The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-04-11
THE STORY OF AN |. D. B,

| L ILL ~ l. O4h "a A-A-N' -
"Well, old man." said an unfamiliar
voice. as l WAS waiting for my train at
Liverpool street, you're not day older.
Going home to tea in the same Old,
steady fashion, What, don't you know
1nef | should have known you any
wheTei"
With puzzled eyes turned and stared
at a big. bronzed bearded man whom
had no recollection of having seen be-
fore. He laughed loudly at my per-
pIexity-so loudly that several people
stared at us, which as q staid city man,
hating to be conspicuous, very much
disliked. Consequently it was in no
friendly fashion that | eyed the stranger.
who thus noisily claimed acquaintance.
Don't you remember Harry Down
ham," he said, at last, ''who worked
under you in that dug-hole Of an office
long ago-where 1 suppose you're still
grinding on in the same old way2
Shake" he added, Peremptorily, thrust
ing out huge sunburnt hand with
which he grasped mine till my fingers
were crushed. "Now you must come
and dine with me- Your wife? Oh. she
won't mind your playing truant for
once;" and in a short time my master
full acquaintance and L were seated OPP
posite each other In a well-l<nown
restaurant.
Yes, | did now remember him. But
he was changed indeed from the slim
young fellow who had been the fightiest
clerk in the office, and whose short
coInings had, after innumerable grumb-
lings on the part of the firm, led to his
dismissal. Occasional surmises had
since been INDUCED in by his former
comrades as to his career, none of them
OF complimentary kind, as I candid
ly remarked.
"They weren't 80 far wrong" he an
swered, carelessly. 81 was never fit for
humdrum life and bricks and mortar.
The wild freedom of uncivilized regions
was my ideal. Would you like to hear
my adventures? though your rigid re-
spectability may be somewhat rudely
shocked"
| OF course l assented. One always has
a certain curiosity about an acquaint-
ance who disappears in impecunious
Euise, and turns up years afterwards
with all the external signs of wealth
which Downham showed in rather too
pronounced fashion for good taste.
"Where haze you come from?" said,
looking at his bronzed face curiously.
From South Africa. Landed at
Southampton two days ago. Am go
ing back? No. sir, not much. 1t
wouldn't be healthy. The country's
too hot--in all senses. I've made my
pile, and am going to settle down in the
south of France, where my sisters been
living as a governess for years. Poor
girl, she'll know what leisure and lux
ury are now; and there's charming
place I've bought there. Climate and
surroundings just suit me, for my chest,
big as look, sometimes gets wrong.
What have | done in South Africa
All sorts OF things. But my last and
most, or rather sole, successful part was
that of an L. ID. B."
/ looked at him in some perplcxity,
for what he meant could not guess.
lie watched me with an amused smile.
"You seem puzzled, old man." he said
Its nothing to do with dynamite Il
started-being nervous mani. Not
but what explosions of a sort are some
times its consequence. | thought you
knew what those mysterious initials
meant. They're as plain In South
Africa as A b G in your foggy island
]. ID. b. means an illicit diamond buyer
An illicit diamond is one which has
been conyeyed-good word that
Shakespearean, isn't it2-from the
mine in other than legal fashion. AnC
there's deal of legality, let me tel
you, in diamond digging. There's big
staff Of officials to look after IT, Illicit
diamonds are usually found and dis
posed of by the KafIirs employed il
the mines-though by no means only by
them-and sold much below their value
to-well-Apeculetors Hike myself, who
take their chance in view of the big
profit"
"Nhat2" l gasped. "Then you have
actually bought-stolen property"
We'll" he said, coolly reflling oul
glasses, that's perhaps your way q
putting it here. It's not ours in South
Africa. Besides, think I've heard ever
IN this respectable city of money lend
ers buying reversions for mere song
and spectators purchasing stocks anC
shares from respondent holders, know
ing secretly that thos stocks an,
shares were going up in a day or tw,
kwith bound. Also of houses and lant
bought, from private knowledge of
speedy demand for them, for trifle, tn
sellers being quite ignorant of II
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 diamonl
buyer.
However" he resumed, somewha
tartly, "a don't ask for your approval
] simply wanted to amuse you with tli
story of my adventures; so you mn
Imagine I'm soliloquizing.
"Why should the mining companie
3 have the monopoly of all the damon
yielding distriets2r he continued. in
fierce tene lsud thought it best Z