The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-19
F'ju6 HUndr0d
C0rat Diamond
RY GEO. GRIFFITH.
tC,pyright, 1897, by Geo. Griffith.

dition that you will alter all the names
except, if you choose, my own, and that
Won will not publish the story for at
least twelve months to come. There are
nersonal and private reasons for this
which YOU will probably understand
without my stating them. Of course it
will in time leak out into the papers, al
though there has been, and will be, no
prosecutions; but anything in the newspa-
pers will of necessity be garbled and IN
correct, and--well, may as well confess
that | am sufficiently vain to wish that
nv share in the transaction shall not be
left altogether to the tender mercies OF
he imaginative penny-a-liner."
Il acknowledged the compliment with
a how as graceful as the eaSlnesS or
the. inspectors chair would allow me I'd
make. but | said nothing, as l wanted
to get to the story.
81 had better begin at the beginning
the inspector went on as he meditatively
snipped the end of fresh cigar. AS L
suppose you already know, the largest
and most valuable diamond ever found
on these fields was a really magnificent
stone, a perfect octathedron, pure white,
without flaw, and weighing close on
500 carats. There's a photograph of it
there on the mantelpiece. I've got an
other one by me: I'll give it you before
you leave Kimberley.
well, this stone was found about six
months ago in one of the drives on the
SO0-foot level of the Kimberley mine. 1t
was taken by the overseer straight to
the De Beers Offices and placed on the
secretaTy's desk--you know where he
sits. on the right-hand side as you go
into the board room through the green
baiZe doors. There were several of the
directors present at the time, and, az
you may imagine. they were pretty well
pleased at the find, for the stone, with
out any exaggeration, was worth
nrince's ransom.
"Of course. / needn't tell You that the
value per carat of a diamond which is
perfect and of good color increases in
sort of geometrical progression with
the size / dare say that stone was
worth anywhere between one and two
millions. according to the depth of the
purchasers purse. 1t was worthy to
adorn the proudest crown in the world,
instead of--but there. you'll think me
very poor story teller if | anticipate.
"Well, the diamond, after being duly
admired, was taken upstairs to the dia-
accompanied by two of the directors,
OF course, you have been through the
new offices of De Beers, but still, per-
haps / had better just run over the
ground, as the locality is rather impor-
tant.
You know that when you get upstairs
and turn to the right ON the landing
from the top of the staircase there is
door with little grille in it. You knock,
a trapdoor is raised, and if you are rec
| ognized and your business warrants it
YOU are admitted. Then you go along a
little passage, out of which room opens
on the left, and in front of you is an
other door leading into the diamond
rooms themselves.
..You know. too, that in the main room
fronting Stockdale street and Jones street
the diamond tables run round the two
sides under the windows, and are rallied
off from the rest of the room by single
light wooden rail. There is table in
the middle of the room, and on your
right hand as you go in there is big
safe standing against the wall. You will
remember. too. that in the corner exact
ly facing the door stands the glass case
containing the diamond scales. l want
you particularly to recall the fact that
these scales stand diagonally across the
corner by the window. The secondary
room. as you know, opens out ON to the
left. but that is not of much conse- I
quence"
I signified my remembrance OF these
details. and the inspector went on.
"The diamond was first put in the
scale and weighed in the presence Of the
secretary and the two directors by one
of the higher officials, licensed dia-
mond broker and a most trusted en-
ploye of De Beers. whom you may call