Evening star., 1917-05-27

never be sure. What did you say his
name was?"
Il didn't sy. Blister Dysart. said Plish.
with a cunning grin. ",cos I never card
see i'm afore. a matter o two or three
years back, e useter play the pianner In
a dance 'ouse in DURHAM
Hmm. unused Dysart, drumming on
the dirty table. What was this chum
like Plish?'
Tall an thin sorter grizzly "air. with
yite 'ands and long fingers like yyoman's;;
an atween ourselves. Blister Dysart, like
as vun gent to another
"Oh. certainly" assented Richard,
quietly pocketing the invidiously impu-
dent classification. 1T doesn't really
matter you know. Thought I might
know the beggar," and he rose to go.
"'Ere's somethin' e left be'ind i'm.
sir" said Plish, who had been rummag-
ing in drawer. displaying dirty can
vas bag.
Rick seized 1t and went to the open
door to examine 1t.
Sure enough. it was the canvas bag
Of which he had been looted on the
the dealer. he inquired as carefully as
possible:
You don't mean to tell me he had
this full of stones?'
''Oh. no. Blister Dysart. not by no man.
ner o. means; i only saw abart a and
full" was the reply.
TIL keep this bag. PIish. If you've no
objections said Richard. slowing it
away carefully.
Don't benton it. Blister Dysart. SIR"
was the affable reply.
"One more question. Plish. and I'm
DONE" said Richard. Which way was
He had risen and stood carelessly flick
ing his boot with his riding whip. yet
much depended upon the reply he
should receive.
Cape Town by the first steamer" said
Plish. But all this is Strickly pers'nal
an privit. Blister Dysart. sir" he
whined, for something in Richards
manner told him he had been talking
too much.
quite so,' was the terse answer. and
with a parting nod off he swung down
the wide and sunny street
A week later he landed in Cape Town,
where, In the process of forming a COM
pany to work the new claim. and ar
ranging for the shipment to London and
the insurance Of the remainder of his
stones. he was able to make few eau
tious and casual inquiries about the man
of whom he was in search. Not much
could be cleaned. yet enough to convince
him that the trail led in the direction
he was himself most anxious to pursue
namely, England.
He left Cape Town nine months and
more behind the other. For clews he
possessed a rather hazy personal de-
scription which might or might not be
trustworthy, dirty canvas bag and a
"A -caliber bullet.
On board the steamer running around
from Durham to Cape Town Richard
Dysart still further added to his stock
Of information.
He was accosted on deck one morning
by a certain Sergt. Cupples. one of the
special force detailed to patrol in plain
clothes the various steamship lines on
the watch for contraband diamonds and
smugglers thereof.
TO his surprise. he learned that his
own movements since arriving at Lady
smith were perfectly we'll known, and
this led to some confidential talk con-
cerning the devious ways of the l. d. b.,
which proved especially interesting to
our friend.
what moonshining is to the south
ern states of America. what counter
feiting Is at home and abroad, what
the slave trade was few years ago.
so Is the present day Illicit trade In
diamonds in South Africa" said Cup
pies. I'm the estimation OF legitimate
mine owners and traders it may be set
down as the sum Of all villatnies.' De-
spite the utmost vigilance Of the Cape
police and an army OF secret agents.
stones are annually smuggled out Of
the country to the tune Of thousands
of pounds"
How can the authorities manage to
cover such a vast field with any de-
-~--r % s"ccesso" inquired Rick.
:. ~ ia see. the camps and pro-