The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1913-11-05
Transporting a
Fortune
By WILLARD MALTBIE

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 a gem as
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. | worked in
the mines for five years and couldn't
very well do that without learning
something about diamonds.
One Sunday l was out on a tramp
and, stopping to rest, noticed near me
stone that it struck me looked like q
diamond in the rough. took it up to
examine 1t and found it exactly like
the uncut stones 1 had dug up for the
diamond company, only l had never
seen one half the size. | was a good
deal upset, for If the thing was a dia-
mond l was rich
But, as 1 have said, it was the get
ting away with 1t that I'm going to tell
about. 1t was diamond, sure enough,
and one Of the big ones of the world.
While 1 was looking at it Jim Stivers
came up, and was fool enough to let
him see it. He knew right off that II
was worth the biggest part of a mil
lion dollars, and a stone like that Is
congratulated me on my find and be-
gan at once to plot to get it from me.
Jim had more sense than 1 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 i
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 1 had it with me by
playing a part. The plan l adopted
was this: l found 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 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
ff Thnn nIn00inr fhn hnIn I Lot
down the bark, first putting q little
glue between it and the wood to hold
it in place Then I threw the log back
on to the load.
We started early in the morning. and
1, 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 a valuable uncut stone
and. having been informed that it is III
your possession, has sent us to de
mand it of you. Please hand it out
Il haven't any diamond" 1 replied
I'm as poor as 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-indeed. every part of me.
Then be 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
| 10 the light.
Il reckon be has either sent it 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 woodcutter's wagon come
numbering down the road and he had
to ask me in a 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
! 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,
believing that l had conveyed the
treasure by some other method, they
finally concluded to do so. They ha6
instructions from Stivers not to hurt
me. If they could get the diamond
! they were to do so. but they were not
to commit murder or make a case
against those implicated in the at
tempted robbery. So l was allowed
to proceed.