Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-11-30
CAPE DIAMONDS.
A Detective Story.

n DctectiVe story.
With four other masculine fellow-suf-
ferers one of whom was small spec
tacled, inotiiensi e-looking MANNED
Girard and myself were the suffering
Inmate es of n nondescript vehicle of the
stagewagon pattern, drawn by six
small Cape" horses, en- route from the
Bloemfontein diamond fields of South
Africa for Wellington, thence by rail to
Cape Town.
Two-thirds of the truly terrible Jour
ney had ready becn accomplished, yet
there were still some two hundred and
fifty miles of travel over sun-beat plain
and arid desert before us, with the mer-
curry at 102 degrees, in such shade
alone rs our tilted conveyance afforded
for, in truth, there was no other.
Our eyes were blurred and blinded
by the ceaseless glare of the sun, whose
rays beat down on the sandy desert
from the unclouded sky, which was as
brass before us. Our bodies were sore
and bruised by the unceasing jar and
jolt of our rudely-hung vehicle. We
were parched with thirst, which the
failed to slake; and though continually
drowsy could neither sleep by day nor
by night, because of the intense heat
the sand flies, swelled and burning feet,
and intense nervousness engendered by
the foregoing, with the other discom-
forts and suiferings incidental to n
stage Journey of some hundreds of miles
through South Africa.
The most of us knew each other by
sight, through having met from day to
day for some months, in and about the
mining field which we had left. But
will venture to state that six more sur
ly, unsocial fellow-passenger than our
dusty, unshorn selves were perhaps
never-literally-thrown together.
If Ned and myself were perhaps n
little more pronounced in general dis
agreeableness than the others, we con-
sidered. indeed, that we had ample
provocation therefor For thirteen
months we had been toiling and perspir-
ing, taking our several turns in the
dump, or in our tweniy-four foot
mining clam, as the case'might be. In
nearly, if not quite, a year of unremit-
=. ting toll, we had barely succeeded in
washing out small "Stones' (the in
variable term for diamonds in South
Airica) with which to pay our running
expenses; and then one stroke of the
pick unearthed rose diamond of such
size and purity that for full sixty min
utes our good fortune was the talk of
Bloem ontein.
Well, that night, after our frugal sup
per, Ned, without speaking, e tended
the precious gem toward me in his open
palm, as we sat at our rude table, in
our canvas-covered cabin. / do not
answer for the scope of my partner s
vision, of course. But in the uncut bril-
liant, as in the magcian's stones, / my
self saw but one object-a sweet, visit
ful face framed in a wreath of dark
hair. within the depths of whose soft
eyes was look as of patient waiting
for the return of him who had gone to
seek his fortune in the far-away dia-
mond fields.
"Homepn was Ned's iL&errogatiye
query, raising his own eyes, which had
bent upon the gem, with sort of far
away look, to meet my own suddenly
upturned gaze.
Home!" ! echoed, with joyous em-
phasis.
But hardly had the word escaped my
lips when tall form dashed through
the door, and. upseting the candle by a
sudden blow, seized the diamond from
Ned's still outstretched hand, and was
oil in the darkness-the whole event
having taken place in far less time than
have occupied in telling it.
Of course we gave the alarm as
quickly as we could regain, our scat
tered ideas; but, though half the male
population of Bloemfontein turned out,
1t was to no purpose.
The robber and his booty had disap-
peared, without the slightest clew.
So it was that being In local parlance
''down on our luck" Ned and myself,
disgusted and discouraged, had sold our
claim to a couple of newcomers for
about f300, and with those composing
our present stage-coach party, had
taken passage, as have said, for We'll
lington, intending 10 return home, even
though with heavy hearts and light
pockets.
Besides the small. specialized man,
who had represented himself as a sort
OF colporteur for q religious society at
Cape Town, our fellow-passengers COM
posed two diamond brokers, together
with young and very boastful fellow,
who called himself Macarthur. The lat
ter had been very successful, and IL was
with feelings of envy we heard him re-
late the result of two weeks work in a
deserted claim, where, as he informed
MS with many profane asseverations, he
had struck pocket from which he
had taken stones. whose value he de-
clared was at least $4,000.
These he carried in belt about his
waist, together with considerable sum
of money from the sale of his claim, us
III, said, while girded to either hip was
a heavy revolver, as a safeguard against
possible attack from road agents.
Alter wretched supper in small,
barren-looking station In the Hoogboom
bottom, the journey was resumed with
a fresh relay of horses and slight
diminutiop d our iil-temper, the heat
being a degree or two less intense. by
reason OF the declining sun.
The conversation naturally turned
upon the subject Of road-agents, some
recent depredations of these gentry hay-
ing been graphically narrated by the
proprietor OF the station we had lust
left '''
''They wouldn't play any of their
Jameson me. replied Macarthur, touch
ing the butts Of his reyolyers in a sir
ninoant manner as hc spoke.
The pale-blue eyes pf the little man.
VINO bore the not uncommon name of
smith. twinkled never SO slightly be-
hind HE spectaoles ut the remark. but