The Adair County news., 1913-12-10
Transporting a
Fortune
By WILLARD MALTBIE


ly to this story, but where found II
Is important, for my effort to get it
away from the region where it had
lain ever since lump Of pure carbon
was crystallized and became a gem as
big as walnut is what am going to
tell you about. When 1 was a young
ster ran away from home and a few
weeks later found myself in the prov
fnce 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 learnina
something about diamonds.
One Sunday was out on a tramp
and, stopping 20 rest, noticed near me
a stone that it struck me looked like
diamond in the rough. l took it I'D to
examine 1t and found it exactly like
the uncut stones 1 had dug up for the
diamond company, only / had never
seen one half the size. was a good
deal upset, for If the thing was a dia.
mond was rich
But, as / have said, 1t 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 l was looking at 1t Jim Stivers
came up, and was fool enough to lie,
him see 1t. He knew right off that Il
was worth the biggest part of a mil.
lion dollars, and a stone like that Is
great temptation for any one He
congratulated me on my find and be.
gan at once to plot to get it from me
Jim had more sense than I In this.
He didn't tell any one about my hav-
Ing it except three men whom he used
to get 1t away from me. He knew |
would go to Rio with it, and his plan
was to have me waylaid and the stone
captured.
OF course 1 didn't know Just what
he would do, but did know that once
l got out Of the region of law and or.
der-in other words. off by myself
somebody would try for my property
l concluded to endeavor to fool who
ever suspected had it with me BY
playing part. The plan l adopted
was this: l found countryman who
was going down with a load of wood
and told him 1 would go with him. He
said he was agreeable, and l slept the
night before we started near his
wagon, which was already loaded
During the night l took one of the
logs-one that would recognize easily
and, boring a big hole in it under
piece of loose bark. put my diamond in
it Then, plugging up the hole, | let
down the bark, first putting a little
glue between it and the wood to hold
it in place. Then threw the log back
on 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 at times in advance of him. Al
though | hadn't told any one | WAS
going On the trip, | found the road
picketed. | passed a man who looked
at me searchingly. and it wasn't long
before. hearing footsteps behind me. {
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 Teller, the diamond company
has missed valuable uncut stone
and having been informed that it is H.
your possession, has sent US to de
mand it of you. Please hand it out.
Il haven't any diamond | replied
"Pm as poor as poverty and don't know
where | shall get a bite to eat"
They didn't waste any words. b,d !
two of them held me while the third |
went through my pockets. my hair
my beard-indeed, every part Of me
Then he took off my clothes. leaving |
me stark naked, and examined every |
seam, every inch of cloth, even hold |
ing them up and looking through then!
to the light
Il reckon he has either sent 1t OF
ahead or left it behind to come later
said the man who had done the search
ing. All would have gone well had
not the woodcutter's wagon come
umbering down the road and he had
to ask me in familiar way what my
in my birthday clothes
meant The men pricked up their ears
ut this and asked him if be knew me
ind he told them that we were fellow
travellers.
He got thorough searching for bis
)ains. the men thinking that he was
carrying the gem for me. Then the
examined the horses. the harness. the
wagon, looking even into the hubs OF
The wheels One of them suggested
hat what they were looking for might
,e between the logs of wood. and
hey threw every log off on to the road
watching for the diamond
between them.
But it was of no use. Tie stone was
lot to be found.
They didn't like to give it up: but
that | had conveyed the
reasure by some other method, they
lnally concluded to do So They had
Instructions from Stivers not to hurt
ne. If they could get the diamond
hey were to do so. but they were no;
o commit murder or make a case