I added that I thanked
God that I had found him out before he had time to harm those precious
objects which it had been the work of my life-time to protect. "He was certainly a man of iron nerve. He took my remarks without a
sign either of surprise or of defiance, but listened gravely and
attentively until I had finished. Then he walked across the room
without a word and struck the bell. "'Ask Miss Andreas to be so kind as to step this way,' said he to the
servant. "My daughter entered, and the man closed the door behind her. Then he
took her hand in his. "'Elise,' said he, 'your father has just discovered that I am a
villain. He knows now what you knew before.' "She stood in silence, listening. "'He says that we are to part for ever,' said he. "She did not withdraw her hand. "'Will you be true to me, or will you remove the last good influence
which is ever likely to come into my life?' "'John,' she cried, passionately. 'I will never abandon you! Never,
never, not if the whole world were against you.' "In vain I argued and pleaded with her. It was absolutely useless. Her whole life was bound up in this man before me. My daughter,
gentlemen, is all that I have left to love, and it filled me with agony
when I saw how powerless I was to save her from her ruin. My
helplessness seemed to touch this man who was the cause of my trouble. "'It may not be as bad as you think, sir,' said he, in his quiet,
inflexible way. 'I love Elise with a love which is strong enough to
rescue even one who has such a record as I have. It was but yesterday
that I promised her that never again in my whole life would I do a
thing of which she should be ashamed. I have made up my mind to it,
and never yet did I make up my mind to a thing which I did not do.' "He spoke with an air which carried conviction with it. As he
concluded he put his hand into his pocket and he drew out a small
cardboard box. "'I am about to give you a proof of my determination,' said he. 'This,
Elise, shall be the first-fruits of your redeeming influence over me. You are right, sir, in thinking that I had designs upon the jewels in
your possession. Such ventures have had a charm for me, which depended
as much upon the risk run as upon the value of the prize. Those famous
and antique stones of the Jewish priest were a challenge to my daring
and my ingenuity. I determined to get them.' "'I guessed as much.' "'There was only one thing that you did not guess.' "'And what is that?' "'That I got them. They are in this box.' "He opened the box, and tilted out the contents upon the corner of my
desk. My hair rose and my flesh grew cold as I looked. There were
twelve magnificent square stones engraved with mystical characters. There could be no doubt that they were the jewels of the urim and
thummim. "'Good God!' I cried. 'How have you escaped discovery?' "'By the substitution of twelve others, made especially to my order, in
which the originals are so carefully imitated that I defy the eye to
detect the difference.' "'Then the present stones are false?' I cried. "'They have been for some weeks.' "We all stood in silence, my daughter white with emotion, but still
holding this man by the hand. "'You see what I am capable of, Elise,' said he. "'I see that you are capable of repentance and restitution,' she
answered. "'Yes, thanks to your influence! I leave the stones in your hands,
sir. Do what you like about it. But remember that whatever you do
against me, is done against the future husband of your only daughter. You will hear from me soon again, Elise. It is the last time that I
will ever cause pain to your tender heart,' and with these words he
left both the room and the house. "My position was a dreadful one. Here I was with these precious relics
in my possession, and how could I return them without a scandal and an
exposure? I knew the depth of my daughter's nature too well to suppose
that I would ever be able to detach her from this man now that she had
entirely given him her heart. I was not even sure how far it was right
to detach her if she had such an ameliorating influence over him. How
could I expose him without injuring her--and how far was I justified in
exposing him when he had voluntarily put himself into my power? I
thought and thought until at last I formed a resolution which may seem
to you to be a foolish one, and yet, if I had to do it again, I believe
it would be the best course open to me. "My idea was to return the stones without anyone being the wiser. With
my keys I could get into the museum at any time, and I was confident
that I could avoid Simpson, whose hours and methods were familiar to
me. I determined to take no one into my confidence--not even my
daughter--whom I told that I was about to visit my brother in Scotland. I wanted a free hand for a few nights, without inquiry as to my comings
and goings. To this end I took a room in Harding Street that very
night, with an intimation that I was a Pressman, and that I should keep
very late hours. "That night I made my way into the museum, and I replaced four of the
stones. It was hard work, and took me all night. When Simpson came
round I always heard his footsteps, and concealed myself in the
mummy-case. I had some knowledge of gold-work, but was far less
skilful than the thief had been. He had replaced the setting so
exactly that I defy anyone to see the difference. My work was rude and
clumsy. However, I hoped that the plate might not be carefully
examined, or the roughness of the setting observed, until my task was
done. Next night I replaced four more stones. And tonight I should
have finished my task had it not been for the unfortunate circumstance
which has caused me to reveal so much which I should have wished to
keep concealed. I appeal to you, gentlemen, to your sense of honour
and of compassion, whether what I have told you should go any farther
or not. My own happiness, my daughter's future, the hopes of this
man's regeneration, all depend upon your decision. "Which is," said my friend, "that all is well that ends well and that
the whole matter ends here and at once. Tomorrow the loose settings
shall be tightened by an expert goldsmith, and so passes the greatest
danger to which, since the destruction of the Temple, the urim and
thummim has been exposed. Here is my hand, Professor Andreas, and I
can only hope that under such difficult circumstances I should have
carried myself as unselfishly and as well." Just one footnote to this narrative. Within a month Elise Andreas was
married to a man whose name, had I the indiscretion to mention it,
would appeal to my readers as one who is now widely and deservedly
honoured. But if the truth were known that honour is due not to him,
but to the gentle girl who plucked him back when he had gone so far
down that dark road along which few return.