The daily Alaskan., 1913-11-07
T l transporting a
 + OTtunC
By WILLARD MALTBIE


 lain ever since a lump of pure carbon was crystallized and became a gem as biz as a walnut Is what am going to tell you about. When l was a young ster ran away from home and a few weeks later found myself in the prov ince of MInas Geraes, in Brazil, where the diamond mines are. l worked In the mines for five years and couldn't very well do that without learning something about diamonds.
 One Sunday was out on a tramp and. stopping to rest, noticed near me a stone that It struck me looked like diamond in the rough. took it up to examine 1t and found 1t exactly like the uncut stones I had dug up for the diamond company, only l had never seen one half the size. was good deal upset, for if the thing was a dia- mOnd was rich.
 But. as l have said. 1t was the get ting away with it that I'm going to tell about It was diamond. sure enough, and one of the big ones of the world While I was looking at 1t Jim Stvers came up, and was fool enough to let him see it. He knew right off that 1t was worth the biggest part of mil Hon 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 l in this. He didn't tell any one about my hay Ing It except three men whom he used to get 1t away from me. He knew l would go to Rio with it, and his plan was to have me waylaid and the stone captured.
 Of course I didn't know just what he would do. but l did know that once [ got out of tue region of law and or der-ln other words, off by myself somebody would try for my property. 1 concluded to endeavor to fool who- ever suspected l had it with me by playing a part. Tue plan 1 adopted was this: l found a countryman who was going down with a load of wood and told him l would go with him. He said he was agreeable, and ] slept the night before we started near his wagon, which was already loaded. | During the night took one of the logs-oue that would recognize easily and, boring a big hole in 1t under piece of loose bark. put my diamond in 1t Then. plugging up the hole. l 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 woodmun. at times kept in his rear and at times in advance of him. AL though hadn't told any one l was going on the trip. found the road 1 picketed. passed a man who looked l at me searchlngly. and it wasn't long before. hearing footsteps behind ne, ] turned and saw him coming with two others. They caught up with me, and one of them. who knew me by sight said. "Thnt's the man" and. address ing me. added:
 Young fuller. the diamond company has missed d valuable uncut stone 1 and. having been informed that it is in your possession. has sent us to de mand it of you. Please hand tt out"
 "I haven't any diamond" replied. Pm as poor us poverty and don't know where shall get bite to eat"
 They didn't waste any words, but two of them held me while the third went through my pockets, my hair, my beard-indped. 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 them to the light.
 q reckon he has either sent 1t on 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 woOdcutters wagon come numbering down the road and be had to ask me in familiar way what my appearing in my birthday clothes meant. The men pricked up their ears at this and asked him if he knew me, and he told them that we were fellow | travellers.
 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, looking even into the hubs Of the wheels. One of them suggested that what they were looking for might 1 be between the logs Of wood. and they threw every log off on to the road, carefully watching for the diamond between them.
 But It was of no use. The stone was not to be found.
 They didn't like to give it up; but 1 believing that 1 had conveyed the l treasure by some other method, they finally concluded to do so. They had instructions from Stivers not to hurt ne. If they could get the diamond they were to do so, but they were not to commit murder or make case against those implicated in the at tar,pta1 rol,hary. So 1 was allowed