Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-06-17
TheSpgCialEnVOy.
BY CHARLES d. LESLIE.

When Pepworth Tring, the we'll
known South African millionaire, sent
for me, and after inquiring if 1 was at
liberty for a few weeks, said that he
was about to commission me to take a
small map to his johannesburg repre-
sentative, was rather surprised that
he should go to the expense of special
messenger when the postal service was
available.
"It seems very simple undertake
ing" L said.
But he speedily enlightened me.
''Ah, that's where you are wrong"
he replied, giving me shrewd glance.
"In this case the post is not to be
trusted, and an INSCRIPTIONS enemy
will strain every nerve to defeat my
intention"
My present employer, well-known
Kimberley man, who had lately turned
his attention to the Witwatersrandt
gold mines, was middle-aged, about
fifty, but looked more, owing to the
hard and adventurous life he had led.
His tanned, weather-beaten face APP
peared commonplace enough, but be-
hind the small steady gray eyes lay a
quick brain and unerring Judgment.
Few, indeed, could boast with any
degree of truth on ever having got the
better of Pepworth Tring. AS Judge
of diamonds also he had barely an
equal. All this / know from common
hearsay.
''You anticipate there will be an at
tempt to rob me during the journey"
II am quite sure of it. The matter
on the face of it is simple enough.
This map, the held up small piece
of parchment few square inches in
size-it appeared to represent the
course of river, some red crdsses
were marked on one portion, and some
ines of writing ran along the bottom)
has to be given to Mr.. Howard, of
OK street, johannesburg. There
your mission ends. But whether you
will be able to accomplish it is another
matter. Gibson, my old partner, is
determined to obtain possession of this
map by some means; he is rich, un-
scrtpulous, and can command the SER
vices of men even more INSCRIPTIONS
than himself. This is the reason 1 do
not trust the post. The corruption
prevalent among all Bore officials ex-
tends to the Post Office; my letters
have been opened. He has creatures
there in his employ. You must trust
no one, and conceal the paper in such
a manner that it cannot be found"
''But while on board ship it would
l. II 4 l. A.
captain or purser?"
That would be risky, and only
postpone their attack on you. If you
received the map back safely you
would without doubt be robbed of it
between Capetown and Johannesburg
No; when the boat reaches Capetown,
they must be under the impression
that you are not the bearer"
"When am to leave London?"
1.-The Roman leaves the docks to-
morrow and Plymouth on Saturday
Yovy berth is booked; Gibson is also
passenger, and several of his follow
ing. But perhaps 1 had better ex-
plain why this map is so important
''Gibson, like myself, is an old Kim
berley man. We both did very well
there, and lately, like me, he has been
dealing in Transvaal mining property.
We have often gone partners in vari-
GUS undertakings. In the autumn OF
'94, being then in Johannesburg
about six months ago-and feeling the
want of holiday, determined to GO
on shooting expedition through the
Transvaal towards the sea. Accom-
panied by two Zulus, carried out my
intention, and after some weeks trav.
cling we found ourselves in the low
country bordering on Swaziland. Here
quite by chance made remarkable
discovery. In the dried-up channe
of what had been river came upor
traces of diamonds. The find to m,
eyes was most promising, but before
could pursue my Investigations fur
ther, one of my Zulus dispatched tt
get food from a neighboring kraal
came hot-foot with the news that tn,
Swazis were up in arms. Irritated b,
some act of Boer oppression, the,
seemed inclined to wreak their ven
geance on me, and we fled forthwith
for our very lives. Before leaving,
drew up plan of the place, so that i
could be found again.
"After various adventures I reache,
Durham, and took ship for England
Meeting Gibson in London, / &C
quainted him in general terms wit
my discovery, stating that in cours
of my jouSneying I had found dia
monds. / had intended to take hir
into partnership in this affair, but TIL
knowledge which I gained immedi
ately afterward that he had swindle
me in the matter of some gold mine
changed my purpose, and / broke wit
him for good.
''Now the value of my find is prob
lematical. Diamonds have not We
been found in paying quantity in tn
Transvaal. This place may be sec
ond Kimberley, and shake the ID
Beers monopoly. 1t is quite possible
Therefore want the ground pegge
ont in the usual way, and to registe
myself as the owner; but II Gibso