Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-05-17
.
Transporting a
Treasure
: Every Effort to Possess Il Was
Made by Robbers
BY ELMER CRANTBY
I Copyright by American Press Asso.
citation, 1911.
BY ELMER cRANTBY

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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 concealed spring
in the wall. a tiny door flew open. and
in u space not two inches square was a
diamond the size of hickory nut. The
cobbler took the stone In his hand, ex-
amined 1t carefully, put 1t back in its
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, Wn 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 1t to Picking with a
view to selling 1t to the emperor. But
he well knew that the transportation
IF such a valuable article across the
whole Of that vast territory would be
well nigh impossible. Both the Indians
and the Chinese are very cunning, and
II 1t were known that he was travelling
with 30 great a treasure he was sure
to lose 1t 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 1t. II 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-
Renee. 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 cobbler lived a
man, Ching Fang, so poor that he and
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 man con-
demned to be executed to take his
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 Picking
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
nnbob 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 a bright man at
all, but Wee Sing was very ingenious
little woman. Besides, here was
chance to save her husband from the
necessity of being beheaded. Never
theless II took her week TO bit upon
a plan that promised success.
As soon as she had proposed It Ching
Fang went TO the cobbler and told him
no would undertake to deliver the dia
mond In Pehing, but that he 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 bis plan to him, where
upon the latter placed his lips against
the formers ear and whispered the
secret.
Done" said WI Tung and handed
him n hundred taels to bind the bar
gain.
Three months from that day Ching
Fang. after executing papers that
would put his family at WI Tung's
mercy In case he proved dishonest
with nothing but the clothes he wore,
set out upon his Journey. He had been
very secret as to his interviews with
his principal. but knew full well that
he bad been observed. He was walk
ing ON road not far from his starting
point when a man caught up with him
and entered into conversation. Ching
Fang felt assured that he was after
the diamond. but chatted with him
freely. The man said he had means
with which TO sleep at an finn and in.
vited his fellow traveller to share his
bed with him. Ching Fang assented
with evident thankfulness since he
carried no money for his journey and
would otherwise have been obliged to
sleep in the open air. SO the two stop.
ped at an inn. and the stranger order.
cd some supper, of which they both
partook, then went to bed.
Ching Fang slept soundly, and when
he awoke the next morning the Btran.
ger had disappeared. Ching Bangs
clothes were scattered about, giving
evidence that the man had gone
through them.
Though Ching Fang bore diamond
worth many thousands Of dollars, he
had not the wherewithal to buy food,
for money would hive been taken
from him. He begged, he stole, he
used every conceivable means to sat
isfy his hunger and keep enough
strength TO travel. Now be would get
q vegetable from a garden. now would
steal n mouse. n rat or n kitten, for
FARMS FOR BALE