matching of gems adds to their price.
Reverses of fortune tempted one of these women to offer her jewels for
sale. They were taken to a Paris dealer, who chanced to be a man through
whom I had made many purchases. He undertook not only to dispose of the
gems, but to reproduce them with a high order of imitation, so that the
woman retained the original settings and continued to wear what her
friends supposed to be the genuine gems. I bought the unset stones.
Subsequently her sister, learning the secret, and seeing that there was
a way by which the jewelry could be retained, whilst the jewels
themselves could be turned into money, engaged the same dealer to serve
her in a similar way. Of course, I was doubly anxious to obtain this
second lot, for by doing so I enhanced the values of those which I had
already. I therefore bought them also."

He paused a moment, to allow the company to recover from the surprise at
learning that the stolen jewels were his.

"This lot was sent to me through the Boston custom-house. I instructed
the dealer to do this, because I had found that goods can be received
with less delay in Boston than in New York. Being notified by my broker
there that they were ready for delivery, I went to Boston and obtained
them. I placed the wallet in a peculiar satchel which had been made to
order for me, and carried it to my room at the Hotel Vendome. Later in
the day, I met Mr. Randolph, and went with him to a theatre. He was to
return to New York by the midnight express, and I went with him to the
depot. As we stood awaiting our turn to purchase tickets, you may
imagine my utter astonishment to see a woman pass and board the train,
having my satchel in her hand. There could be no mistake whatever,
because the satchel was peculiar, both in shape and color. Of course I
saw at once I had been robbed. It was useless to go back to my hotel,
for that would be time wasted. If by any miracle there were two such
satchels, mine was safe in the hotel. I therefore astonished Mr.
Randolph by offering to accompany him, and I did so, occupying the same
section with him. Whilst I was thinking what action I should pursue,
knowing that once the train started my thief would be safe as far as New
Haven, Mr. Randolph began to praise Mr. Barnes, and like a flash it came
to me that this was my chance. I would rob the thief of my own property.
Thus if caught I could not be imprisoned, whilst if not I would not only
win my wager,