Argosy, Vol. 1 (1882) — page 242: what you’re looking at

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

AN AFRICAN SECRET. to the Marotses, and not one of them would have dared touch a diamond once it was placed in the scari, not even if the blacks knew how valuable the stones were. But I dare!” Bradshaw halted at a httle distance, repelled by the spectacle. Murdock tore away at the scarf much as a wild beast tears at a meat covered bone, and when next he extracted a pebble he held it toward Bradshaw. “T said I would share with you, EI- mer,” he cried, “and I will keep my word. Here, come and get it.” ‘Then, as Bradshaw did not move, Murdock arose and ran toward him. He clung to the scarf as he ran, and the fabric being wound about the skeleton, dragged it along the ground after him. “ Stop that!” cried Bradshaw. Murdock halted, looked around, and kicked the bones to free the scarf. “TI tell you to stop, you muserable fiend! ’’ exclaumed Bradshaw catching Murdock by the arm and shaking hrm violently. “ Have you no shred of humanity left in vour savage body?” Murdock stared and chattered with the shaking. “ What should we care for a nigger’s bones, Elmer? Think of the diamonds! Here, take this one, and we will share the rest turn in turn.” “TI don’t want it,” said Bradshaw, turning away. “Don’t want it?” screamed Mur- deck. “ What are you thinking of? Perhaps you think I’m not sharing even, eh? Well, then, if you’re such a fool as to. refuse these diamonds I'll keep ’em myself. I won’t make you another offer,” and mumbling more and more incoherently, he squatted on the ground and resumed his task of ripping the scarf to pieces. CHAPTER XI. THE DEPTHS OF INFAMY. SHORTLY aiter this, Pan and Mtema appeared at the top of the excavation. 233 Bradshaw directed that the carriers be taken around the hillside to the huts formerly occupied by the Marotses. “ We shan't have to waste time set- ting up a camp,’ he said, “ but can get to work at other things without delay.” “ Yon’re not going to work the mine, I hope,” Pan responded. Bradshaw shook his head. “ Tl join you below,” he said, “ and tell you there what I think should be done.” Accordingly he left the excavation and waited for his men at the huts. As soon as the carriers had come and had disposed of their burdens, he gave orders for the decent burial of the skeletons, and as Murdock had done plucking them by that time, this was accomplished without arousing any outcry from him. | With seemingly exhaustless energy | he applied himself again to prodding the walls of the pit. He appeared to have forgotten Bradshaw’s repugnance to the very subject of diamonds, for once when the latter was near, the old man remarked, without looking up: “ By tomorrow, Elmer, we can get at this systematically. I’ll examine the ground meantime, so that we can know just where to set the niggers to digging.” Bradshaw ignored him, and as they went down to the river bank he said to Pan: | “I’m convinced at last that he is insane.” “It may be,” Pan answered with gravity that was unusual even for him; “it may be; of course it is so if you say so, but I do not think it.” “How can it be otherwise?” Brad- shaw asked fretfully; “ you have seen how he has acted ever since the march began, and you see what he is doing there.” | “Yes, Mr. Bradshaw, I have seen, and I know.” “Know what? You speak as if you knew something that [ haven’t yet discovered.” EOMRIC OOOkKS CO