The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1898-04-26


tho way it bad beon worked up to, said
the robbery might havo beon prevented.
1t was no uso my talking. The blamed
thing had leaked into tho papers, and
somebody had got to be scapegoat, and
here was L close and handy 1 guess
they wouldn' It have been human if they
hadn't sacked me"
And tho Liverpool Now York run
would havo missed its best purser, "said
Pitcairn. cold fellow, here's your most
excellent and honored health! But did
the fools of police never stumble upon
your Earrcn man?''
Not they, 'said TIorrocks. $50 far
as l know the fellows never como up to
tho surfaco-till now"
WHAT'S this?" said Pitcairn. "Do
you really mean to say he's in this
smoking room right now?"
That's what [ mean" said tho
purscr. II suppose he's been sick or
sorry or something before, but anyway
this is his first appearance on this ship,
so he's been under tho surface now for
exactly five years and ono month-and
perhaps ho may havo something to
explain" :"
Tho purser lit his new cigar, and no
one spoke. Tho only sounds were tho
noises of the ship and the faint clash of
tho seas outside.
Tho purscr got his cigar in full blast
and looked at tho glowing tip medita-
lively. "Dundas is tho namo he's ship
ped under here" he observed at last.
PITY for some people, isn't it, that they
can't change II face as handily as they
can alter Il signature?'
Il beg your pardon" said the little
quiet man with sloping shoulders who
sat next to Nercller, "but you apparent
Iy mean me, purscr. My names Dun
das, and through soasickncss this is my
first appearance in this room. Did 1 an
ncX this celebrated gcm?"
"Iou did," said Horroclls grimly.
"Woll," said tho small man, "I ap-
pear to be moro fortunate than thought
| What do you think, Ncrckcr? just five
years and mouth ago think you said,
purscr?''
Sir Randall Vcrel1cr did not answer
at once. Ho lay back first and laughed
till tears ran down the crows feet at
the corners of his eyes. But at last ho
sobcrcd down and got his voice again,
and said he: "Purscr, I'm afraid you've
got the wrong pig by tho ear this time.
flvo years ago from now Mr.. Dundas
was second secretary in tho British ON
bassy at Pcling. [ was doing work at
Shanghai then and saw him constantly.
In fact, I've known him all my life"
The purSer said, "Ohr' and looked
red and foolish. Dundas, howeyer had
somo moro to add on tho subject. "Your
man Farrcn,' he said, sis evidently
very much like me in personal appear
Rnce?'
"Or l shouldn't have tumbled into
making such mistake" said the pur.
! Ser.
Precisely. Well, just before 1 came
hero happened to be in Shanghai, and
doctor l knew thcro told mo they'd
got my double in hospital Out of curl
osity | went to SEQ him, and l must say
the pair of us were as much alike as
two-er-hock bottles. 1t wasn't flat
! t ring find, because the other poor fellow
was clean mad. He'd lump of rough
crystal almost as big as q pigeons egg
which he fancied was a diamond that
| S'Siy pOuO woo u lhB w Slttl lTOIl IL.
Curious shaped crystal it was, too, with
markings like three accurate concentric
circles intended in one end"
"My great Scottn said tho purscr.
"And n cross just around tho corner
from tho other end, long shaped, and q
bit of faint yellow smudgo down one
sidc?'
"That's the thing" said Dundas
"Why, man." shouted the purser,
Its tho King Diamond itself you re
talking about! There couldn't be an
other like it,. -
"But l tell you," said Dundas, ait
was no diamond at all. 1t was only
some sort of crystal that was not hard
enough to scratch glass, and no man that
was sane would have taken it for any
thing clso when he came to handle it. u
"Whewl" said the pursor, and mop
ped moist forehead with his pocket
handkerchief.
did you ever have tho gem you were
talking Of in your iingers?" asked We're
ker
"Como to think Of It, never did, -
the puIsor admitted. at was sealed bo.
foro me and then delivered into my
charge, and | gave receipt -
Then, if an outsider might form q
theory" said Verckcr, "tho real stone
was stolen somewhere at the Capo and q
forgery sent homo so that the theft
might not be discovered till as lato an
hour rs possible How those thieves out
thero must have chucklcd when they
heard Of Farren 81 Co. coming OK
machina to help play their game.
christopher Moscs!" said the pursc1
thoughtfully. "You'ro right, Sir Ran
dal. That's tho gamo for thousand.
And where's that stono now by any
chanco?"
"Ah, thcro you're asking mo toe
much," said Verckcr. but shouldn't
say it was broken up. When it had Off
cially ceased to exist, it could bo very
easily smuggled out of the Capo, anG
once it got cartcd away to tho cast there
would be heaps of purchasers ready tc
buy and hold their tongues for littl,
discount. a shah or an Indian raial
never cares about big diamonds his
tory so long az he gets it snVgly into his
treasury. Very likely, to hazard another
guess, it was brought homo in your OWL
steamer not many yards away from it,
bogus cousin. That would have beer
tho safest way to dispose OF it. s"
| Tho ci, L. "a