Little Falls herald., 1913-11-21
4. ! 'ransp ! ortlng'|! i il !: a I
+ ortun'e
EI.tt \. -EE AZ A. III. .t,f ~ . III
By MlLLARD MALTBlE

HOW found the celebrated lmpera-
tor diamond does not pertain especial.
~ to this story. but where l found it
is Important. for my effort to get it
away from the region where it had
lain ever since a lump of pure carbon
was crystalliZed and became gem as
big as walnut is what am going to
tell you about. When was a young
ster ran away from home and few
weeks later found myself in the PROV
!nce Of Minas Geraes, in Brazil. where
the diamond mines are. worked in
the mines for five years and couldn't
very we'll do that without learning
something about diamonds
One Sunday was out on tramp
and. stopping to rest. noticed near me
a stone that it struck me looked like q
diamond in the rough. took it up to
examine it and found it exactly like
the uncut stones I had dug up for the
diamond company. only had never
seen one half the size. was good
deal upset. for if the thing was dia-
mond | was rich.
But. us ! have said. it was the get
ting away with it that Pm going to tell
about. 1t was diamond. sure enough,
and one OF the big ones Of the world.
While WAS looking at it Jim Stivers
came up. and WAS fool enough to let
him see it. He knew right off that it
was worth the biggest part of mil
lion dollars. and a stone like that Is
a great temptation for any one. He
congratulated me ON my find and be-
gan at once 10 plot to get it from me.
Jim had more sense than ! in this.
He didn't tell any one about my hav-
ing it except three men whom he used
to get it away from me. He knew !
would so to Rio with it. and his plan
was to have me wayIaid and the stone
'aptured.
OF course didn't know just what
he would do. but | did know that once
! cot out Of the region OF law and Or
ler-in other words. Off by myself
somebody would try for my property.
| concluded to en,leavor to fool who
playing Il part. The plan adopted
WAS this: | found Il countryman who
waS going down with H. load of wood
md told him I would so with him. He
said he was agreeable. and l slept the
night before we started near his
wagon. which was already loaded.
Durin: the night | took one of the
logs-one that ! would recognize easily
and. boring a big hole in it under a
piece Of loose bark. put my diamond in
it. Then. plugging up the hole. let
down the bark. first putting little
clue between it and the wood to hold
it in place. Then threw the log back
Oh to the load -
We started early in the morning. and
I. not wishing to be identified with the
woodman. at times kept in his rear
and ut times in advance Of him. AL
though | hadn't told any one ! was
going on the trip. found the road
picketcd. | passed man who looked
ut me searchingly. and it wasn't long
before. hearing footsteps behind me. 1
turned and saw him coming with two
others. They caught up with me, and
one Of them. who knew me by sight,
said THAT'S the man. and. address
ing me. added:
Young feIler. the diamond company
has missed Il valuable uncut stone
ard. having been informed that it is in
your possession. has sent us to de-
+ a.,1,
Il haven't any diamond replied.
I'm rs poor as poverty and don't know
where shall get Il bite to eat"
They didn't waste any words. but
TWO Of them held me while the third
vent through my pockets. my hair.
ny beard-indeed. every part of me.
Tten be took off mT clothes. leaving
lie starl, naked. ana examined every
enm. every inch Of cloth. even hold
ne them up and looking through them
o the light.
Il reckon he has either sent it on
ihead or left it behind to come later
;aid the man who had done the search
ng. All would have gone we'll had
not the woodcutter's wagon come
umbering down the road and he had
to ask NE in Il familiar way what my
appearing in my birthday clothes
meant. The men pricked up their ears
ut this and asked him if he knew me.
and he told them that we We're fellow
travellers. .,.s...::s ..-. ....-
He got thorough. searching for his
pains. the men thinking that he. was
carrying the gem for me- Then they
examined the horses the harness. the
wagon. locking even into the hubs OF
the wheels One Of them suggested
that what they were looking for might
be between the logs Of wood. and
they threw every log of on to the. road
carefully watching for the diamond
setWeen them.
Put it was of no use. The stone was
not to be- found. %E. ..st
They didn't like to give it up: but
believing that had conveyed thu
treasure by some other method. they
finally concluded to d, 80. They had
Instructions from Stiyers not to hurt
me. It they could get the diamond.