The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-01

collection. He had tracked thieves in the
sandy wastes of the Sahara, in the tan
gled underbrush of Australia, through the
dangerous passes of the Rockies, IN the
| crowded cities of the world, and he had
| thus become well acquainted with their
methods and habits.
Had 1 desired to follow this branch of
art on reaching my native land should
have started with valuable knowl-
| edge This L laughingly told him,
| adding 81 wonder you don't turn thief
! yourselfi'
There was a strange, PARKWAY look in
! his face. my dear fellow. the more 1
| think of dishonesty the more L wish to be
| honest"
| Then--as if he feared he was beCEming too
solemn--he took me back to the days Of
! his boyhood upon his fathers farm, on
| the Ohio river During his first visit to
! South Africa both his parents had died,
and he had been adopted by wealthy
| mine-owner in that country. He had in
| herited the old mans fortune and since
then had followed the profession of
| travelling diamond collector.
Mr.. Lazareete continued to be an in
/ teresting companion. but after that even
ing there was a certain sad undertone in
his manner when talking to me.
One night the captain told us the story
| of a shipwreck off Cape Horn. the sur
vivors of which had been rescued by the
| missionaries of Ushuwia, on Beagle chan
! mel, seventy-five miles northward. This
tale made a deep impression upon Mr.
Lazareete who was loud in his praises of
| those isolated life savers
| our progress northWard of the equator
was rendered slow by Gains and by head
winds, but at last the Golden Gate" APP
| peared to 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 passengers
celebrated their return to civilization by
| supper that betrayed a reckless disre-
! gard for their pocketbooks and their di-
! gestive organs.
! Inc Nlsmet was to be unloaded as rapid
| ~ as possible and would then proceed In
ballast to Valparaiso for orders Mr. Lag
! areete and [ fingered in the vicinity OF
San Francisco. did not mention the sub
| ject Of Brazil
MY dear fellow. I have a great favor
~ ASK OF you" said Mr.. Lazareete. one
morning. am going to trouble Won to
GaiIy TINS little box of stones to New
forK-they won't take up much room"
to Rio?" '''Ne 'iieiii
S"N' tAON 6Otil6 " bTdZlI-aC anX ra to
not yet; l am going to Chill on the I<is-
met" W i4
Inns change of plans not only surprised
me. but placed a responsibility unon ma
l by no means reIished
But, of course, 1 could not re 'u~e and ha
gave me letter of introduction to a large
firm of diamond dealers in New York.
ton
I'm a fit of absent mindedness T seal.d
1T" He made motion as if to break tho
envelope. 1 assured him that this was
| unnecessary
When L reached New York, went at
once to the diamond merchants. I hand
ed the package and the letter to ono of the
clerks, and was shown into an office at
| the rear of the store. Two men sat at
desk inspecting the box of diamonds.
which lay open upon it. One of them look
ed up with a questioning glance. I felt
was suspected OF having tempered with
| Mr.. Lazareete's collection But nv con-
science was clear. met his eyes without
| flinching
Presently he arose, and, coming forward,
| held out his hand, exclaiming, Mr.. Rob
| erts, 1 am very much obliged to your
| Surprised at this sudden show of courte-
| sy, replied was very 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. III read you his letter: Messrs
P. Stone & Co.-My dear Sirs: I take
pleasure in introducing my friend and fell
low voyager, Mr. Walter Roberts who
has kindly consented to bear to you the
collection of diamonds 1 borrowed rather
hastily six months ago. He is In no way
connected with the transaction. Very re-
spectfully, Gilbert Dexter That is all
he says, but you can read the rest between
the lines"
Several months later received letter,
dated Ushuwia, TERRA del Fuego, which
read as follows:
my dear Roberts: Long before this you
will have learned what rascal you went
around the Horn with They will have
told you all they know Of my history.
Most Of what I related to you concerning
my early life and adventures is true It is
needless to say that the Brazilian tale