Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-05-07

the oig bowl, covered it with 'baccy. and
went on putting and chatting the search.
CT: who was burning to distinguish him
sNf. l knew that this defeat would
make him more pertinacious than ever.
ana SO It was. Now had bought of a
hamr some stones of great value, and
now 70 get them out safely puzzled me
not little. Some fellows under similar
circumstances had recently tried vari-
GUS lodges which had long been popu-
lar. false boot heels, hollow riding whips,
ana so on, and in each case the dia-
nonds had been discovered with yery
unpleasant consequences. For wears of
compulsory working at the breakwater,
1or instance, may be the result, and
yet was determined to chance it
rather than lose these stones, which I
shall never forget for the trouble they
cost me.
After perplexing myself day and
night-my enemy X always lowering
about near me-a sudden idea flashed
into my brain. / had q particularly
ugly bulldog who was of surly DISPOSE
ton, and was much laughed at on ac-
count OF my fondness for him. The dog
wore thick collar which was a neces-
sity, and that collar gave me the tip
! removed it, cut slips in the inside and
put the diamonds in them. AS was
leaving the fields, \, of course, pounced
ON me, and affected certain amount
OF uneasiness, which produced on his
mind corresponding glee."
Here Downham paused and openetl
his pocketbook, and from it he took the
photo of about as ugly, ferocious and
disreputable bulldog as was ever assoc
ciated with heroes of the Bill Sykes
class.
Isn't he beauty?" he said, fondly,
as he handed me the photo. II shall al
ways love that poor dog; be died ON the
voyage home from the absurd preiu-
diceh of some of the passengers who
didn't appreciate his playful natures
LIN pretty sure-and pushed him over
board; atany rate he disappeared. Yes,
Sir, that dog got my best haul through"
Didn't X search him?" / timidlv
queried.
Search him! Everybody gave him
rs wide a berth as they could-thcy
were under delusions about him, pretty
creature! No-poor Grip lay down,
while the clever X was fussing about
me, and growled at him. Send that in
fernal dog of yours off, he said, irri-
tably, and little did he think when I
ooediently did SO that he was sending
Off tie biggest haul of l. DIS he was
ever likely to find. OF course he found
nothing on me, and his rage was a eau
ton. However, he went off, and some
days later I started homewards by leis-
urely stages.
II felt pretty secure by this time,
and carried the diamonds in my pocket.
However. as the train left the station
for Capetown, CHANGED to see one of
the diamond fields detectives jump in
TO the guard van. That was sufficient
hint to me to make things snug, but
how to get rid of the diamonds this time
could not see, as Grip wasn't accom-
panying me that journey. Looking
round the carriage, l saw a broken
black bottle under the seat. There was
my cache, as the Indians say"
"But surely the detective" mildly
interposed, would have looked under
the seat?'
Swell, suppose he would" duly re-
marked Downham, unless he were as
big an idiot as-some people. just wait,
my good friend, before you credit man
with congenital idiocy."
I shrank back silent. He looked
fierce and dagger-like, and on the whole
! began to wish I'd gone to Liverpool
street for some other train.
what did," he resumed, twas this:
wrapped up all the stones in pieces of
newspaper, and carefully put them into
the bottle, filling up thespaces by more
paper as tightly as possible. Then
looked carelessly out of the window,
smoking, but my eye always on the
guards van. When l saw nobody look
ing out-of course the chap thought I
hadn't seen him, and was probably tell
ing the guard what a fine haul he was
going to make-I quietly dropped the
broken bottle clear of the line. marking
the spot-one's eye gets we'll trained
out on the vcldt, you know
AT the next station up came the de-
tective. They have power to search sus-
poets, you know, and was accordingly
rummaged again. But this chap, z,
let's say, was a. unsuccessful and a.
riled as X. OF course, hadn't dia-
lDond about me. And much Indignation
did ! display. Some days later went
back to the place where dropped my
black bottle, found it and it's contents
intact. After that I had no more adven-
lures with those stones, and they
partly-bought my place in the south of
France.
''Yes, they're very clever, those D. F.
DIS, and have many people in their pay.
both black and white, called traps
They don't usually make mistakes, but
they did in my case. What do you
tliink?" concluded Downham, empty
ing his glass.
What thought certainly was not
knew where 1 was. 1t was an awful ex-
perience for steady-going man Of
business whose career has been as un-
ruffied as duck pond. I parted from