EXCERPTS FROM THE DIARY OF MR. SOLOMON MADGIN.

“July 9th, Evening.—­After the wonderful revelation made to me by Lady Chillington this morning, I came home, and got behind a churchwarden, and set my wits to work to think the matter out.  I shut my eyes and puffed away for an hour and a half, but at the end of that time I was as much in a fog as when I first sat down.  Nowhere could I discern a single ray of light.  Then in came Mirpah, and when she begged of me to tell her the story, I was glad to do so, remembering how often she had helped me through a puzzle in days gone by—­but none of them of such magnitude as this one.  So I told her everything as far as it was known to myself.  After that we discussed the whole case carefully step by step.  The immediate result of this discussion was, that as soon as tea was over, I went as far as the White Hart tavern in search of Sergeant Nicholas.  I found him on the bowling-green, watching the players.  I called for a quart of old ale and some tobacco, and before long we were as cosy as two old cronies who have known each other for twenty years.  The morning had shown me that the Sergeant was a man of some intelligence, and of much worldly experience; and when I had lowered myself imperceptibly to the level of his intellect, so as to put him more completely at his ease, I had no difficulty in inducing him to talk freely and fully on that one subject which, for the last few hours, has had for me an interest paramount to that of any other.  My primary object was to induce him to retail to me every scrap of information that he could call to mind respecting the Russian, Platzoff, who is said to have stolen the diamond.  It was Mirpah’s opinion and mine, that he must be in possession of many bits of special knowledge, such as might seem of no consequence to him, but which might be invaluable to us in our search, and such as he would naturally leave out of the narrative he told Lady Chillington.  The result proved that our opinion was well founded.  I did not leave the Sergeant till I had pumped him thoroughly dry. (Mem.:  An excellent tap of old ale at the White Hart.  Must try some of it at home.)

“I found Mirpah watering her geraniums in the back garden.  She was all impatience to learn the result of my interview.  I am thankful that increasing years have not impaired my memory.  I repeated to Mirpah every word bearing on the case in point that the Sergeant had confided to me.  Then I waited in silence for her opinion.  I was anxious to know whether it coincided in any way with my own.  I am happy to think that it did coincide.  Father and daughter were agreed.

“‘I think that you have done a very good afternoon’s work, papa,’ said Mirpah, after a few moments given to silent thought.  ’After a lapse of twenty years, it is not likely that Sergeant Nicholas should have a very clear recollection of any conversation