Evening star., 1897-07-31

Tending traveler?' said Salter. in a cool
but angry voice. the police rode up.
| IhatH do Mr.. Salter,'' said Inspector
| Lipinski's voice out of the carkness: 1.-The
| blufs played out. Pass up with the klips.
ana ccme along quietly. Don't shoot, for
that's murder and you're covered three
| times over
The Yankee climbed down out of the
| cart with an audible chuckie walked Quiet
| hand, saying:
| An: it's you, inspector. is it? Sorry I've
brought You BOBBY hunt like this. and
given the department horse to pay for
| hhps? Waal. ! did hear of some going
across last night inside a Kaffir dog but
| you've struck the wrong shebang for stones
| tonight, true's death you have But YOU
can search and see. If you like"
The inspector took no notice either of
the Yankees extended hand OF his speech
| He just covered Salter with revolver
/ and ordered his men TO light their lanterns
| ana search everything thoroughly. They
obeyed and after a twenty-minute inyes-
ugation, during which they employed every
| device that their ingenuity and experience
could suggest, on the cart clothing and
| person of Salter (who submitted like a
| lamb. and even on the horses they were
| forced to confess that they had drawn a
| blank.
WAL. boss. are you satisfied that ! amt
| selin' you a pup this timeo' said Salter
| as he finished remaking his toilet. for he
had stripped to the buff. with the true
hardihood of man who is playing for a
| big stake and means to win.
Not so much as schienter had been
found, and Mr. Inspector Lipinski felt that
! he had got himself into a very nasty place
He had stopped seemingly honest trav-
eier, shot one Of his horses and submitted
him to the indfgnity of a personal search.
| Visions of his lost bet, of a civil action for
| damages before a jury that might proba bly,
| be L. ID. BIS to man, of heavy damages
and of the storm of ridicule that would
overwhelm him at the end. flashed in quick
| succession past his mental gaze and, being
! only human after all, he decided to tenn
| porize.
| best assumption OF cordially that he could
muster. I'm dead out, and it's for you to
| call the game I'm not satisfied but I
know when I'm licked. and am this time.
| What's it to be-"
WAL drawled the Yanfee "seein's
| how you We pulled me up here. shot horse
| cut up the fit-out, and made me undress in
this almighty cold, l think the least you
and your fellows can do is to come across
to Mike Maguire's shanty yonder and take
| a drink. You bet ! want one pretty bad.
What do you say?'
Under the peculiar circumstances there
! appeared to be only one thing to say, and
! that was Yes" In fact Inspector Lipin-
ski thought it remarkably good get out.
! Besides, a miracle might happen even yet
| SO he said yes. and followed it up with
| really handsome apology.
| The result was that within a very few
minutes the dead horse was Embarrassed
| and pulled out of the road. the other lead
| er hitched on to the end of the pole and
| the whole party trotted across the border
! toward Mike Maguire's store and shanty.
On the way Salter roasted the Cape boy
numerically. and then not only consoed
| him. but mystiied him considerably by
telling that he should have his money after
all.
| In spite of the wrong that had been done
m "a on 81 he
| round of drinks when the party at length
| stood up against Maguire's bar. The
| drinks were duly raised and lowered. and
while Lipinski was ordering the next round
| he said very quietly:
by the way. boss. about those stones.
| P'raps, you've come all this way. you
might like to them. Here they are"
While he speaking he had pulled the
Cape boy toward him and thrust his hand
! into his trouser pocket. He pulled out the
| identical envelope which he had asked for
| inspectors signature still written across
| the flap. He handed 1t over to the bar
1 keeper and said:
when the chief of the department in
| Kimberley does do it. he does it to rights.
| Just you open that. Mike, and tell me II
you ever saw prettier lot
| MIR. Mcguire looked at the signature.
glanced curiously at the astoundetf in
| spector, then opened the envelope. unfolded
| the bulky packet that was in it, and dis
| closed about fifty rough diamonds, the
|
| eyes water. Orange and blue, green. rose
| and pure white, they glittered most tam
| talizingly In the light of the paraffin lamp
| which hung above the bar counter.
! Mother av Moses, what a lot! Shure.
| they're the pick of the mines. and worth
| kings ransom any day." said Mr.. Ma
| guire, in somewhat awe-stricken tone
| he gingerly turned the priceless stones over
and with the end of his thick fore
finger. Here, take them ba ck, mister, be-
| fore I'm tempted beyond the endurance av
| human flesh and blood by the sight av the
darlin's, God bless their pretty sparkles!'
| So saying, honest Mike. knowing that his
own reward was to come, handed them back
| to Salter. who pocketed them in a handful
| as he turned to the almost paralyzed in
| spector and his men and said:
No, boss, they're not schlenters this
time-a little steam and little skill, you
know Wall. here's to you and now IN
| just take yonr Good-for the South African
| form Of l. o. ID for that thousand pounds,
Mr. Lipinski. and then well say good night.
I'm not coming back to Kimberly till I've
done my business down in Port Elizabeth.
Chin chin!'
| 1t took all the inspectors self-control to
| enable him to rise to the occasion. hut he
| did it. He took his licking like a man and a
| sportsman, and his subordinates and the
| Cape boy just grinned and drank their
| liquors, for. after all, I. d. B. is but
| gamble. and the gods look sometimes this
| way and sometimes that The game lad
| been smartly played, and they looked Upon
| the winner rather with admiration than
| with enmity.
That round Of drinks was drunk. and then
| another and another. and then-alas Cor
| the weakness of the best-balanced hrman
| nature--Mr. Seth Saiter. with confidence
| born OF the funess of his triumph, left the
bar room with the diamonds in his pocket
| and went out into the night to see his dis
| comfited friends of their homeward
journey. Exactly what happened ourrs
] the next QCarter of an hour Was never