The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-11-07
THE EYE IN THE WALL.



Privates Thomas and Williams of
Company~D, Third infantry, stationed
at Fort Pinto, were the first TO discov-
er what was afterward called the eye
in the wall. One day when off duty
they went prospecting in the noun
tains to the west Of h fort. In their
rambles they entered a ravine or can
yon and traversed it for half a mile
before finding a nance to climb out
ravine was only one of four or
five, and all had lateral ravines making
off from them.
Al short while before climbing out
they discovered a flaming eye in the
rocky wall on their left and about
forty feet above their heads 1t glared
and scintillated and flashed, and
though the men were laboring under
considerable excitement over being
lost they marked the curious thing
well and had much TO say about it
after reaching the post in safety.
1t was three or four days before any
one suggested that the shining eye was
probably a diamond embedded in the
quartz. The men accepted this idea
at once, and as they had made the
thing common property by so much
talk. a queer state of affairs 500 re-
suited. Of the two hundred men at
the post every one who could get a
pass for a day off Wen searching for
the y in the wall. There were some
times twenty out at once. 1t was
hunted for by individuals and by COM
b~inations. when the officers came
to hear of it they were also Interested
1t would seem hat after a little
hunting about Thomas II Williams
ought to have been to relocate
the u but they had headed so
many ways theeday they we're lost. and
had been in such perturbation for fear
Of meeting with grizzly bears in some
of the dark rayines. that they were all
turned around. It was agreed that the
eye had not been seen until they had
reached a certain point. and that look-
ing backward as they moved on they
had soon lost sight of it.
During the next three months, when
men were searching every day. some
of them no doubt struck the right ra-
vine of The Y in the wall. It was
the only thing talked about IN barracks.
It was soon settled that it was a dla-
mond. and a. monstrous large one at
that. and that the value could not be
much. less than half a million dollars.
The ak and the hunt for it soon began
to ten OH discipline. and IN a general
order the c~omrnandant forbade any one
to search further. He had Thomas and
Williams VI before him. and declared
thai what they bad seen was a piece of
White quartz worn shiny by the action
of dripping water. or mayhap a polish
ed flint embedded in the darker wall.
At any rate, there must be no further
foolishness o it.
The discoveries of the y in the wall
had to abandon their search. but they
did not cease to ak and plot and plan.
A month later, as both were on sentry
duty the same night. they deserted.
They took their muskets and ammuni-
ton. and it was also found that they
had carried away food and blankets.
The men were steady and sober, and
nothing short Of a gold or a diamond
craze could have induced them to de-
sert. rs
The colonel realized that they must
be r~scaptured tone or their example
would be followed by others, and a de-
tail wa sent out and put in a weeks
hard work. Then came news that the
Indians were again on the warpath and
the detail was driven IN. It brought IN
Williams, however. He had met with a
fall and lain for three days with a
broken leg, and it was only by chance
that he had been discovered
He said the pair Of them had been ex-
ploring ravines for a week or more
when Thomas began to act 50 strangely
that his felloW deserter became afraid
Of him. He continually muttered and
mumbled. thinking of the diamond, and
at last declared that # the J was
found it should belong to hin alone
Two or three times he seemed about
) to murder Williams and at length the