Mower County transcript., 1903-12-23

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nc Tho fruits of bis unholy spoii, s
But there @ were & enough shining
stones left on the beach to make an
other fortune several fortunes. In
fact and Dysart was still a rich man.
The first thing was to get to the
coast, and easily divining that the
criminal would make for the nearest
seaport rather than for Kimberley or
Pretoria, Richard determined to strike
for Ladysmith, at that time the near
est town whence ran the railroad for
Durham. -
It.was on a bright morning late in
the South African spring when the
word was given to inspan and trek
once more, to the huge delight Of Joey
and his brother The oxen had waxed
fat over their long idleness, and good
speed might be looked for. s:5 e..
The little party reached Ladysmith
without mishap further than the loss
of two of the cattle from drinking "'red
water, There Dysart disposed of
some of his smallest stones, so as not
to excite too much inquiry, suitably
rewarded Joey and the other boy. with
handful Of yellow Sovereigns apiece,
made them present Ola new wagon
and dozen oxen, entered and proved
his claim to the new field on the Mooi,
replenished his wardrobe, got shave,
q haircut and bath, and then was
ready to turn amateur detective.
He stumbled on his first clew by &C.
cident.
"A middlin' fine passel O stones,
Blister Dysart," said one of the deal
ers, little Houndsditch Jew named
Moses Plish, to whom he sold a small
part of his find, after the purchase was
concluded. ''There vas another gent
ERE avile ago With jest sich a lot; in a
steamin' 'urry e wos tool"
''Indeed?" said Richard, as nonchal-
antly as possible, keeping his eyes
averted lest old Plish should espy their
angry gleam.
*'Yessir; cool an 'aughty customer
e was! low much for the lot,' sez-
zee, AN no qvestions arsed?' I 'ad
done a leetle business With i'm afore,
an I knowed is vays!"
"That's curious" said Richard II
wonder if I have ever met your man
I don't mind telling you, Plish, that
I've located and proved a new claim,
and I supposed I was first on the
ground. But you can never be sure.
What did you say his name was?"
II didnn't sy, Bister> Dysart," said
Plish, with cunning grin, "'cos l
never 'eard it-leastways is genooine
nyme; ven l see i'm afore, a matter O.
two or three years back, e useter play
the pianner in dance 'ouse in Dur
ban"
"H-m-m," unused Dysart, drumming
on the dirty. table, What was this
chum like, Plish?"
"Tall an thin, sorter grizzly air,
with vite lands and long fingers like a
voman's. But all this 'ere's strickly
confdenshul an atween ourselves, Bis
ter Dysart, like as vun gent to an
other.'
'Oh, certainly" asserted Richard,
quietly pocketing the invidiously i'm
pudent classification. 1T doesn't real
~ matter, you know. Thought might
know the beggar," and he rose to co..
"'Ere's somethin' e left behind i'm,
sir,'' said Plish, who had been rum
maging in drawer, displaying a dirty
canvas bag.
Rick seized it and went to the open
door to examine it.
Sure enough, it was the canvas bag
of which he had been looted on the
bank of the Mooi! Turning to the Jew,
he inquired as carelessly as possible:
"You don't mean to tell me he had
this full of stones?''
ooh, no, Blister Dysart, not by no
manner O. means; I only saw abart a
'andful," was the reply.
"Ill keep this bag, Plish, if you've
no objections" said Richard, showing
it away carefully.
Don't benton it, 6....tAT Dysart, sir, u
was the affable reply. -*