Image provided by: City of Dayton; Dayton, OR
About Dayton tribune. (Dayton, Oregon) 1912-2006 | View Entire Issue (March 28, 1913)
^(¡yonides of ÆddÎN^lW * ß. F letcher R obinson Cû^M/w m /A /L C oma Ûoyk of 77x ¿ qf iÀetâà^ervJJeZ&c. Ar W Cr. MR. TAUBERY’S DIAMOND "Hi. young fellow! Doss inspector Peace live here?" He spoke roughly enough, and 1 re turned his stare with equal irritation. When a man may not Indulge In day dreams on bls own doorstep the state of society wants mending He was a big bully of a fellow, with a red face, a curled, white mustache, and a single eyeglass, through which be regarded me with an air of extreme ill-temper. “The inspector lodges on the third floor," I told him coldly. “Do you live here too?" I had a mind not to answer him, but, after all. It was not worth while mak ing trouble over an impudent ques tion. “Yes," I said; “I rent the grouno floor and the studio behind. My name la Phillips. 1 am an artist. For the paat four years I have studied abroad If you would like to see my birth cer tificate I will go and fetch it for you." Tb my surprise, he burst into a shout of laughter, swaying his body from side to side. It was quite a time before he recovered himself. "Good, lad—good, lad." he chuckled; “Gad! but I deserved it. Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Gun- ton. sir—Colonel Theophilus Gunton— and I’m very pleased to meet you.” He held, out his hand, which 1 shook, without any great degree of enthusi asm. "Is this Addington Peace at home, do you think?" he continued. "I don’t know,” I told him. "I should walk upstairs and find out if I were you.” , "There 1 recognize the practical head. You know him?” "Yes." "Then, we will go together. You ean introduce me.” I was offended at the noise and bluster of the man; but he had grabbed my arm, and I didn't want a scene at my own door. I led blm up the stairs, his voice growing silent as his lung capacity weakened. The in spector’s voice cried an Invitation to my knock, and I entered, with the col onel puffing at my heels like a loco motive on a stiff incline. "Sorry to disturb you. Peace," I said; "but this is a gentleman by the name of Gunton, and he appears anx ious to make your acquaintance." The little man rose from bls easy chair, and stood looking at the stran ger with an expression of great good humor. For myself, 1 was about to withdraw when the colonel's hand dropped heav ily upon my shoulder. “Don’t you go,” he said. "A cosmo politan, a detective and a man of the world, as I am, form a unique combi nation. And, by Gad! gentlemen, we shall want all our brains over thia af fair.” I glanced at Peace? who smiled and nodded. So I stayed. The colonel kindly consented to take the most comfortable chair, sighed, stretched out bls legs, lit a cheroot and then, without further in troduction, plunged Into bis story. "Perhaps you have heard of Julius Taubery? No? Well, it’s a name as well known throughout India as the viceroy’s. He is the bead of one of the richest firms in Calcutta. Went out there as a young man, worked well, married well, and ended well in all things, save his constitution, with which he played the very devil. In 1900 be returned and took a fine Lon don house in Portland place, together with an old hall down in Devonshire. A month ago the doctors ordered him out of England for life. Rough on him, wasn't it, seeing that be bad spent two-thirds of fair time out of it al ready? But the south of France Is his only chance, they tell him; so, like a wise man, be Is selling off his sticks, and settling down at Mentone, with out squealing to show bow much it hurts him “Julius and his wife—she’s one of the kindest-hearted women—have been giving some farewell parties to their old friends. They bad a lunch today, one-tblrty sbarp, and a lot of people turned up. After the ladles had left us, the talk, as luck would have it, fell on precious stones; and Julius Taubery is a crank on them if there ever was one. His wife wears the finest Jewels In London, and the old man is supposed to have many thousand pounds’ worth more locked away, which he won't trust even her with the handling. “ •Gentlemen,’ says he, 'I will show yo“ some,h,nv that may Interest you. It Is a new purchase of mine, and tt happens to bo a remarkable stone!' "Ho pulled a green case from an in side pocket, flipped tt open, and there the thing was as big as a walnut. The lights were on, it being dull weather, and the stone blinked and sparkled like the sun on dancing water. “ Uy word, Julius,’ 1 said. But that's a risky bit of stuff to carry about with you.’ “ 'It's going to the bank this after noon,' ho answered. 