The £20,000 Diamond.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 80, 11 January 1902, Page 16

The £20,000 Diamond.

I STARED in astonishment at xhv exquisite diamond glittering m mj oluef'fa hand. I could scarcely believe that I was to have the honour or bearing it to its destination. 'But it is perfectly time,' aveired Mi. (i)lroj, head of the firm, of eminent London jewellers 'Let me tell jou, uMi Johnson, that jou have won our conlule.ice Yefe, sir, we trust you lmplicith. You don't suppose that we should let you have charge of a diamond worth £20,000 if we didn't, eh - Now . all you have to do is to deliver it bafeU into the hands of Silas P Silvbury the New York millionaire. It you fail— but. pshaw 'we will not think of such a thing." For half-an-hour mj chief talked te me. instructing me on every point likely to crop up during my journey. lnen he took from his escritoire a leathern belt which had a specially constructed pocket m the centre. Into this pocket he thrust the diamond, after having wrapped it round and round with wash leather. Locking the pocket, he placed the key in my hand, saying "For the present I will fasten the belt outside your vest, and your coat and overcoat will protect, it. But when you get homeJ place it beneath your vest and do not let. it leave you night or day." _ , The clocks were striking 6 as I reached the street. The whole evening was before me in which to adjust one or two little matters I had on hand, and to make the necessary arrangements for my journey. Then to bed, though how much sleep I should get was a question. To-morrow, at 7, I should leave London en route for Liverpool. I accordingly occupied myself tor some time making sundry purchases among them being a revolver, which I sincerely hoped I should have no occasion to use. I had a bag with me, and into this bag I packed my purchases. I may mention that tihe bag was intended sdmplv as a subterfuge, so that if any thief took it into his mind to relieve me of it, he would find that he had drawn a blank. It was getting on for 8 o'clock when I had finished shopping, and jumping on a Battersea 'bus, I gave myself up to thoughts of my fiancee, to whose home I was now journeying. I was going to tell her about the jewel, and her only. We were to be married the following June, and you might have searched the whole metropolis without finding a happier couple. Mary Hampden was a girl of whom any man mio-ht be proud, and I counted the winning of her as the most blessed circumstance in my life. Mary was busily engaged sewing when I was shown into her presence, but when she saw me she hastily put down her work and rose to her feet with an exclamation of pleasure. We had ci- ' chanced but a few words, when, with a woman's quick tuition, she said "Something has happened, Tom '<" "You are not at fault, Mary," I said. "But that which has happened is bo wonderful that I scarcely think you will be able to credit it when I tell it you." "Then don't keep me waiting long," ehe said, with a laugh. I did not keep her waiting long. She listened attentively to all I had to say. and when I had finished she said : "May I Bee the jewel, dear?" I said "Yes," and, withdrawing it from its receptacle, handed it to her. She unfolded the leather, and gazed lon and earnestly at the glittering thing, then she slowly re-covered it, and restored it to me with an air of such evident reluctance that I had much difficulty in repressing a smile. "Why, Mary, you're envious," I said, in jest. "No, I'm not envious. But I should just love to wear it once, Tom. It is bo very. very beautiful." "I dare wager it won't look half bo beautiful on Miss Silabur- as it would on you, Mary." I exclaimed. She laughed, then suddenly became grave, saying • "When I think of the danger you may have to face, I almost wish you had never undertaken to carry the diamond. "Rubbish !" I replied. "How is anyone to know that I carry anything of value ? Rest assured that no harm will happen to me. When you receive my cab'e from America, statine that I have accomplished my task without an adven f ure, you will lauerh at your fears!" The erirl a^ -pared only half-convinced, so T stayed loncer than I had at first intended, endeavouring to chase the foreboding of evil from her mind. "What have you in that bae, Tom ?" she inquired, as I rose to depart. "All" sorts," I answered, carelessly. "A revolver, for one thine;!" Her face paled. "Is it necessary to take it?" «he asked. "Well, there's nothing HW> being prepar*vl for emergencies " T Ruir?. "Heaven errant tn*it v<->n may never have occasion to "se i+. Tom I" "It is not at all likely," I said. "And

