Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 240: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

AN AFRICAN SECRET. disobedience will mean binding you hand and foot for the rest of the jour- ney.” Thoroughly scared, the old man re- turned and promised abjectly to obey. At last they set owt, and Murdock made the pace. There was no restrain- ing ‘him further than to require caution when they came near the sparse forest at the top of the slope. Having little doubt that the place was deserted, Bradshaw went straight toward the mine. He insisted on a slower pace and greater care as they went in among the trees, and with considerable caution the three drew up to the edge of the excavation and looked down. _ Nobody was there, and it seemed as if nobody had been there since the routing of the blacks two weeks pre- viously. The sand heaps were undis- turbed, the crude tools were lying about, and in the very center of the pit were two skeletons, one lying across the other, both picked clean by vul- tures. The scanty clothing that had been worn by the victims of Pan’s bullets, was little disturbed, and the bright scarf of the high priest, with its bulging lumps, was more than conspicuous. Dirik’s scarf! his badge of office! see!” cried Murdock wildly, and he began at once to descend the steep path. Bradshaw let him go. No harm evi- dently could come to him, and it was > undoubtedly better to let ‘him work off his accumulated excitement as rapidly as possible. So Murdock was left in the mine while Bradshaw and his one compan- ion went back to give the signal for the advance of the rest of the party. Bradshaw did not hurry. He was harassed with doubts as to what course should be pursued. This was the most critical stage in his mission, and he wished it were well over. He waited until he saw his men defile from the forest below and begin the 231 ascent of the slope. Then he returned to the mine. | Murdock was on his hands and knees before the sand heap behind the screen, pawing over the dirt, examin- ing every pebble he found and tossing aside those that seemed to him un- promising. He was muttering unin- telligibly, meanwhile, and when he heard Bradshaw coming down he looked up for an instant. Bradshaw paused in his descent to look curiously at the execution tree. It was beginning to wither. He shud- dered as he recalled how narrowly he had escaped death from it. When he came to the bottom he sat upon a loose rock and watched Mur- dock thoughtfully. What should be done with him? He had left the sand heap and run to the bank at the end of the excavation. There he seized a pick and began vigorously to ply it. As fast as he loosened a handful of dirt, he stooped and pawed it over. ‘Diamonds are not so plentiful as you thought they would be, are they? ”. asked Bradshaw. “It’s diamond dirt, sure enough,” replied Murdock, without looking up. “Oh! what a fortune lies right in our hands! Wealth, Elmer, wealth untold, if I could only find one little pebble to indicate where to hunt for more.” “Would you know a diamond if you saw it?” At this Murdock raised his head in astonishment. “ J didn’t put in a year at Kimberley for nothing,” he said. Then he went frantically at his work again, running from spot to spot, pick- ing here and there, and thrusting his fingers into the soil. “You've got good spades in your outfit,” he panted ; “ with them we shall make famous progress. Will the car- riers be up soon, Elmer?” Bradshaw made no response. Sick at heart, he rose and started toward the mouth of the excavation to see what lay beyond. Murdock calle¢ after him: CO