'So if you want to examine the pretty pebble, gentle men. this is your last chance." “And with that he took It from Its case, as proud as a young busband of bls first baby, and sent it round the table. “I was sitting on Julius' left. Be tween us was a fat old boy, who was a stranger to me. He took a long stare at the stone, whistling softly between his teeth, before be passed tt on. It went from band to hand, never out of sight, so far as I could notice, until It came to Sir Andrew Carillon, who fan- clea himself an expert on gems. They say that when Lady Carillon Is In the stalls, the play la finished to the wo men sitting behind her, for they can't keep their eyes off her pearls. Sir Andrew pilled out a magnifying glass, and began examining the diamond. “ 1 congratulate you, Taubery,' be said, after about a minute. 'You have acquired a historical stone!' “««¡J Inlln. , —««••»»> • half-way round bls bead, but be didn't say a word. “ 'This stone,* said Sir Andrew, in the heavy, pompous way that be has. tapping It with his magnifying glass to attract attention, 'this stone Is the celebrated Hyderapore diamond, to which first historical reference Ie made in the year 1584. It was cap tured by the Rajah of Hyderapore from a ruling chief in the Deccan after a battle. In which four thousand men lost their lives. In 1680 tt was stolen from the rajah’s palace by a Spaniard, who escaped to Bombay, where be was robbed and murdered. The stone dis appeared for about sixty years. “ 'It subsequently came Into tbe possession of one of tbe East India company’s agents, who was stabbed to death In his bungalow near Calcutta about 1760. The diamond, which is held to have inspired the attack, was saved from the robbers by the appear-; ance of bls guests and servants. The widow brought it to Europe and sold it to the Duc d’Alembert, who lost bls diamond and incidentally bls life in the French revolution. It turned up again at the court of Napoleon III., being then in the possession of Henri Marvin, tbe well-known financier. Un til today I thought It was still in bls family. '* 'It is one of tbe very few large dia monds that is absolutely without a flaw, and Its value tn tbe open market today would be approaching thirty thousand pounds. Any one who takes an Interest In historical stones might be tempted to give even a higher price; for there has been enough blood split over it, gentlemen, to fill the bath of its fortunate possessor.’ “He laid down the diamond on the table and looked at his host with a malicious grin. But all connoisseurs are alike; they are as covetous of each other’s pet treasures as so many cats. "All the time that Sir Andrew had been speaking, the fat fellow next to me had been snorting and swelling until, ’pon my soul, I thought he was in for a stroke of apoplexy. I am the best-tempered of men, but I have my limits, and the old grampus was one of them. “ 'Are you in pain, sir?' I asked him. ” 'Yes, I am, str,’ be said, in such a high, squeaky voice that all the table could hear him. ’I object to listening to the definitions of so-called experts, who cannot tell a diamond from a glass marble. Experts? Humbugs, that's what I call them!’ ’’ 'Do you refer to me. Professor En- dlcottr began Sir Andrew, leaning forward, with a very red face. " 'Most certainly I do.’ ’’ 'Then 1 must ask you for an ex planation or an Immediate apology.’ *' 'A man who can make so ludicrous an error deserves neither tbe one nor the other.' cried tbe professor. In great excitement. That stone has been in the possession of the Princes of Pave- loff for three hundred years. Prince Peter, the present bead of the family, kindly allowed me to examine it when I was in Moscow in 1894. I was not aware that he had sold It I trust, Mr. Taubery, that you obtained It from a respectable source; if not, I should be no true friend did I hide from you my belief that It had been stolen.’ *Tf a man bad said such a deucedly Insulting thing to mo 1 should have knocked blm down there and then. I would. *pon my soul, without thinking more kbout it. But Julius lay back in his chair, smiling all over his face. 1 suppose those collectors get accus tomed to each other's little ways; they’re a queer lot. anyway. “ 'You can be quite easy on that point. Professor Endicott,' bo said. 'Prince Peter was. unfortunately, In volved in the late Dolorouski conspir acy, but bad time to slip across the Russian frontier before the police could arrest blm. 1 bought the dia mond from his agent in Parle.' “ You interest me deeply. Mr. Tau- bory,' struck In Str Andrew, speaking very softly, though we could all see bo was in a devil of a rage. Evon 1 was not unaware of tbe existence of the Pavaloff diamond If my memory doos not fall mo, it is slightly disfigured by a flaw on the eighth facetT '"Certainly, Sir Andrew,’ said our hoot; 'if you examine tbe stone you will seo that ouch Is tbe case.’ “ 'There io no such blemish on the diamond I have before mo. Tboreforo I humbly suggest that you have been deceived by this Parisian agent as to Its origin.' “Professor Endicott climbed to bls feet with a grunt of dissatisfaction, and leant over the table, thrusting out bis podgy fist to receive the jewel. Ho remained standing, with bls body swayed forward, so that the electric lights above the silver center piece might ebine the brighter upon wbat bo held. Presently he dropped his hands to his sides and stood staring about him like a plowman lost In Piccadilly. " This is not the stone I examined five minutes ago,' he stuttered. “'Nonsense,' said old Julius, with a shadow of fear In his eyes. 'Nonsense. Endicott; look again.' " 'Can it be that two such famous experts have made a mistake?' sneered Sir Andrew. 'Can It be that a bumble amateur like myself Is right and that they are wrong? As 1 told you. gen tlemen. the Hyderapore diamond—' ” 'Hyderapore diamond be d—d!' nquoaieu taev ami uiau. * m »« usm ** «2 — fake, a clumsy Imitation. Taubery, you have been robbed!' — “We were all on our feet In an In stant amid a clamor of tongues. But there was one man amongst us that kept his bead; one man who realized that his honor was tn peril; that Im ■ mediate action was necessary. His I name—if I am not too egotistical—is Theophilus Gunton "Fortunately I have a voice of some power, and a manner that, when my feelings are strongly moved, is per haps not unimpressive I commanded and obtained silence. I begged them to resume their seats; they obeyed. '"Julius Taubery.* 1 said, baa your diamond disappeared?' "He answered that it bad, looking at the Imitation atone, which they had re turned to blm, in a ellly. scared way. “ 'Julius Taubery,' I continued, 'wo, your guoata, lie under a stigma, an tin- pptatlon. We cannot leave the house under such circumstances. Borne ono must have brought the Imitation atone with him for a purpose that it la need- lose to define The real jewel must bo in hla pocket at thia moment. Lot us. therefore, be searched.’ “They all sat ailent as mice under my eye, eave tbe profeaaor, who grunt ed as If In dissent '•'Do 1 understand that you object to my plan, air?" I asked him. 'Do you refuse to be searched? And If so, may I ask why?' “Ho gave me an angry look, but be had not the courage to contest the point. '* Then. I may take It that wo are all agreed Taubery. you have a li brary upon thia floor. Aa I passed the door before lunch I noticed that there was an excellent tire there. Professor Endicott and myself will retire to that room. I will search tbe professor; the professor shall search me. After that the rest of the guests will come, one by one. into the room, where wo will search them In turn. I^t us have no delay. Professor Endicott, 1 am very mucb at your service.' “I wont through that party, gentle men. as our Transatlantic cousins would express it, with a finetootb comb. And I feel It my duty to say that not one of them raised the small est objection to the severity of my methods They were like lambs, gen tiemen, they were, by thunder! But I obtained no result. The Taubery dia mond had disappeared “Poor old Julius was quite broken down about It. He placed the whole matter In my hands On my way to Scotland Yard I remembered what an old friend of mine had told me about you. 'If you are ever In a bole. Gun- ton, Ue raiu, a«?* .» m - w .».-- - be is the man.' You were off duty. 1 Inquired your address; I am here. And now. what are you going to do?" "Can you remember who it was that introduced the subject of precious stones at your luncheon partyT' asked Inspector Peace. “ 'Pon my life I don't know." said the colonel, polishing hla eyeglass with a red silk pocket handkerchief. "It was one of the fellows at the other end of the table, but 1 can't say wblcn of them.” iCHRONlCLFB Tn RE CONTTNURD.» CONSTIPATION Munyon's Taw-Taw Pills are unlike alloth- er laxatives or calhar- Ilea They coax the liver iuto activity by gentle methods, they do not scour; they do not gripe; they do not weaken; but they do Start all the secretions of the liver and stom ach in a way that soon puts these organs in a healthy condition and corrects constipation. Munyon's Paw-Paw Tills are a touic to the stomach, liver ami nerves. They invigorate instead of weaken; they enrich the blood instead of impover ishing it; they enable the stom a c h to get all the nourishment from food that is put into MUNYONS PAW-PAW PILLS U. price ay cents All Druggists. Poor. The beaten path Is a poor place In which to try to beat. TO CUB* A COLD IN ONR DAT Take LAXATIVE BROMO OutnlN Tabtets Drusshta refund moner If II fails to cure, E. W UKOVE‘8 sicnature isun sack bus. lite. Practical Teaching. One settlement worker in New York city has made a specialty of teachlny troys bow to make articles of furniturs out of old packing boxes. Driving Belt Long In Use. A driving belt In an engineering works at Smethwick, England, has been In continuous upe for thirty-two years, and has "traWled" a distance equivalent to seventy-four times round the world. When Your Eyes Need Care Try Murine Eye Rpmrdr. NoHmnrtlnf—Feelfl riDP-Aftd Quirlily. Try II for Wra*. Watery and (¡rauulat«Hl Kyrilda. lliu» t rat ml Hook in wli Parka*«. Kurin«» la by our IMaHaia mA a MHutent Mod* Irina"— bat yard in BOrr««Mfal iniralclaaa* I’rwr Una for tuany year« Now dMIratmU to tba Pub* lie and told by brugfiats at Me and Ma par HoUla Marine Uy* Aalto in A»epUc Tube«, Me au0 Ma Murine Eye Remedy Co., Chicago PATENTS ■ “ ■ — S W *^»i*^.