at the aforesaid James Madgin places safely in my
hands the stone known as the Hara Diamond.

"Should the aforesaid James Madgin, from causes beyond his own
control, find himself unable to obtain possession of the said
Diamond, I, Solomon Madgin, bind myself to reimburse him in the sum
of two hundred guineas (L210) as payment in full for the time and
labour expended by him in his search for the Hara Diamond.

"(Signed) SOLOMON MADGIN.

"July 21st, 18--."

Mr. Madgin threw down the pen when he had signed his name and chuckled
quietly to himself. "You don't think, dear boy, that a foolish paper
like that would be worth anything in a court of law?" he said,
interrogatively.

"As a legal document it would probably be laughed at," said Madgin
junior. "But in another point of view I have no doubt that it would
carry with it a certain moral weight. For instance, suppose the claim
embodied in this paper were disputed, and I were compelled to resort to
ulterior measures, the written promise given by you might not be found
legally binding, but, on the other hand, neither Lady Chillington nor
you would like to see that document copied in extenso into all the
London papers, nor the whole of your remarkable scheme for the recovery
of the Hara Diamond detailed by the plaintiff in open court, to be
talked over next morning through the length and breadth of England.
"Extraordinary Case between a Lady of Rank and an Actor." How would that
read, eh?"

"My dear James, let me shake hands with you," exclaimed the old man with
emotion. "You are a most extraordinary young man. I am proud of you, my
dear boy, I am indeed. What a pity that you adopted the stage as your
profession! You ought to have entered the law. In the law you would have
risen--nothing could have kept you down."

"That is as it may be," returned James. "If I am satisfied with my
profession you have no cause to grumble. But here comes dinner."

Mr. James Madgin was first low comedian at one of the transpontine
theatres. The height of his ambition was to have the offer of an
engagement from one of the West-end managers. Only give him the
opportunity, and he felt sure that he could work his way with a
cultivated audience. When a lad of sixteen he had run away from home
with a company of strolling players, and from that time he had been a
devoted follower of Thespis. He had roughed it patiently in the
provinces