The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1912-01-05
Transporting a
Treasure
Every Effort to Possess Ii Was
Made by Robbers
BY ELMER CRANTBY
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation, 1871.
BY ELMER CRANTBY
Copyright by American Press Asso-
citation. 1911.

Z ciation' I'LL {
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 first thing he did after reach
Ing it was to touch a concealed spring
In the wall. a tiny door few open. and
In space not two inches square was
diamond the size of hickory nut The
cobbler took the stone In his hand, ex-
amined it 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 cobbler at
all, but diamond merchant. He had
purchased the diamond from q rajah
In India for a third of its real value,
the rajah being In ueed of ready cash.
and had crossed the border into China
intending to take it to Picking with a
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, ana
If it were known that he was travelling
with SO great a treasure he was sure
to lose it by the way.
WI Tung was as subtle as his enc
mics. He sent a 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 real stone by another messenger
hidden in the same way. But the day
after the bearer started he returned
without the chrystal He dispatched
another with different device, but he
too, was sent back with the same expe
rience. After sending several different
persons to make these tests he deemed
his own ingenuity inadequate and look
ed about him for some one shrewder
than himself
Next door to the cobhler lived a
his family were starving. One day
this poor fellow told WI Tung that his
children were dying one by one, and
he considered 1t better that he should
die that they might live, He had been
offered sum of money by a man con
demned to be executed to take bis
place. and he was about to accept the
offer. WI Tung, thinking that man
so desperate would. If any one could,
carry his diamond through to Peking
made a confidant of him. telling him
that If he succeeded in doing so he
would give him quarter of his profit
which would enable him to live like a
nabob for the rest of his life. Tung
would support his family during his
absence.
Ching Fang said he would try to
think of some method of outwitting
the thugs and, going to his house, laid
the matter before his wife, Wee Sing
Ching Fang was not bright man at
all, but Wee Sing was a very ingenious
little woman. Besides, here was a
chance to save her husband from the
necessity Of being beheaded. Never
theless it took her week to hit upon
a plan that promised success.
AS soon as she had proposed 1t Ching
Fang went to the cobbler and told him
he would undertake to deliver the dia-
mond in Picking, but that be would
not be ready to start for several
months and that meanwhile WI Tung
must keep his family from starving
WI Tung agreed, provided Ching Fang
would commit his plan to him. where
upon the latter placed his lips against
the formers ear and whispered the
secret
sDone," said WI Tung and handed
him a hundred taels to bind the bar
gain.
Three months from that day Ching
Fang, after executing papers that
would put his family at WI lungs
mercy in case be proved dishonest
with nothing but the clothes be wore
set out upon his journey. He had been
very secret as to his interviews with
his principal, but knew full well that
he had been observed He was walk
ing on a road not far from his starting
point when a man caught up with MN
and entered into conversation. Ching
Fang felt assured that he was after
the diamond. but chatted with MIN
freely. The man said be had means
with which to sleep at an inn ana IN
yited his fellow traveller to share MS
bed with him. Ching Fang assented
with evident thankfulness since ne
carried no money for his journey ana
would otherwise have been obliged TO
sleep In the open air. So the two stop
ned at an inn, and the stranger order
ed some supper, of which they both
partook, then went to BED
Ching Fang slept soundly' ana Wneh
he awoke the next morning the stran
ger had disappeared. Ching Fangs
clothes were scattered about, giving
evidence that the man had gone
through them.
Though Ching Fang bore diamond
worth many thousands of dollars. ne
had NOT the wherewithal to buy food,
for money would have been taken
from him. He begged, be STOLE ne
used every conceivable means TO SAT
fsfy his hunger and keep enough
strength to travel. Now he would get
a vegetable from a garden. now woulo
steal a mouse. rat or Kitten TOT