Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-01-09
The Daily Story
THE KIMBERLEY GEM-BY ARTHUR STANTON
copyriEhted 1913 Associated Literary Bureau.

tHViouHhy ieptHtdnI. agreed To -,
me all he could. ssp
One day be came TO me ana
that diamonds were sent ner,r.s.' -
to England. They were taken !. ~
coast. where they were shlons1 -
steamer. | at once made jnos,.ss
about the route with view b, s,s.s
some weak point on which sns ,..'s
operate and learned, among ar.
things, that the gems were sbi,r.s
just in time to catch the mail st.s.s,.
for Europe. IL through any delav ~
did not reach the coast before tha -
sci sailed they were locked nm 4. :
postoffice till the departure Of the ~.
ship.
/ asked Jim to find out for me WI.
my stone would be shipped. and I.
tried to do so, but only learned a..
it was still at kimberley. at -
started over the route looking for 60.
point where | might lie in wa;t ~
catch the convoy mapping. Il came (
a stream where the carriers mn.s (.
feFried over. 1t occurred to me tf.,
something might be done here =.
after racking my brain / could 4,
upon no plan that seemed feasibie !
went on, but as | proceeded | forned
a scheme part Of which pertained n
this ferry. Reaching the coast !,
once went to the postoffice to look Over
the ground there.
1 had nearly all of Jim Benton's
$500 in my pocket and was well dress
ed. / represented myself as a pos,
office official, whose duties were IA
travel about and make reports on dif.
ferent postoffices. But made no On.
tense at supervising the postmaster At
this point. Instead. / invited him. 10
dinner and treated him sumptuousis
This gave me access to his Office
learned where diamonds were locked
when delayed in transportation.
One evening after the clerks had
gone home l sat with the postmaster
In his office Suddenly / fell over In 4
pretended faint and on reviving begged
him to go for a doctor. He did so. and
while he WAS gone with some war
had provided for the purpose took
an impression of the lock on the safe
where diamonds waiting transports
ton were kept When he returned
with the doctor I was so far recovered
that / did not need the latter's SER
ices.
The next day 1 returned to Kimbese4
and charged Benton to keep a sharp
for the shipment of my dla.
mond. 1t may be wondered that. sines
| was intending to steal my own prop
erty, / was punctilious as to taking
this particular stone. 1t was, firstly
because l should have had to take
good many other stones to make up it
value. and. secondly. Jim Benton's
was so stiff that If be had
believed that 1 intended to take any
put the stone 1 had found he might
lave swung the other way and peach
ID on me again.
Jim did good work for me in looking
tut for the shipment of my stone BE
vas so thoroughly trusted by all those
n authority that he could ask CUES
ions about it without exciting suspi-
ion.
One day he came to me and said
hat shipment of diamonds was to be
made the next morning, and my stone
vas among the number. 1t was con
idered so valuable that double con
oy would be sent out. Within an
our 1 started for the coast
Coming to the stream the party
1ould be obliged to cross, unclaimed
he boat. pulled myself over and o.
eaching the opposite shore sent fne
oat adrift As 1 saw it disappear On
ne current I felt sure the diamond
onvoy would be delayed. Then
-ent on to the coast.
/ had the happiness TO see the oe
lyed diamond carriers coming u
yhen the mail steamer was well OUT
t sea. They took the gems to lne
who. | felt sure. woala
eek them in his safe. and | had key
my pocket that had been made frca
lie impression had taken. The party
-ent back to Kimberley. and soon
fter their departure | reappeared -al
lie postoffice, where ! was hearty
reeted by the postmaster. whoa !
Id that | had inspected the postomes
Kimberley and would await the mex
ca mer for home.
The rest of my work was dead easy
complained OF not feeling well ana
as invited to lodge with the post
aster. whose rooms were in the SANE
Hiding with his office. In the miu,
e of the night | went down IN my
ocking feet to the safe. opened 4
1t among the stones till recosnizeu
Y diamond. relocked the safe anu
ent back TO bed.
There WAS no hurry for my depar
re. for the diamonds would not
ken out OF the safe till pitt on ..e
Gamer. ! sailed on the same sn1,
tn them ard. ON reaching Efrops n
,nt to Amsterdam. where | haa ny
,ne cut and sold II for fortune
concluded to forgive Benton
of his valuable assrs
ce. for peaching on me and onels
give him a part Of the process
1t he would take nothing and ~
ght ! know. Is still handling p'es
tk1 r,,E,aS II