, or while it was being done, the gentleman was busy counting over the contents of a large Eussian-leather pocket-book, and when I handed him the small, ' but valuable, package, and the bill (the bill, from force of habit, being presented a little in advance) he passed me over a cheque and some bank-notes. There was £245 in all. Replacing the large wallet in his breast-pocket, he produced a small j purse and proceeded to pay the balance. After searching in every pocket he found himself half-a-crown short. "My dear, sir," said I, " never mind that trifle ; I assure you lam perfectly satisfied." "No, sir, I don't do business that way," he replied with some warmth, " 1 owe no man a penny " ; he began to search for loose coin. It never struck me then as strange that he did not give me a note to change, ! for he had plenty of small paper money. While he fumbled and fussed, and while I partly occupied myself with trying to look as though I was paying no attention to him, 1 noticed a rather roughly-dressed and thickset man pass and re-pass the door. Then lie came up and flattened his nose against the plate-glass window. His next move was to place his body inside the door and close it. Then with a sigh of relief aud a disgustingly familiar wink towards me, he said under his breath :—: — "In time, after all"; and with that he stepped up to my elegant customer, whose back had been turned to him all this while, and Binackedhim briskly on the shoulder: " Hey, Dick, at your old tricks yet, are you?" \ r Tho gentleman turned round, fturned white, and seemed to be turned speechless. As for me, I was red hot with rage. "What do you mean?" I demanded, "by coming into the place and insulting my customers? Who are you, sir?" "Customer, eh? Been buying, has he? He's a nice customer, he is ; and as to whom lam and what I mean, there's my card ; that will soon tell you all you want to know." "I don't want your caid, sir — I won't look at it. Get out of here. This gentleman has bought my goods and paid for them — paid for them, sir !" and I glanced at the card and saw the word detective thereon, but still I was not ready to believe. " I don't care if you were a dozen detectives, you can't insult gentlemen in my shop. John," and I turned to my clerk, " call a policeman." "Call three or four if you want to," said the rough intruder; "but Dick," and he now addressed the gentleman, '' will you go quietly with me, or will you not !" Judge of my astonishment to hear my elegant customer hiss beneath his teeth a terrible oath. "You've got me dead to rights ; what's the use of chinning?" and then the mask fell, and I could see what a sleek-looking deep villain he was. " You see, sir," said the rough man to me in a tone of apology. " this is Diamond Dick, the downiest cuss in the business. I know his lay, and saw him come in here, and I think you'll say it's mighty lucky I did. What he paid you may look all right, but I bet you will find something crooked in it somewhere. Anyhow, he's ' wanted ' for three or four other jobs in some other cities." To say I was astonished is to draw it very mildly. I was so dumbfounded that I lost my head completely. " Just let me see the cash he gave you ?" said the detective, and I handed it over. "Just so," said he again; "I'll jest take charge of this until we get to the office, and," putting his hand in the villian's pocket, " I'll jest take charge of these shiners also, then you'll know they are all safe." Aud he transferred money, cheque, and jewellery to a portion of his own rougli jacket. My former customer was surly, and had nothing to say. Of course, I had to accompany them to the police-station. I bade my clerk to call a carriage, and wo all entered. A short drive brought us to the Central Office, over which the Mayor or his representative presided. The cells were in the basement, the office on the first floor. The carriage halted. Under instructions from tho detective I alighted and entered the office, to wait until he locked hia prisoner in cell downstairs prior to making a formal compla'nt. As I closed the door to the police-court room I heard the carriage drive away. I waited five minutes, ten, fifteen, thirty, an hour! No business was transacted, and I knew I was an object of our iosity through the room. I had noticed a door leading out of it, on which was a sign " Chief of Police." Heartily out of patience, I abruptly made my way into the presence of that dignitary and demanded when he or anyone else was going to give a hearing to Diamond Dick, and asked the whereabouts of the detective. Tho chief started. I explained.