The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1917-03-01
A: GOOD
SCHEME .|:
By WILLIAM CHANDLER

Jimmie said the manager Of the
mines In South Africa for whom was
private secretary, II wish you to DO
the bearer to New York of stone
worth fortune. I'm not afraid Of your
running away with it. but am afraid
of some one getting it away from you
was very proud Of the confidence
reposed in me, and my. voice tremblel
with emotion as told him so. He
then gave me to understand that
would be paid handsome sum for the
work in case delivered the gem.
Before | left the secret Of my going
who replied that he was we'll aware
that there were spies among the en-
| ployecS OF the mines, who were there
for the purpose OF gaining Informal
ticn us to the transmission OF gems
with view to their capture. must
expect to lie waylaid and be on my
guard every moment.
The stone was given me in little
chanl0iS bag, and ! was expected to
make my own arrangements for
place to carry it,. After much thought
| determined to hang it about my neck
by chain and place it in my armpit.
This seemed to me as safe Il place as
! could devise.
! saw no evidence of any one being
On my track IL! got on to the ship,
1jl, f,.t,, TO,
make friends with me. | pretended to
! be so deaf that couldn't hear any
Ching he said. and, whether he was
fooled or not, he left me: He must
; have known that l was on 10 his game.
He turned me over to a very pretty
woman. At all events one tackled me-
was walking the deck one day when
she gave me as | passed her All nd
miring look. such rs would have fiat
tered any man disposed to be proud OF
himself. l paid no attention to her,
but she was not so easily thrown Off
rs the man to whom l had played
deaf. One moonlight night as l was
walking the deck she came up the
companionway and. seeing me, beck
Oneu me to come to her. | did so, and
taking my arm she walked me away
from Il ships officer standing near and
said to me:
II heard two men talking in the
next staleroom to mine this evening,
and | suspect they referred to you.
At any rate. they are on the track Of
some one who is possessed Of some
thing of great value. and they are plot
ting to get possession Of 1t. Is your
name NIcConkey?"
1T is
''Then you are the person they are
AFTER
This puzzled me. ! did lot know
whether the woman was Il confederate
Of others or was really putting me Oh
my guard. confessed as much to
her, AMI she proposed that she should
prove that she was honestly warning
me. She told me that she had heard
the men arrA1ge that one Of them
should propose to me on the morrow
to play cards with me in the smoking
room; the other should happen near
and ask to he admitted to the game.
They were to play fair, and if | would
play for money l was to win. The
game was only intended to get nc to
drink with them. and IL powder was to
be put into my glass. | would become
sleepy. and they were to take me to
my staterOom. where they could pos.
seSs themselves of what was carry
ing
l agreed with the woman that l
would test the matter so far as to sat
isfy myself of the reliability of her
information. and after an hours walk
during which became impressed with
her sincerity she went below. leaving
me to think of the scheming that was
going on. However. l thought of her.
The next morning. true enough, q
man fell into conversation with me. in
viting ME to play cards. Another join
ed in the game. | was suffered to win
Flo: drinks were proposed, but | po-
litely declined on the ground that
was teetotalcr. Then l walked away
with their f1O in my pocket.
| was proud of having tricked them
and pleased at having proved the sin
cerity Of my lady friend, whom was
coming to consider quite charming
AS agreed, she came on deck about
dark. and gave her the result Of her
information. She appeared to be very
indignant that snch villainy could take
place on an ocean liner and much graf
flied that she had been able to
warn me-
will not enter into what followed
between me and my preserver except
to say that when landed In New York
she had the stone carried. She man.
aged to. slip away, probably in disguise.
and had no chance whatever Of re-
covering II. That was the most ago