The Lamar register., 1912-01-10

usual exercise. walking the deck back
and forth. met the lady.
"Come with me- she said. land I
will show you the men who were talk
ing about you. They have stateroom
them say. AS soon as II Is dark T.
try and inviegle him on some pretext
to the sterI
went with her to the forward deck,
and she pointed to two men standing
Just above rhe cutwater looking out at
the ocean. One was burly fellow
with a sandy mustache: the other was
small, spare and clean shaven.
That's ALL said my companion
"You have seen them and are guarded
against them
The same evening just before dark ]
went on deck. The man with the
sandy mustache was lounging about
and, presently coming up to me. asked
II I could tell him the days run fol
the ship. With this as an opening
wedge be entered upon conversation
phenomena of the sea. He mentioned
the phosphorescent light In the wake
Of ship. saying: Its very pronoanc
ed tonight. Just come back with me;
I'll show It to you"
I told him that had often seen what
he referred to and. bidding him good
evening. went below.
II was very plain to me that the wo
mans story was true. From this time
forward ] had perfect confidence III
her She lid not ask me the nature
Of my mission or show any curiosity
about H. ! argued that n she was de-
sirous Of possessing herself of the dia-
mond she -ould sooner or later lead
me to speak of II In the hope that
would tell her where II was But while
she sought my confidence In other
ways she never referred to the object
Of my Journey. told her that ! was
going home to a sweetheart ] had not
seen in three years. and the sympathy
she gave me was delightful. She seem
ed to appreciate perfectly the feelings
Of young man deeply In love. So In.
terested was she In this that ! told
her I would bring my Aancee to see
her after reaching port. and she was
good enough to assure me that she
would be delighted to know her.
II was after this refreshing coBversa
ton, In order to show some apprecia-
ton Of her interest In me. that ] said
to her:
IL feel perfectly safe In saying to
you that am carrying 4 very valuable
stone belonging TO the Diamond com
pany to New York and wish to consult
you a. to safe place to keep It."
I'm that ! can't advise you We NO
men have methods OF conceallng such
thinss that do NOT pertain to men.
can't think OF any safe place where
man can put such u treasure"
The only safe place know IL on
my person. ! have It suspended about
my waist day and night"
my dear boy" she said. what do
you mean by revealing such Q secret to
me or to any oner
81 have perfect confidence In you"
Nevertheless you should not have
told me such a secret"
81 shall surely tell no one else. II
any one car take II away from me BY
force 10 tn" daytime he's welcome to
do 90 BY night I am locked In my
room"
81 beg of you to give your secret to
no one else"
The evening before making port my
friend while talking to me Of some del
icacies In the way Of eatables she had
aboard invited me to come to her state
room and partake Of them. She said
there would be no improperly In my
doing 30. since she would hook the door
wide open. accepted her Invitation.
Her stateroom faced on the same aisle
a. mine, SO ! had not far to 60. She
brought out some pate Of chickens iiv-
ers and other nice things. including
some real madeira wine. 4 rarity out
side the island OF Madeira. ate Of
her daintic and drank freely Of the
wine.
In the morning awoke In my owp
berth with a remembrance Of my sup
per, but with no recollection as to how
I got into my own stateroom. put
my hand Il my waist. and the pouch
kept slung there was gone.
Everything being quiet and no mo
tion to the ship. ! arose and looked out
through q portfolio We were locked
Dressing myself. ] went ashore: A few
Of the passengers remained. but my
lady friend was not among them. nor
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