Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-12-26
The Argus Daily Story
Transporting Treasure-By Elmer Grantby.
Copyrighted 1911. by Associated Literary Bureau
In the town of Karakash in western

In the town Of Karakash In western
China dwelt a cobbler called WI Tung.
He cobbled shoes all day and in the
evening went to his Insignificant home.
and the frst thing he did after reach
ing it was TO touch a concealed spring
In the wall. tiny door Jew open. and
In q space not two inches square was
diamond the size Of a hickory nut The
cobbler took the stone in his hand, ex-
amined 1t carefully, put it back In its
place and closed the door. The next
morning before going to his shop he
repeated this process. his examinations
being made for the purpose Of making
sure that the stone had not been stolen.
Now, WI Tung was not a cobbler at
all, but q diamond merchant. He had
purchased the diamond from q rajah
In India for q third Of its real value,
the rajah being in need Of ready cash.
and had crossed the border into China
intending to take 1t to Picking with q
view to selling it to the emperor. But
he well knew that the transportation
Of such q valuable article across the
whole Of that vast territory would be
well nigh impossible. Both the Indians
and the Chinese are very cunning, and
e it were known that he was travelling
with 30 great q treasure he was sure
to lose it by the way.
WI Tung was as subtle as his enc
mics. He sent q man out bearing a
chrystal instead Of the diamond with
the stone SO carefully concealed that
he thought no one would find It. If 1t
was not discovered he would then send
the resi- stone BY another messenger
| after the bearer started he returned
| without the chrystal. He dispatched
another with a different device, but he
too, was sent back with the same expe
f.! rience. After sending several different
persons to make these tests he deemed
his own ingenuity inadequate and look
| ed about him for some one shrewdel
than himself.
| Next door to the cobbler lived q
his family were starving. One day
this poor fellow told WI Tung that his
children were dying one by one, and
he considered it better that he should
die that they might live. He had beer
offered a sum Of money by a man con
demned to be executed to take bis
place, and he was about to accept thu
offer. WI Tung, thinking that mar
SO desperate would, If any one could
carry his diamond through to Picking
made q confidant Of him, telling hin
that If he succeeded In doing 30 b,
would give him a quarter of his profit
which would enable him to Hive like ,
nabob for the rest Of his life. Tunl
would support his family during hi
absence.
Ching Fang said he would try {,
think Of some method of outwittin,
the thugs and, going to his house, lai,
the matter before his wife, Wee Sing
Ching Fang was not bright man a
all. but Wee Sing was very ingenious
little woman. Besides, here was ,
chance to save her husband from tn,
. necessity Of being beheaded. Never
theless it took her a week to hit upol
. a plan that promised success.
As soon as she had proposed 1t CHM
! Fang went to the cobbler and told hin
, he would undertake to deliver the dis
mond in Picking, but that he woul'
not be ready to start for severa
months and that meanwhile WI Tun
must keep his family from starving
WI Tung agreed, provided Ching Fan
, would commit his plan to him. where
upon the latter placed his lips agains
the formers ear and whispered tn
, secret.
Done" said WI Tung and handle
him a hundred taels to bind the bal
gain.
Three months from that day Chin
Fang. after executing papers tha
would put his family at WI Tung
mercy in case he proved dishones
with nothing but the clothes he wor'
set out upon his journey. He had bee
very secret as to his interviews wit
D his principal, but knew full we'll this
he had been observed. He was wall
ing on road not far from his startin
Z point when a man caught up with hill
j. and entered into conversation. Chin
Fang felt assured that he was afts
the diamond. but chatted with hi
freely. The man said he had NEAR
with which to sleep at an inn and Il
vited his fellow traveller to share b
bed with him. Ching Fang assente
with evident thankfulness since /
carried no money for his journey an
would otherwise have been obliged {
sleep In the open air. So the two stol
g ped at an inn. and the stranger orde
ed some supper. Of which they bot
l. partook, then went to bed.
Ching Fang slept soundly. and whe
he awoke the next morning the stral
l. ger had disappeared. Ching Fang
clothes were scattered about. givin
evidence that the man had gor
through them.
Though Ching Fang bore damon
worth many thousands of dollars.
had not the wherewithal to buy foo
n for money would have been take
q from him. He begged, he stole.
used every conceivable means to sa
isfy his hunger and keep enouP