The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-12-14

l should do just as he did if our posi-
tions were reversed. have nothing to
ask, for 1 can stand these seven days. l
have roughed it pretty well in differ
ent parts of the world, and my present
accommodations | must confess, are
palatial compared with some L have
had. The real hardship is to be sus-
pected Of sailing under false colors.
However. as l say, l can stand these few
days. Why, during the war a major
general would have been delighted with
such quarters"
Were you in the army, then?"
queried.
Eyes; We're you?'-
81 WIS"
"What regiment"
Fifteenth New York"
"Great Scott! Why, 1 was in the
Twenty-third myself. Did you know
Col. Barney?"
Il should say did"
"Well, well; sit right down. I'll tell
you all l know. We've something to
go upon now. The Fifteenth? The
deuce you say. How is old Col. Ran
som?"
By the time I had satisfied his inter-
est in the old colonel and others of the
regiment, King seemed to feel that he
could talk to me without reserve.
Il am" said he, ''a partner in dia-
mond mines at the Cape of Good Hope,
whittier [ drifted after the war. Yes
terday afternoon at $3.50, in the Ast0r
house restaurant, a messenger handed
me a delayed cable message telling of
a shipment of rough diamonds. which
| must meet at Hatton Garden, London,
without fail, on the 18th. The steamer
was to sail at four; l was alone; the
banks were closed, and my hotel was
half an hour away. By the time | had
made up my mind what to do and had
telegraphed an order to have nv traps
sent on by next steamer it was twenty
minutes to four. | took a cab and
reached the pier just five minutes be-
fore the plank was hauled in, and here
l am. | have, or had, $19. | told the
purser SIG because l must have some
thing to buy of the stewards enough
linen to last me across.
Now, my friend, l ask nothing.
have only told an Old comrade the
truth, strange as that truth may seem.
If nothing worse than this ever hap
pens to me l sha'n't suffer; only, it is
not very amusing"
1t happened that I had cabin to my
self. Invent to the purser and paid the
extra sum which would enable me to
share it with King. Kenshaw assured
me that | was an idiot, but [ didn't be-
lieve him. Twas convinced through and
through of the mans honesty. 1t was
with considerable difficulty, though,
that l finally induced him to become my
guest for the voyage.
l found my cabin-mate most agree
able companion, and was truly sorry
to part with him at Liverpool. There l
bought his railway ticket to London
and bade him good-by. All he said to me
w@s:
Il shan not be profuse in thanks now.
I do thank you, however, and you may
possibly hear from me-"
L did hear from him. Hardly had I
arrived at my destination when draft
came for the full amount of my ad-
vance, and with it note containing an
urgent invitation to dine at the Voy-
ayers club in London on a certain
evening, and asking particularly that
l call at No. Q Hatton Garden during
the afternoon of the appointed day.
When, accordingly, the cab put me
down at the designated number, found
myself confronted by heavy iron graf
| ing, behind which stood a man, armed
and in uniform. l named my friend OF
the diamond mines.
'You are right. sir" was the reassur-
ing answer; but will you kindly give
me your card? >"
A boy hurried away with it, and |
| heard door after door clank behind him
as in a prison. Presently he returned,
accompanied by Mr.. King. who, on see.
ing me, exclaimed: Il wanted to make
sure it was you. Come in
The iron door creaked on its hinges
| and we passed on through a succession
| of similar barriers until we reached a
snug but prisonlike Office. Here 1 saw
strewn on a table one or two quarts OF
rough, black-looking pebbles, and was
informed that / was looking on the very
shipment of rough diamonds which had
been the cause of Kings sudden sailing
Then from the safe were brought for
my inspection diamonds, cut and I'm.
cut, in quantities that I should hardly
have imagined to exist outside of King
SolOmon's mines.
We dined a: the Voyagers royalty
King nearly killed me with kindness
before he would let me go, and one Of
the purest diamonds I have ever seer
now sparkles on my wife's fipger as hi:
parting acknowledgment OF an unex
pected service. - Saturday Evenin,
Post, Philadelphia.
BriganGs In the Caucasus.