Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-10-15

stance, ! saw you LOOKING al TWO OF my
curios when I came in. You would
hardly expect them to be associated, and
very intimately, too, with about the
most daring and skillfully planned dia-
mond robbery that ever took place on
the fields, or off them, for the matter OF
that, would you?"
Hardly" said, land yet think l
have learned enough OF the devious
ways of the I. D. B. to be prepared for
perfectly logical explanation of the
fact"
"As logical as l think I may fairly
say romantic" replied the inspector as
he set his glass down. sin one sense it
was the most ticklish problem that I've
ever had to tackle. Of course you've
heard some version or other Of the dis
appearance of the great De Beers dia-
mond?"
"I should rather think had. " said,
with decided thrill of pleasurable an
ticipation, for felt sure that now, If
ever, was going to get to the bottom
of the great mystery. Everybody in
camp seems to have different version
of it, and of course every one seems to
think that if he had only had the man
agement of the case the mystery would
have been solved long ago."
"It is invariably the case" said the
inspector, with another of his quiet,
pleasant smiles, THAT every one can do
work better than those whose reputation
depends upon the doing Of it. We are
not altogether fools at the department,
and yet I have to confess that myself
was in ignorance as to just how that
diamond disappeared or where it got to
until within 10 hours ago.
"Now, 1 am going to tell you the
facts exactly as they are, but under the
condition that you will alter all the
names except, if you choose, my own
and that you will not publish the story
for at least l2 months to come. There
are personal 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,
although there has been and will be no
prosecution, but anything in the news
papers will of necessity be garbled and
incorrect, and-well, may as well
confess that I am sufficiently vain to
wish that my share in the transaction
shall not be left altogether to the tender
mercies of the imaginative penny-a-
liner"
acknowledged the compliment with
bow as graceful as the easiness Of the
inspectors chair would allow me to
make, but said nothing, as I wanted
to get to the story.
81 had better begin at the begin
ming" the inspector went on as he
meditatively shipped the end of fresh
cigar. "As suppose you already know,
the largest and most valuable diamond
ever found on these fields was really
magnificent stone, perfect octahedron,
pure white, without a flaw and weigh
ing close on 500 carats. There's a pho.
tograph of it there on the mantelpiece.
I've got another 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 800 foot level Of the Kimberley
mine. 1t was taken by the overseer
straight to the De Beers offices and
placed on the secretary's desk-you
know where he sits, on the right hand
side as you go into the boardroom
through the green baize doors. There
were several Of the directors present at
the time, and, as you may imagine,
they were pretty we'll pleased at the
find, for the stone, without any exag.
geration, was worth prince ransom.
"Of course l needn't tell you that the
value per carat Of a diamond which is
perfect and of good color increases in
a sort of geometrical progression with
the size. dare say that stone was
worth anywhere between el,000, 900
and So, 900, 900, according to the depth
of the purchasers purse Itwas worthy
to adorn the proudest crown in the
world instead of-but there, you'll
think me very poor story teller if I
anticipate.
"Well, the diamond, after being duly
admired, was taken up stairs to the dia.
mond room by the secretary himself,
accompanied by two of the directors.
Of course you have been through the
new offices of De Beers, but still per.
haps 1 had better just run over the
ground, as the locality is rather i'm
portant.
"You know that when you get up
stairs and turn to the right on the land
ing from the top of the staircase there
is door with little grille in it. You
knock, trapdoor is raised, and if you
are recognized and your business war
rants it yos are admitted. Then you 60
along little passage, out of which
room opens on the left, and in front Of
you is another 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 a single light wooden rail.
There is table in the middle Of the
room and on your right hand as Won