The Princeton union., 1903-02-12
THE PRINCFTON UNIoN: IIIURsDAY, FEBRIARY -, 1905

the distinguished pair in certain iso.
lation, but the young clergyman was
unrestrained by any sentiment of awe
and marching boldly up, took his place
at the nearest table.
The conversation was indeed new to
the students ears. The ex-dictator of
Paraguay stated many extraordinary
experiences in different quarters of the
/ world, and the prince supplied a COM
mentary which, to a man Of thought.
was even more interesting than the
events themselves. Two forms of ex-
perience were thus brought together
and laid before the young clergyman,
and he did not know which to admire
the nlost-the desperate actor or the
skilled expert in life; the man who
spoke boldly of his own deeds and
perils or the man who seemed, like a
god, to know all things and to have
suffered nothing. The manner of each
apt1y fitted with his part in the dis
course. The dictator INDUCED in bru-
talities alike of speech and gesture.
His hand opened and shut and fell
roughly on the table, and his voice was
loud and heady. The prince, on the
other hand, seemed the very type of
urbane docility and quiet. The least
movement, the least infection, had
with him weightier significance than
all the shouts and pantomime of his
companion, and if ever, as must fire.
quently have been the case, he de-
scribed some experience personal to
himself, it was so aptly dissimulated
as to pass unnoticed with the rest.
At length the talk wandered on to
the late robberies and the rajahs dia-
mond.
'"That diamond would be better in
the sea-" observed Prince Florizel.
GAS Vandeleur," replied the dicta-
tor, "your highness may imagine nv
dissent
II speak on grounds of public pol
ICY" pursued the prince. "Jewels so
valuable should be reserved for the col
lection of prince or the treasury of a
great nation. To hand them about
among the common sort Of men is to
set price on virtues head, and if the
rajah Of Kashgar-a prince, 1 under
stand, of great enlightenment
vengeance upon the men of Europe he
could hardly have gone more efica-
ciously about his purpose than by send
ing us this apple of discord There is
no honesty too robust for such a trial.
I myself, who have many duties and
many privileges of my own-I myself,
Mr.. Vandeleur, could scarce handle the
Intoxicating crystal and be safe. AS
for you, who are diamond hunter by
taste and profession, do not believe
there is crime in the calendar you
would not perpetrate-I do not believe
you have friend in the world whom
you would not eagerly betray. do not
know if you have family, but if you
have declare you would sacrifice your
children. And all this for what? Not
to be richer nor to have more comforts
or more respect, but simply to call this
diamond yours for year or two until
you die and now and again to open a
safe and look at it as one looks at a
S:cture''
1T is true" replied Vandeleur. II
have hunted most things from men
and women down to mosquitoes.
have dived for coral, have followed
both whales and tigers, and a dia-
mond is the tallest quarry of the lot
1t has beauty and worth; it alone can
properly reward the ardors of the
chase. At this moment, as your high
ness may fancy, am upon the trail.
have sure knack, wide experience.
I know every stone of price in my
brothers collection as shepherd
knows his sheep, and wish may die
if do not recover them every one.''
"Sir Thomas Vandeleur will have
great cause to thank you," said the
prince.
II am not so sure" returned the die
tator, with q laugh. "One of the Van
deleurs will-Thomas or John-Peter
or Paul; we are all apostles
81 did not catch your observation -
said the prince, with some disgust.
And at the same moment the waiter
Informed Mr. Vandeleur that his cat
was at the door.
|
saw that he also must be moving, and
the coincidence struck him sharply anG
unpleasantly, for he desired to see nc
more of the diamond hunter.
Much study having somewhat shaker
the young mans nerves, he was in the
habit Of travelling in the most luxuri
GUS manner, and for the present journey
he had taken sofa in the sleeping
carriage.
"You will be very comfortable" sale
the guard. '"There is no one in you1
compartment and only one old gentle
man in the other end.'
1t was close upon the hour and thu
tickets were being examined when Mr.
ROLES beheld this other fellow passen
ger ushered by several porters into hi
place. Certainly there was not anothe
man in the world whom he would no
have preferred, for it was old Joh1
Vandeleur, the ex-dictator.
The sleeping carriages on the Grea