The Marshall republican., 1911-03-31
A Sudden
Transformation
BY r. w. KEENAN,
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1911,
BY r. w. KEENAN,

cares behind me and strike n new
field. My wife's father-an excellent
man, by the ~way-agreed TO take care
Of my family till I could send for them
or return to them restored In health
and pluck.
I left America sick and dishcartened.
A man sick IL usually II man disheart.
ened. and when he liz obliged to go
away by himself to recover his health
he feels as II the bottom has dropped
out Of his life. 1 never expected to see
my family again. However, the sen
voyage helped me, and by the time I
reached Africa I felt able to do some.
thing for myself.
! went to work In the Kimberley dia-
mond mines, where l learned TO tell n
diamond when I saw II. no matter n
IL was I'm the rough. One day I'm walk
Ing across a field l saw one and iecog.
liked II at once. II was az big as a
small English walnut and about the
same shape. I pounced upon II. look
ed Il W and, sure ! was right about
IL being a diamond. put It in my
pocket. Even II Of n poor grade II
would make me rich.
I made up my mind TO return e
America with my find. SO. procuring
n little channels skin bag. ! put the
diamond In Il. first marking my namc
on the bag In ink. Then I took a tray
cling wagon for the coast.
There were half u dozen Of us trav.
cling together. but only two Of my
fellow passengers attracted my attcn.
ton. One was n big. rough looking
man. who sat beside me, noticeable
for his vlllainous appearance. The
other was a little man In the garb OF
n curatc Of the English church. lie
was reading his prayer book most OF
the time. seeming to be only interested
In holy matters. Il typical British par
son OF the inferior grade. one OF those
miserable creatures who for some dirty
work done n lord gets n living. though
this one. being In Africa. Il appeared
clergyman.
l hadn't been sitting long by the big,
rough man, whose accent marked him
for a Yorkshire man. when I thought
OF my diamond. which WINS In one OF
my pockets next TO him. I clapped my
hand on the place where IL should be.
and. To-. II was gone!
knew II had passed into the pos.
session OF the Yorkshlreman. But
what wal ! TO do? vas unarmed,
and I could see the butt OF his pistol
extending from his hip pocket. ] look.
ell Over the passengers TO see II there
was one l could rely on 10 help me In
case I should accuse the man and
claim my property. But two OF them
were women. and the men In the
coach. except the two l have men.
toned. were weakly chaps. who ap-
peared TO have very little stun In
them. There seemed nothing for me
TO do but walt tll we got TO the end
Of the route. keep the man In sight nj
all hazards and take my chances for
an opportunity 20 cover my diamond.
This decided on and did not show by
word or act that I had been robbed.
The opportunity came soone than !
looked for H.. Suddenly the wagon
WINS stopped by a single man. who or
dercd us all out and to line up. as
road agents do In western America.
Only the curate refused. and he ap-
peared 10 do 80 from abject coward
Ice. Retreating to a far corner, he
begged the robber not to kill him.
The robber threatened to 10 so III he
didn't get out at once, but the clergy
man only ~whimpered and covered his
face with his hands. The robler.
transferring his revolver to his left
hand. entered the wagon. seized the
little man by the collar with his right
hand and was pulling him out when
n sharp crack rang out and the robbci
fell back out OF the wagon dead.
If there was any life left In him II
was knocked out by the curate, who
jumped on him with both feet. I
never saw u small man grow big So
quickly In my life, The next thing lie
did was to plant his fist under the
Jaw of the Yorkshireman. who, r.
covering from the surprise OF the cpl.
sode. was putting his hand TO his hip
for his revolver. The big man did not
have time TO get up before the curntc
was ON him. hammering him In the
face with a Derringer. Having stunned
him. he took n pair Of handouts out
Of his pocket and clapped them on hs
wrists.
"what can I do for youy' | asked
of the parson.
"Get things In order TO 20 on. I'm
Jack Sharp OF Scotland Yard. This
man was the others pard. l have beer
following him to take him 20 England.
| saw linn rob YOU, and I knew he was
here TO help the other"
! ild as he directed. got the driver
into place. and. finding some rome un,
der a seat. Jack Sharp bound the
prisoner firmly, Then we proceeded
ON the Journey. Sharp took my gem
out OF the mans pocket and handed II
to me. l got safely home with 1t. had
II ground and turned into cash I