Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1897-06-17
.TheSpeCialEnY0y
BY CHARLES D. LESLIE.

When Pepworth Tring, the we'll
known South African millionaire, sent
for me, and after inquiring if I was at
liberty for 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 60 to the expense of special
messenger when the postal service was
available.
: cit seems q very simple undertak-
ing," / 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 I know from common
hearsay.
''You anticipate there will be an at
tempt to rob me during the Journey"
'"I 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 crosses
were marked on one portion, and some
lines of writing ran along the bottom
'has to be given to Mr.. Howard, of
Fox 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, I'M
scrupulous, and can command the SER
than himself This is the reason I do
not trust the post The corruption
prevalent among all Bore officials ex-
4 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
manner that it cannot be found"
But while on board ship it would
surely be better to entrust it to the
I captain or purser?"
That would be risky, and only
j postpone their attack on you. If you
received the map back safely you
] would without doubt be robbed of it
between Capetown and Johannesburg
j 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.
Your berth is booked; Gibson is also
a passenger, and several of his follow
ing But perhaps L 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 nae, he has been
dealing in Transvaal mining property.
We have often gone partners IN yarl-
Gus undertakings. la the autumn of
'94, being then In johannesburg
about six months ago-and feeling the
want of holiday, I determined to go
on shooting expedition through the
Iransvaal towards the sea Accom-
panied by two Zulus, I carried out my
intention, and after some weeks trav-
cling We found ourselves ia the low
country bordering on Swaziland. Here
aulte by chance I made remarkable
discovery. In the dried-up channel
pf what had been a river / came upon
races of diamonds The find to my
eyes was most promising, but before [
eould pursue my Investigations fur
her, one of my Zulus dispatched to
get food from neighboring kraal,
came hot-foot with the news that the
pwazls We're up in arms. Irritated by
ome act of Boer oppression, they
eemed inclined to wreak their ven
yeance on me, and we fed forthwith
or our very lives. Before leaving, I
rev up plan of the place, so that it
ould be found again.
''After various adventures / reached
urban, and took ship for England.
ieetlng Gibson in London, I ac-
PAINTED him in general terms with