The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-03-30
THE DECOY PEANUT.
Ely Harold Carter.

A habit becomes passion Nathan
son, as ives well known. had built
| mp fortune at Kimberley by pur-
chasing Illicit diamonds from the ma.
The risks were enormous-and yet
Nathanson could not stop.
But all coed things come to an
| end One afternoon native hoy en-.
tered the store, engaged Williamson
| in conversation, and departed. Five
| minutes afterward Dcteetge Dale,
| with two members of the mounted po-
lice, came galloping up. They flung
their reins around hitching pole,
sprang to their feet. and burst through
the open door.
Games up. Nathanson," shouted
Dale. I've got you this time for
sure"
He paused at the back door in as
tonishment. Williamson was sitting
lazily in an arm chair, placidly feed
ing peanuts to colony of meerkats,
small, squirrellike animals that Av-
ed in neighboring ant hill.
Hush" said Williamson, holding up
a warning finger. Don't brighten him
away Amt he pretty little fellow?
Look at them marks on his coat"
| He flung peanut to the animal,
which seized it in his paws, sat up. to
nibble it, changed its mind, and scam
pered away with it to his nest.
Drop that foolery, Williamson"
said Dale, roughly you've Just
bought diamond from native boy,
and you'd better hand it over before
| we search for it,
What, me buy diamonds?" cried
Williamson. why, it's against the
law | amt bought no diamonds"
It's no use" replied Dale. THAT
boy was in the government service
and we've got you. D'you want US to
| search?"
IF you tink you find Something's"
replied Nathanson, relapsing into the
vernacular.
| Just then the native came slouching
up.
Il tell you, baas!" he shrieked
when the ole man see you come he
! put diamond into peanut and feed to
neerkat He train meerkat to come
at whistle. Meerkat find diamond too
hard to eat and take to him hole"
I With bound Dale was at the en-
trance, snatched up spade and, fol-
lowed by his assistants. ran at full
speed to where the animal had disap-
peared In few moments the board
had been uncovered.
Empty peanut shells were heaped
into a little pile beneath the brown
earth And at the top of the heap was
one that bulged in peculiar manner
Inside was the diamond, of the first
water, shining with a peculiar blue.
white sparkle that stamped it as OF
immense value. There was grim
smile on Dale's face when he re-
turned,
! Sorry to take you away, old man,
he said, with grim irony. But this
is pretty conclusive evidence"
4 He looked at Williamson almost In
pity. The old man had shrunk into
his chair; he seemed thunderstruck.
II amt bought no diamond" he re-
iterated feebly.
"Tell that to the Judge, old fellow
said Dale. Come walk, march"
Hold hard" said Nathanson, cycling
the gem is that the diamond? o
Lord" He burst into a shrill cackle
OF laughter. why, Mr.. Dale, you
couldn't convict me on the strength Of
no diamond like that, Why, that dia
mond's cut"
The detective paused, staring at the
gem foolishly.
That's cut diamond, Mr. Dale
There's nobody can cut diamonds in
Kimberley. Why, that's an Amster
dam cutting. Done by Kuhn. too he
continued, taking the stone from the
detectives unresistant fingers. 81
know his work, No, it amt, either,
he went on, chuckling. why, that's
paste. 1t amt worth 10 shillings. And
you found that in the meerkat's hole!
no Lord. 0 Lord"
Dale swung round on his heel
where's that boy?" he demanded
i fiercely, staring round over the barren
plains.
Far in the distance 1.-THE form
was disappearing amid maze q
shabby streets, in miniature clout
of dust
| He's fooled you, Mr.. Dale" sale
Nathanson. Them boys is gettins
awful impudent nowadays since we've
| stopped fiogging them, You'll have
hard work finding him again, Tn
afraid, Mr.. Dale. But don't you TAX,
on about it; ! won't tell nobody"
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