Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1912-01-12
Transporting a
Treasure
Every Eaori to Possess h Was
Made BY Robbers
By ELMER cRANTBY
Copyright BY American Press Asso-
ciation. 1911.

4 ciation. 1871 L
In the town Of Karakash in western
China dweit a cobbier called wv Tung
He cobbird shoes all day aud In the
evening went TO his insignificant home.
and the first thing he did after reaeh-
ing It WAS to touch a concealed spring
in the wall tiny door iew open. aud
in a space not two inches square was a
diamond the size OF a hickory nut. The
cobhler took the stone In his hand. ex-
amined II carefully. put il bacs iD its
place and closed the door The next
morning before going TO his shop he
repented 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 diamond merchant de had
purchased the diamoS from q rajah
in India for third OF its real value.
the rajab being IN aeed of ready cash.
aud had crossed the border into China
intending 10 take II to Peking with
view TO selling II to the emperor But
ne well knew that the transportation
Of such u valuable article across the
whole Of that vast territory would BE-
well nigh impossible Both The Indians
and the Chinese are very running. and
II It we're known that he WAS travelling
with 50 great a irenSure he was sure
10 lose il by the way
Wn Tung ans Ms subtle as his enc
uies lie sent man out bearing
chryssai instead Of the diamond with
the stone 50 carefully ronrealcd that
he thought no one would lind It II II
was not discovered be would then send
the real stone by another messenger
hidden In the same way But the day
after the bearer started he returned
withouE the chrystnl He dispatched
another with different device. hui be.
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 fos some one shrewder
than himself
Next door to the cobbler lived
man. Ching Fang SO poor thai be and
his family were starving One day
this poor fellow told WI Tunr thar his
children were dying one by one and
be considered II better that he should
die that they might live He had been
offered sum Of money by n man con
demned to he executed to take his
place. and he WAS abouf to accept the
offer WI Tnng thinking THAI a man
so desperate would. If any one could.
carry his diamond through to Peking-
made coniidant OF him telIin. him
nj If be succeeded in doing 50 he
sould give him quarter OF his profit.
which would pnuble him to Ne III .
uabob foI the rest Of his lille Ting
would support his family du-ins his
absence
Ching Fang said he would try to
think of some method OF onrwittine
the thugs and going to his house. laid
the matter before his wife Wee Sing
Ching Fang was mol bright man al
all, bur Wee Sing was very ingenious
little woman Resides. here was q
chance to save her husband from the
necessity Of being heheaded Never
theless Il took her Il week TO hit upon
a plan that promised Suscess
As soon as she had propeSed il Ching
Fang went TO the coI'hler aud told him
he would undertake to deliver the dla
rond In peking. hut that he would
not be ready 70 start for several
months and that meanwhile Wn Tnng
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
Done" said WI Tuns and handed
him hundred taels 10 hind the bar
gain
Three months from that day Ching
Fang. after executing papers thai
would put his family al WI Tung's
mercy In case he proved dishonest.
with nothing but the clothes be wore.
set out upon his journey. He had been
very secret as 10 his interviews with
his principal. bur knew full well thai
be had been observed He was walk
ing on a road mol far from his starting
point when man capehr mp with him
and entered into conversation Ching
Fang felt assured Thai he was after
the diamond. bni ehafted with him
freely The man said he md means
with which 10 sleep al an inn and In
vited mis- fellow traveller to share his
bed with MIN Cling fnnr aSsented
with evident tnantfnlneS> sinse ne
carried 90 none, fer his lpurnes and
would otherwise nave iseen obliged Il.
sleep In the ofen air So the I'VE stop
ped at an inn aod the strnuger order
ed some supper Of whlrh They both
partonk. then wenf to l,esi
Ching Fang SLEPT sonndly. and when
he awoke the next meruIne the siran
ger had Disappeared sihine Fangs
clothes were scattered ahanl giving
evidence that the mau had gone
through them
Though Ching Fang bore diamond
worth many thousands oi dollars ne
had NOT the wherrwitnai 10 pis fopl.
for nieury wonid nave D,'en taken
from MIN. tle hrggrc NJ stole ne
use. every conceivable means 70 81
isfy his hunger ana seep eaunsh
strength 70 traxpl Nsu ne w11.1 gel
vegetable frem n raraen u0v wuusr
stesl mouse. raj or 4 Kitten FOR
/ DOWNS BROS.