The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1896-03-27
"lvhat?" I gasped. "Then vou have

|
1 Africa. Besides, think I've heard even
in this respectable city of money lend
ers buying reversions for mere song
: and spectators purchasing stocks and
shares from respondent holders, know
ing secretly that those stocks and
shares were going up in a day or two
with a bound. Also of houses and land
bought, from private knowledge of a
speedy demand for them, for trifle. the
!, sellers being quite ignorant of it.
Haven't you heard of such things?"
Ibid not reply. Twas too much upset.
Here was !, head clerk of many years
standing, dining and drinking cham
payne at the cost of an illicit diamond
buyer.
However," he resumed, somewhat
tartly, Il don't ask for your approval.
SIMPLY wanted to amuse you with the
story of my adventures; so you NAV
Imagine I'm soliloquizing.
why should the mining companies
have the monopoly of all the diamond
yielding districts" he continued. in a
1erce tone (and I thought it best to
drink my champagne since the bottle
was opened, and say nothing-these
adventures sometimes carry revolvers,
| believe). "There's big profit in these
things. The law is very stringent, and
there's great difficulty in. passing the
stones from the finder to the l. D. B.
but the profit tempts people-and in all
classes, too, let me tell you-to engage
directly or indirectly in the traffic.
Il began very modestly, and as cap
ital increased increased my specula-
lions. Atlast, suspicion was awakened,
and l was searched when leaving the |
fields. But the searcher, though very
pertinacious and clever, had been seen |
by me before I saw him. was smok-
ing big Dutch pipe, and this gave me
an idea. Sublime tobacco that from
the east to west!' You don't smoke
yet, suppose? No! Oh, you've
missed a good deal of life's pleasures
Well, popped my four diamonds into
the big bowl, covered it with 'baccy, and
went on putting and chatting the search
er, who was burning to distinguish him
self. l knew that this defeat would
make him more pertinacious than ever.
And so it was. Now had bought of
kaffir some stones of great value, and
how to get them out safely puzzled me
not little. Some fellows under similar
had recently tried vari-
Gus lodges which had long been popu-
lar. false boot heels, hollow riding whips,
and so on, and in each case the dia-
monds had been discovered with very
unpleasant consequences. For years of {
working at the breakwater,
Tor instance, may be the result, and s
'ather than lose these stones, which I
hall never forget for the trouble they s
'ost me. c
after perplexing myself day and Il
light-my enemy X always lowering f
bout near me-a sudden idea flashed L
INTO my brain. I had a particularly t
gly bulldog who was of a surly disposi- o
ion, and was much laughed at on ac-
cunt of my fondness for him. The dog "
Tore a thick collar which was neces- v
ity, and that collar gave me the "tip.' il
removed it, cut slips in the inside and t.
ut the diamonds in them. As I was o
,aving the fields, X, of course, bounced o
n me, and affected a certain amount G.
uneasiness, which produced on his e.
lind corresponding glee." n
Here Downham paused and opened b.
is pocketbook, and from it he took the e'
loto of about as ugly, ferocious and CT
sreputable bulldog as was ever asso-
ated with heroes of the Bill Sykes
ass. CT
Isn't he beauty?" he said, fondly,
he handed me the photo. II shall al j.,
avs love that poor dog; he died on the 81
yage home from the absurd prei1- az
ces of some of the passengers who I'd
dn't appreciate his playful nature-as W
n pretty sure-and pushed him over -
ard; at any rate he disappeared Yes, LIZ
:, that dog got my best haul through!" III
Didn't X search him?'' I timidly pa
cried. no
Search him! Everybody gave him "
wide berth as they could-they ~ ~
re under delusions about him, pretty ~
eature! No-poor Grip lay down,
Tile the clever X was fussing about go =
), and growled at him. Send that in ~
nal dog of yours off, he said, irri- CIV
by, and little did he think when I e co.
ediently did so that he was sending ~
the biggest haul of 1. DIS he was o''
+ likely to find. OF course he found as
hing on me, and his rage was eau ans
n. However, he went off, and some &c
rs later started homewards by leis- Tue
ly stages. .,'e
1 felt pretty secure by this time, "a
carried the diamonds in my pocket. ~
LEA L W.