The Northern Pacific farmer., 1883-09-06
MY DIAMONDS.
A Peril0us Mission that by q Little Foro
sight Came Out all Right.

On the 9th of May, 1876, T Iarrived in
Austin, Texas, with thirteen diamonds ID
my possession, the aggregate value of
which was fully $lOO, 900. They had been
sent to q certain party in New York who had
agreed to carry them to San Antonio, Texas,
where the purchaser, wealthy merchant
and the owner of several ranches, lived.
They were intended as a present to his
only daughter on her birthday, the 10th of
May. Every probable provision had been
made to get them to the Lone Star state
several days in advance Of the 44auspicious
occasion, which was meant to be such q
memorable one in the life Of the ark-eyed
beauty of the romantic old town in which
she was born and reared. The first hitch
occurred in New York, Immediately after
the diamonds came into the hands of Fred
Barrett, the consin Of Miss Barrett, and
who, it was arranged, was to deliver them
in person to the father. On the very day
Fred Barrett opened the wonderful gems
to feast his eyes Oh their beauty, he was
taken violently i'll. AS he was an athletic,
vigorous man, with no bad habits, he and his
friends supposed he wonld be himself in q
brief while, but he showed no improvement
for several days and finally sent for me.
The doctor says have begun to mend,
but that it will be impossible for me to
leave my room under ten days. According
to the original plan, would have had am
pie time to reach uncle's before the 10th,
but if those diamonds do not start to-mor.
row they will be late for the interesting GER
emony and uncle would rather lose q for
tune than miss such pleasure, on which
his heart is set"
"Why not send them by express2 1t is
quite safe-that is as safe as anything can
be in this world" .
II have thought of all that. but the i'm
pera,ive order from uncle was that under no
circumstances should the diamonds 20 by
public conveyance. You know there have
been many train and stage robberies in the
would be too tempting morsel for soue
OF these gentry. The long and short of it
is, want you to take charge of and deliver
them to uncle yourself. You have been
over the route several times and know the
country more thoroughly than do" To
be brief, accepted the proposal and as I
stated at the beginning 1reached the capital
OF Texas on the afternoon of the 9th of
May, in the centennial year.
Iaru naturally cool and free from nervous
L.ss, bat there was excuse for considerable
worriment on my part. Mr.. Barrett had
been notified by telegraph that visitor
would reach his house on the night Of the
10th, which would be in time for the party,
but when tho preceding evening found the
messenger in Austin, that messenger felt it
Was cutting things altogether too fine for
his comfort. 1t was full fifty miles from
the Texan clpital to San Antonio and the
stage which left the former city early in the
morning required the entire day to make
the journey. The line had been established
of teams on tie route. four horses alway
coach, which very rarely indeed failed tol
rattle into San Antonio early in the even
ing. With the late completion Of the rail-
road the stage company has found it's occu-
patton gone.
It would have been more pleasant for me
had another twenty -four no rs been ct my
command, but it was not that which caused
80 much uneasiness as the conviction that
amounted to an absolute certainty that two
men were following me. How in the name
of seven wonders they learned or even sus-
pected that had such valuable property in
my custody passes my comprehension.
Ehc Utmost secrecy was used III New
York and the fiery carbon points were care
fully wrapped up 10 piece OF chamoise
skin which was as securely fastened to a
small belt passing around my waist, beneath
my clothing, and which was not to be re-
moved until the end of my journey was
reached. A. Aperson in my situation is nat
urally suspicious, but am sure conduct
ed myself like the majority Of my fellow
passengers, who were not supposed to be in
the possession Of as much wealth as my
self. kept close watch on them, but OBJ
served nothing to cause alarm until after
leaving st. Louis over the Iron Mountain
Road. I then became so well satisfied that
tive sinister looking and well-dressed men
were shadowing me that I declined to re-
tire to my berth and sat up smoking most
of the time and wide awake all the way to
rexarkana. At that dilapidated town I
made the best effort could originate to
throw the hounds off my trail. I thought
had succeeded for time, but they turned
up at Dallas, and when registered at the
Commercial Hotel their names appeared
under mine.
Long before this had fully concluded
that they had fixed on the road between
Austin and San Antonio as the ono where
should part company with my diamonds
and most probably with my life. The
chances we're so favorable on that lonely
route that they merely kept on my trail or
rather in my company from St. Louis to the
capital. The situation then was that Twas due
at certain point fifty miles away and with
in twenty-four hours, and that two men
werc determined that my property hor V
never reach there.
After strongly securing the door of my
roopn that night at the hotel sat down to
t:ecide what should be done, for there
could be no mistaking the fact that the cri-
sis was at hand. Instead of being mental
ly tired and worn out from the continual
strain to which had been subjected, nev-
or was more prepared for intense thought
in all my life. I tipped my chair against
the door. sitting with my hand on my load.
cd revolver, in which position knew it
still thinking and turning over all sorts of
plans, I finally dropped asleep and did not
open my eyes until daylight. However,
when I reused up and looked around me
I had fixed upon line Of action. Wheth-
or it would take nae through or not remain
ed to be seen, but I did not hesitate to fol-
low the line had laid out for myself.
The next morning when the stage with
the four vigorous horses halted in front of
the hotel, the landlord went out and told
the driver that who had engaged seat
on the outside was so ill would not be
able to 90 with them for several days. I
vas stealthily watching proceedings from
the upper window, and, when the heavy
vehicle numbered off. it took with it the
two men who were following me for the
purpose Of robbery My beliei1was that
they would leave the stage at some point on
the road and wait until it brought me along,
when the ROBBERY would take place. There
were quite number of passengers and
had meditated t0king several Of them into
my confidence, but as they were strangers,
perhaps it WAS we'll that I refrained.
An hour later sauntered down Austin
avenue and came upon an open wagon, in
which q farmer was climbing, as If about to
start homeward. AS he gathered lines in
hand asked him where he lived.
"At New Brarnfels-a long ways from
here, he answered in decided German
accent. while he politely paused to see
whether I had any more questions to
ask;
New Baunfels is German settlement
somewhat more than half the distance 10
San Antonia, and was generally reached by
the,stage about the middle of the after
noon.
Are you about to go homer"
He replied that he was. ~-~-
"11l give you ten dollars to allow me to
ride with you."
He sturdly refused to accept anything,
but said I was welcome, though there
would be little enjoyment in the trip, as
his wagon was without springs and he ex-
pected to drive quite rapidly. This suited
me, however, and took my seat beside