Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-13
MyDiarnond.
b. LAWRENCE E. DENTON

I'll By LAWRENCE E. DENTON
Helen wallace and played together
~ children. When we grew to man's
and woman's estate our companionship
assumed different phase. But ! could
not remain In the place where wac
born and raised. for there was no ca.
reer for me there. l must 60 forth to
seek my fortune. And what troubled
both Helen and me was that the only
opening that presented itself was IN
South Africa. A man who was intend.
ing to take a stock Of goods out to the
cape and open q store there offered to
take me along with him a. assistant
My parting with Helen was harrow.
ing-so narrowing that I was tempted
to back out before sailing. But Helen
had the stun IN her to prevent my do
ing 10. and in due time found myself
in my new home. But the attempt Of
my employer was failure. and found
myself stranded In q foreign country
without means to get home.
l was obliged TO 90 to work with pick
and shovel In the diamond mines. I
gave up all hope Of possessing Helen.
for to marry . man must have some
means, or at least decent employment.
and I had neither. besides having an
ocean between US. The only thing I
learned that was Of any value was to
tell q diamond In the rough when
saw It. But almost any knowledge -
useful IL one has luck to 60 With Il
One evening when going from work to
the house where boarded. being tired
and seeing a shady spot beside the
road. went there and lay down and
fell asleep.
When awoke I lay on my side and
was looking straight before me at the
ground. I was very near q stone
about as big ~ hickory nut, and my
vision at opening my eyes after they
had been for some time closed was
very keen. The stone was SO near like
q diamond uncut that l reached for 1t
and examined It more closely. Then
the realisation that 1t was gem came
over me. and knew that ! was rich.
what you got there?'
I thrust my find in my pocket as one
Of my fellow workmen named Saun-
dsrs came and stood looking down
upon me. l said nothing, and he knew
that l had something to conceal. The
look that same over his face frightened
me- saw in his eye that he suspected
I had stolen q diamond from the mines
and had succeeded in getting It past
the examinera Hs would either accuse
me or try to dispossess me.
Presently we walked on together and
parted at my abiding place. That
evening he left his own boarding house
and took a room at mine. The same
night I slept with thy diamond in my
mouth and before morning heard some
one in the room rifling my pockets. l
knew that It was Saunders looking for
the diamond.
My problem was to cross the Atlantic
ocean with my treasure. had no
money to pay my passage and must
And an opportunity to work my way. A
ship was leaving for New York. and
asked for a berth as cabin boy. but
was told that the ships company In
every department was full. Not daring
to remain behind, went aboard Just
a. the ship was casting OF and hid be-
low In the cargo. remained there till
the vessel was well at sea, where. be.
ing hungry, went on deck, confessed
myself to be stowaway and offered to
do any work which might be assigned.
1.-THE meanest Job we have" said the
ofncer to whom made the confession.
lis scullion. Go down to the galley
and tell the cook to make use Of you"
Az was proceeding on my way to
the galley whom should I see but
Saunders. caught at a rail- for sup.
port He did not speak to me, but
the look he gave me told me that he
was resolved to possess himself Of
my diamond before We left the ship.
The cook. when I entered the galley,
was kneading dough for bread and
turned the work over to me. When l
had finished put the dough into the
baking pans. and before thus deposit
ing the last batch I worked my dia.
mond into 1t and made On indentation
by which I should know the loaf after
Il was baked.
"o0 SoSAA Put " OSV0AloB A04vCOV
and while doing 30 who should come
to the galley but the captain. accom-.
panied BY Saunders. I was told that
Saunders had represented himself a.
detective Of the diamond mining
company and had been sent abroad to
secure a diamond had purloined and
was trying to get away with. They
took me to Saunders stateroom and
searched mo thoroughly. even giving
me an emetic In order to force Il out
Of my stomach in case had swallow.
Cd IT.
Since had no baggage and the cap.
tain did not believe that could have
got rid Of the stone In 90 short time,
he declined TO turn he over 10 eaun.
ders- ! went back to my WORT In the
galley In time to tAks the loaves from
tho oven. and when the cook went out
for q moment I thrust the marked loaf
into q pantry drawer. WHARF n vaa