The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-07-08

been given to him by the dusky queen OF .
| South African tribe. and had caused him Il
| fee from the wrath of her duskier hus-
band another had been conferred upor
Lin by the Car of Russia for knocliiHl
| cut the brains of a wouldke assassin.
Thus the stories went on in varied
and interesting stream. He said many OF
the stores had been deliberately mounted
bu; that he preferred the more simple
| background of black velvet. In this quite
agreed with him. OF course. l kept mis-
secret. and l felt pride in being his Only
COMPLIANT;
And so we sailed through the South Pa
cific. the days differing only in the ever
increasing glory of the sunset-suc ,sed-
ing one another in an infinite variety Of
colcrs
Did it ever occur to you that 1t takes a
very clever man 20 be successful thief?
suddenly exclaimed Mr.. Lazareete ore
night. about a week after my discovery.
as we were seated on the quarterback.
Without waiting for answer, he pro-
ceeded to recount tales OF diamond rob-
berries more or less connected with his
collection. He had tracked thieves in the
sandy wastes Of the Sahara. in the tangled
underbrush OF Australia, through the dam
gerous passes OF the Rockies. in the
crowded cities CT the world. and he had
thus become well acquainted with their
methods and habits.
Had | desired to follow this branch Of
art on reaching my native land. should
have started with valuable knowledge.
This l laughingy told him adding. Il
wonder you don't turn thief yourself!"
There was strange, far-away look in
his face. MY dear fellow the more |
thin! of dishonesty, the more / wish to be
honest"
Then. as III he feared he was becoming
too solemn. he took me back to the days
of his boyhood upon his fathers farm on
the Ohio River. During this last visit to
South Africa both his parents had died.
and he had been adopted by wealthy
mine owner in that country. He had in
ierited the old mans fortune, and since
then had followed the profession of trav-
cling diamond collector.
MIR Lazareete continued TO be an inter-
esting companion. but after that evening
there was certain sad undertone in his
manner when talking 10 me.
Cne night the captain told US the story
CT a shipwreck of Cape Horn. the sur
vlvors of which had been rescued by the
missionaries OF Ushuwia on Beague chan
mel seventy-fiye miles noTthward. This
tale made deep impression upon Mr.. La
zareete. who was loud in his praises of
those isolated iife-savers.
Our progress northward of the equator
was rendered slow by Gains and by head
winds: but at last the Golden Gate" ap-
peared in the east.
We were by this time more than ready
to exchange our sea diet of salt beef.
plum duff and the like for the every
day luxuries of shore life. That night
the ancient mariner and his two passen-
gers celebrated their return to civiliza-
zion by a supper that betrayed a reck-
less disregard for their pocketb0oks and
their digestive organs.
The Kismet was to be unioaded as rap
idly as possible. and would then proceed
n ballast to Valparaiso for orders. Mr..
Lazareete and l fingered in the vicinity
of San Francisco. l did not mention the
subject of Brazil.
My dear fellow. I have a great favor
to ask of you" said Mr.. Lazareete one
morning. Il am going to trouble you to
carry this little box OF stones to New
York-they Wont take up much room"
Then you are not goiIig to take them
to Rio?"
Il am not going to Brszil-at any rate.
not yet; l am going to Chill on the Kis-
met"
This change of plans not only surprised
me. but placed a responsibility upon me
b. no means relshed.
But. of course. | could not refuse. and
he gave me a letter of introduction to
large firm of diamond dealers in New
York. with whom / was to deposit his COL
lection.
In fit of absent minGedness l sealed
it," He made mnticn as If to break the
envelope. l assured him that this was I'M
necessary.
III.
once to the diamond merchants. | handed
the package and the letter to one OF the
clerks and was shown into an Office at the
rear Of the store. Two men sat at a desk
the box of diamonds. which lay |
open upon it. One of them looked up with |
a questioning glance. / felt / was sus-
pected Of having tempered with Mr.. Lag |
areete's collection. But my conscience |
was clear. | met his eyes without fin b |
ing.
Presidently he arose. and. coming for |
ward. held out his hand. exclaiming. MIR. |
Ro3erts. / am very much obliged to youi"
Surprised at this sudden show of eour- |
tesy replied | was glad to have been of ,
service to my friend
My dear sir. you have been fooled by
the only one who has ever gotten the best
Of me. I'll read you this letter: 'Messrs.
p. Stone & Co: My dear sirs: | take
pleasure in introducing my friend and fell
ow-voyager. Mr.. Walter Roberts. WHO has
Kindly consented to bear to you the colec-
ion OF diamonds / borrowed rather hastily |
six months ago. He was in no way con-
lected with the transaction Very re-
'pectfully. Gilbert Dexter That is all he
says. but you can read the rest between
he lines"
Several months later l received letter.
lated Ushuwia. Terra del Fuego. which
cad as follows:
My Dear Roberts: Long before this
'ou viii have learned what rascal you
vent around the Horn with. They Will
lave told you all they know of my history.
iost OF what / related to you concerning
ny early life and adventures is true. II
5 needless to say that the Brazilian tale
vas false, save that l was going to that
ountry as stowaway, and got on the
wrong vessel.
You may have guessed that my stay at
Ishuwia is permanent. There are no dia-
nonds here. and therefore | am safe.
Very sincerely.
GILBERT DEXTER
'alias WILLIAM HARRINGTON.
alias MR.. LAZAREETE'
New York Evening Post.
Went Back TO the Farm
NJ.