Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-04-18
DAILY SHORT STORY
An Order For Diamonds.
Copyright. 1901. by c. E. Lewis. ]

| them to send down a man with dia-
mOnds for marriage presents. 1t was
! added that his carriage would meet
the man at the station at q O'Clock in
the evening. l was the one selected TO
| go, and l reached AIOrpeth on time
| with 5000 worth of diamonds con
| cealed about my person.
A carriage awaited me, but l had
hardly taken a seat in il when 1 had
queer feelings. The outfit was too
| common TO be owned and publicly
used by such 4 man rs Sir james
| Blankton. ana the two men on the box
didn't appear ut all like servants. 1
made bold to say:
See here. men. l think there is a
mistake. l think 1 have got Sir James
Blankton mixed up with Sir James
DasLton. 1t is the latter who owns
Il large interest in Il Manchester cot
ton factory. isn't it!'
1t may be. but l dunno" replied the
man who was driving as he pulled up
his horses.
Well, you see. 1 wanted to show
him some of these new dyes for cot
tons
is that your line, sir:"
Yes. l have ten new cOlorS just out.
l am sorry for the blunGer, but l am
willing
Then what the bloody blazes did
you get into this turnout forE"
To see Sir James Blankton, OF
course. l got it in my head
oh, blow your cad and your 'eels
too. Jim, turn about and drive the
blOOmin ass back TO town.
III be shot if l does" replied Jim.
He can get right out ere and take
'isself back OH his own legs and be
bowed TO him.
When L had walked the two miles
and reached town, | went to hotel.
Inside of five minutes l had learned
that Sir James Blankton lived in the
opposite direction to that l had taken.
Further. that the gentleman and his
wife had been in Scotland for several
weeks. 1t did not take me long to
figure it out to my perfect satisfaction
1t was 4 put up job to rob the London
house through me. and it had been put
up with the aid of some one at Sir
james BIankton's house.
| started for London by the o'clock
train. The night had come on dark and
stormy, and there We're but few pas
senSCrS from Morpeth. There We're
two plain women ticketed TO Durham
and u man about forty years old Of
pleasing address and genteel appear
anCe. The four OF us We're ushered
into the same compartment. AS soon
as we fell into conversation the man
gave me to understand that he lived
at Beverly. n town about fifty miles
down the line, and from certain words
let fall l gathered that lie was prom
incnt public official OF the place. 1
didn't exactly reply that l was in the
dye line, but he probably inferred as
much from what l said. 1 was glad OF
his company. lie was well posted,
fair talkcr.
The women got out at Durham and
left us alone. We passed Darlington
and were still the sole occupants of
the compartment. Mr. Arnold, as he
had given his name. had been sitting
opposite me for an hour. AS the train
cleared Darlington. however, lie rose
up and yawned and said:
y am sleepy, and yet 1 can never
get wink of sleep on the train. BY
the way. l found curious coin on the
street at MOrpeth today. Can you make
anything of it,"
He had Il coin i'll his fingers as he
stepped over TO me. l reached out Il
hand to receive il when he seized me
by the throat with both hands and had !
Inc on my back in second. 1 was no
match for him in strength. He gripped |
my throat so suddenly and so fercely |
that l was deprived of all powers of !
Ii
knee on my chest. he finally let up on |
his clutch and said:
Don't be foolish now! 1 know you |
and am after those diamonds"
He drew a wicked looking knife and |
held it in his teeth, while he used some |
stout cord to tie my hands behind my |
back. Why didn't l resist? Simply |
because his clutch on my throat had |
almost paralyzed me. When he had |
taken the key of my Gladstone from
one of my pockets he turned me over
and said:
Now for the sparklers. know you
shifted them 10 the bag when you were
at the hotel. deuced fine layout. and
the cash value must be close to 10000.
Its n pretty haul indeed, and no risk
attending it"
He placed the jewel case in his peck
ct. lighted a cigar and pleasantly con-
tinued:
Take it easy, my boy. The next
stop is North AllertOn, and 1 shall gag
you and leave the train there. You'll
be discovered at Leeds or sooner"
was so mad and my throat hurt me
so much that l made no attempt to re-
ply. After couple of minutes the
train slackened speed, and in sixty sec
onds more il had come TO standstill.
Special stop, is it," growled the rob
Der as he took gag from his pocket
and bent over me. We'll. here goes to
keep you quiet while l get away"
Just then the guard opened the door
70 admit two passengers, and l began
10 yell at the top of my voice. The
robber made bolt for il, and he would