^ “**??* A.lvkv and l.-'ka tr— Haire reaauoalua. lOgbrel refereaere. MMawvhre Daily Thought. GREAT IS THE BUCKWHEAT! WATER PORTERS OF QUITO Only Pumpkin Pie May Be Likened to the Tasteful Cereal Cakes. Says Rhapsodict. They Carry Big Earthen Jars on Their Backs and Bowing. Croats a Cataract. This modest flowering plant makes but a poor showing In our annual crop returns—some 10.000.000 bush els, perhaps. As a grain it figures insignificantly, outside of New York and Pennsylvania. But it Is to be noted that the honey bee Is aware of Its peculiar virtue, preferring alone the white clover to the buckwheat blossoms. Farmers who keep bee hives know this and plant patches of the grain Wise as the bee Is the man who awaits ths honey from the hive, the flour from the buckwheat; then fol lows the griddle cake. Its time is at hand It goes with sansage or Philadelphia scrapple. There are such distinct American products that one reads with keen sympathy in the latest life of the ex patriated genius, Whistler, how he was so devoted to buckwheat cakes that "he insisted almost at tbe price of friendship that others chare his enthusiasm.” How could others be expected to do so born outside the buckwheat belt? Wretched, homesick artist Other countries are blessed with special foods, from the caviare of Russia to the macaroni of Italy, but they are beyond the pale, pitiably Ignorant of what they miss and of what we are about to enjoy. In Amer ica there Is nothing sectional about the buckwheat cake; it sprlngeth up as a lowly flower, and, In the common faata for It, Is to be likened only to the unpretentious pumpkin pie.—Phila delphia Press. Around a fountain In one of tbe principal squares of Quito assemble every morning the city's aguadores. These water porters differ from the less energetic ones of some South American cities in carrying their jars upon their backs Instead of on the backs of mules. Their earthen jars are deep, have a wide mouth, and hold about 40 liters. The porter carries it on his sboul- dsr fastened with leather straps. Ho nsver detaches himself from his jar either to fill tt or to transfer Its con tents to that of his customer. Ho turns his back to the fountain so that the jar comes under ono of the jets of water, listens to the sound of the water in tbe jar, and his ear is so well trained th^t ho always walks away at the exact moment when it is filled to the brim. Arriving at the bouse of a cus tomer, be goes to the household jar, makes a deep bow, and disappears bo- hind a torrent of water. Foreigners can never receive, without laughing, the visit of their aguador, the respect ful little man who bows to one be hind a cataract of water. Stitch In Tims. A Los Angeles brain specialist says that all Americans will be baldheaded within 300 years because of their Intense brain activity. Editor Ake of the Iron County Register, at Ironton, saw the Item, and with more or less caution tells his subscribers: "I will begin at once to curb the too, too lively tenor of the gray matter which fills my cranium. Forewarned is fore fended, you know."—BL Louis Re public. Magic of the Rainbow. The rainbow shimmering high in the heavens Is more than a mere arch of glowing colors. It is a royal am bassador from the kingdom of nature, a herald bearing a message of vast importance to mankind. Written up on Its brllliantly-hued, shining arch way la a truth that man has finally appreciated after the countless ages that have passed since the first rain bow glorified the heavens. And this truth Is what? Nothing less than the revelation of the component elements that constitute the sun and stars and the dim-shlnlng nebulae lost in the farthermost hiding places of the uni verse. By means of this truth, writ ten large upon the raindrops, wo know more about the composition ol the sun, 93,000,000 miles from the earth, than we do about the world on which we dwell.—Popular Mschanioo Magazine. We sleep, but the loom of life never stops; and the pattern which was weaving when tbe sun went down Is weaving when It comes up tomorrow —Henry Ward Beecher.
