\"Gentlemen，\"saidhe，\"youmustpardonmyagitation。Thiscry——
youneednotseekitssource——isonetowhichIamonlytoowellaccustomed。Ihavebeenthehappyfatherofsixchildren。FiveI
haveburied，and，beforethedeathofeach，thissamecryhasechoedinmyears。Ihavebutonechildleft，adaughter，——sheisillatthehotel。DoyouwonderthatIshrinkfromthisnoteofwarning，andshowmyselfsomethinglessthanamanunderitsinfluence？Iamgoinghome；but，first，onewordaboutthisstone。\"Herehelifteditandbestowed，orappearedtobestowonit，ananxiousscrutiny，puttingonhisglassesandexaminingitcarefullybeforepassingitbacktotheinspector。
\"Ihaveheard，\"saidhe，withachangeoftonewhichmusthavebeennoticeabletoeveryone，\"thatthisstonewasaverysuperiorone，andquiteworthyofthefameitborehereinAmerica。But，gentlemen，youhaveallbeengreatlydeceivedinit；noonemorethanhewhowaswillingtocommitmurderforitspossession。Thestone，whichyouhavejustbeengoodenoughtoallowmetoinspect，isnodiamond，butacarefullymanufacturedbitofpastenotworththerichandelaboratesettingwhichhasbeengiventoit。Iamsorrytobetheonetosaythis，butI
havemadeastudyofpreciousstones，andIcannotletthisbare-facedimitationpassthroughmyhandswithoutaprotest。Mr。