real I \ dt-ai , }ou must not bothei a our head with such absurd fancies It will be quite time to think of trouble when it actually occurs, without meeting it halt-way So we parted Mary forcing a wnile, albeit her face was still pale and her eyes anxious. Soon I was on the outside pavement, underneath the silent stars, and the coel night wind was blowir^ on my face. While passing through the hall I had noticed that the clock registered a quarter past ten. It would take me more than an hour to reach my "diggings" — unless. I rode But no cab was m si^ht, and the nearest place where a bus passed was half a mile distant However, these circumstances troubled me not as I walked along, for my brain was busy concerning other matters. I reviewed the events of the day, conscious of how ehort a time it takes to alter a man's life. How little had I imagined when I rose in the morning that ere I retired one of the most note- \\ orth- events in ray life would have occurred. Indeed, what had taken place seemed more like a dream than reality, and it was only the pressure of the belt round mv loins which convinced me that it actually was real. But mv chief thoughts were of Mary. Our interview had made a great impression on my mind, and every word she had spoken was indelibly impressed on my memory, every expression her face had worn was fresh before my eyes. For her sake, no less than my own, I hoped to be successful in my errand Yet here was I permitting my thoughts to wander, when they should have been concentrated on the path before me. Was that the right way to go a.bout dangerous work? It behoved me to entertain no thoughts save those which had reference to mv precious burden. Too late had I learned caution. I had reached a lonely part of my way, when, suddenly, a dark fig Tire sorang up on either side of me • a third appeared at m" back. Before I had time to dart forward, or even to utter a cry. my arms were pinioned, and a hand was thrust over my mouth. Struggle I did, desperately . but my strength wa« unavailing, pitted against the; strength of three. I was brought to the ground, and held fast down. "The bag ' Where is the bag ?" cried one of my assailants, in eager tones. My hopes rose, but were quickly dashed. "Fool!" said another voice. I started. It was the voice of Hamilton, my fellow clerk. I had always thought he was a bad lot. "Fool! there's nothing of any value in the bag. He's got the stone in a belt round his waist. Turn him over, and we'll soon relieve him of it. Got it? That's good. Now, tie his hands and feet." While this was being done, Hamilton coolly surveyed me, a sneer on his lips. "You're a nice man to carry valuables "he said. "I guess you're curious to know how I got wind of the affair You may not know that from the disused room over our office it is possible to hear all that goes on in the governor's sanctum. I happened to be there this afternoon, and I overheard a certain interesting conversation. Well, ta-ta! Bear mv distinguished regards to old Gilroy. Tell him I'm sorry I cannot present them in person. You'll be able to explain why." His observations were out short by the sound of approaching footsteps. A whispered consultation took place among my captors, after which they took to their heels. Very soon a man of the artisan class, attracted by my cries, was bending over me, unloosing my hands. This occupied some time, and when I was freed, the robbers had got clear away. Disgrace, humiliation, and ruin stared me in the face. My heart was like lead. In my sore trouble my thoughts flew to Mary, and I felt that I must tell her of mv misfortune. I retraced my steps to her abode, not thinking how late the hour was. When I was ushered into her presence, I sank into a chair, and buried my face in my hands. "I've lost it!" I cried. "Mary, I have been robbed. The precious diamond ahs been stolen, do you hear — stolen I" "Impossible!" she cried. "Yes, it's only too true," I said, hoarsely. "Three men knocked me down and took my belt . I don't know what I shall do, Mary." She fell on her knees, and clasped my hands. "Tom," she said, "the diamond wasn't in the belt'" "What can you mean?" I asked, in bewiMerment. "Why, just thi«," she replied. "You remember mv having the diamond in my hi"d and admiring it so? Well, rtreci.«elv at that moment something within me "r^ed me to taVe the stone. I fwiidVf resist the temntnrion. but now T know it was a «necial intervention of Providence. I had been pewinc you know and my silver thimble was on my

finger, and it happened to be about the size of the diamond. It was the easiest thing in the world for me to wrap it m the washleathex. Don't you remember having complimented me on mj skill at sleight of hand '■* Of course, it nevei occurred to you to retrard me with suspicion But do you know, dear, that when you are carrying a stone valued at '" 000 you should be suspicious of everybody — your own mother, even ?" How <-lia.il I describe' mj feelings I tried my utmost to express my thankfulness to Mary but she put her hand on mv mouth. I would have given a five-wound note to have seen Hamilton's face when he opened the belt and discovered what Tie had run aw ay with "Be sure no one robs you a second time '' said m\ fiancee, with a merry laugh. I took good care that no one did. Of course when I returned from New York I made Man a present of a new thimble

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