Amador ledger., 1904-07-08
Hn Order
For Diamonds
copyright, 1904, by c. B. Lewis

ldded that his carriage would meet
the man at the station at 6 o'clock in
the evening. l was the one selected to
go, and l reached Morpeth on time
with $4,000 worth of diamonds con-
realed about my person.
A carriage awaited me, but l had
hardly taken seat in it when l had
queer feelings The outfit was too
common to be owned and publicly
used by such man as Sir James
Blankton, and the two men on the box
didn't appear at all like servants. 1
made bold to say:
See here, men. | think there Is a
mistake. l think have got Sir James
Blankton mixed up with Sir James
Dashton. 1t is the latter who owns
large interest i'll a Manchester cot
ton factory, isn't it?'
'It may be- but l Dunno replied the
man who was driving as he pulled up
his horses.
"Well, you see, | wanted to show
him some Of these new dyes for cot
tons''
rs that your line sir?''
Eyes. l have ten new colors just out
L am sorry for the blunder, but l am
willing
"Then what the bloody blazes did
you get into this turnout for?"
ITO see Sir James Blankton, of
course. 1 got it in my head
'Oh, blow your 'ead and your 'eels
| fnOt Tim f11rp ahort ond driua tho
bloomin' ass back to town"
"I'll be shot if 1 doesI'' replied jim
HE can get right out ere and take
'isself back on his own legs and be
blowed to himr'
When l had walked the two miles
and reached town, l went to hotel
Inside of five minutes l had learned
that Sir James Blankton lived in the
opposite direction to that 1 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 put up job to rob the London
house through me, and it had been put
up with the aid of some one at Sir
| JdueS DldHklOu ) house.
1 started for London by the 9 o'clock
train. The night had come on dark and
stormy, and there were but few pas
sengers from Morpeth. There were
two plain women ticketed to Durham
and 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, a town about fifty miles
down the line, and from certain words
let fall 1 gathered that he was prom
inent public official of the place
dye line, but he probably inferred as
much from what 1 said 1 was glad of
his company. He was well posted, a
fair talker
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, he rose
up and yawned and said:
Il am sleepy, and yet l can never
get wink of sleep on the train. By
the way, l found a curious coin on the
street at Morpeth today. Can you make
anything of it?"
He had coin in his fingers as he
stepped over to me. l reached out
hand to receive it when he seized me
by the throat with both hands and had
me on my back in second. was no
match for him in strength. He gripped
my throat so suddenly and so fiercely
that 1 was deprived of all powers of
resistance. Bending over me, with his
knee on my chest, he finally let up on
his clutch and said:
Don't be foolish nowl 1 know you
and am after those diamonds"
He drew 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 1 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. l know you
shifted them to the bag when you were
at the hotel. A deuced fine layout, and
the cash value must be close 90 100000.
It's a pretty haul indeed, and no risk
attending it."
He placed the jewel case in his pock-
ct, lighted a cigar and pleasantly con-
tinued:
''Take 1t 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"
1 was SO mad and my throat hurt me
SO much that made no attempt to re-
ply. After a couple of minutes the
train slackened speed, and in sixty Sec
onds more it had come to standstill
Special stop, is it3" growled the rob-
Der as he took gag from his pocket
and bent over me. "Well, here goes to
keep you quiet while 1 get away"
Just then the guard opened the door
to admit two passengers, and began
to yell at the top Of my voice. The
robber made bolt for it, and he would
have got off temporarily at least but
for an accident. He caught his foot
and fell heavily on the platform, and
before he could rise the guards had
him secure. The job had been put up
between him and the two men who
drove me, assisted by a maid in Sir
James Blankton's house, and 1 had the
| aatiSfa ctinn of seeing the nIa rtat sent