again。
  Sir；　we　are　making　our　fortunes。　　The　grain　we　could　not　sell　at　a
  fair　price；　we　sell　as　bread；　and　higher　than　in　England　ever　so
  much。　　Tea　and　coffee　the　same；　and　the　poor　things　praise　us；　too；
  for　being　so　moderate。　　So；　sir；　Dick　bids　me　say　that　we　owe　this
  to　you；　and　if　so　be　you　are　minded　to　share；　why　nothing　would
  please　us　better。　　Head…piece　is　always　worth　money　in　these　parts；
  and　if　it　hurts　your　pride　to　be　our　partner　without　money；　why　you
  can　throw　in　what　you　have　at　the　Cape；　though　we　don't　ask　that。
  And；　besides；　we　are　offered　diamonds　a　bargain　every　day；　but　are
  afraid　to　deal；　for　want　of　experience；　but　if　you　were　in　it　with
  us；　you　must　know　them　well　by　this　time；　and　we　might　turn　many　a
  good　pound　that　way。　　Dear　sir；　I　hope　you　will　not　be　offended；
  but　I　think　this　is　the　only　way　we　have；　Dick　and　I；　to　show　our
  respect　and　good…will。
  Dear　sir；　digging　is　hard　work；　and　not　fit　for　you　and　Reginald；
  that　are　gentlemen；　amongst　a　lot　of　rough　fellows；　that　their　talk
  makes　my　hair　stand　on　end；　though　I　dare　say　they　mean　no　harm。
  Your　bedroom　is　always　ready；　sir。　　I　never　will　let　it　to　any　of
  them；　hoping　now　to　see　you　every　day。　　You　that　know　everything；
  can　guess　how　I　long　to　see　you　both　home。　　My　very　good　fortune
  seems　not　to　taste　like　good　fortune；　without　those　I　love　and
  esteem　to　share　it。　　I　shall　count　how　many　days　this　letter　will
  take　to　reach　you；　and　then　I　shall　pray　for　your　safety　harder
  than　ever；　till　the　blessed　hour　comes　when　I　see　my　husband；　and
  my　good　friend；　never　to　part　again；　I　hope；　in　this　world。
  I　am　sir；　your　dutiful　servant　and　friend；
  PHOEBE　DALE。
  P。S。　　There　is　regular　travelling　to　and　from　Cape　Town；　and　a　post
  now　to　Pniel；　but　I　thought　it　surest　to　send　by　one　that　knows
  you。
  Staines　read　this　letter　with　great　satisfaction。　　He　remembered
  his　two　hundred　pounds；　but　his　gold　and　jewels　puzzled　him。　　Still
  it　was　good　news；　and　pleased　him　not　a　little。　　Phoebe's　good
  fortune　gratified　him　too；　and　her　offer　of　a　partnership；
  especially　in　the　purchase　of　diamonds　from　returning　diggers。　　He
  saw　a　large　fortune　to　be　made；　and　wearied　and　disgusted　with
  recent　ill…luck；　blear…eyed　and　almost　blinded　with　sorting　in　the
  blazing　sun；　he　resolved　to　go　at　once　to　Dale's　Kloof。　　Should
  Mrs。　Falcon　be　gone　to　England　with　the　diamonds；　he　would　stay
  there；　and　Rosa　should　come　out　to　him；　or　he　would　go　and　fetch
  her。
  He　went　home；　and　washed　himself；　and　told　Bulteel　he　had　had　good
  news；　and　should　leave　the　diggings　at　once。　　He　gave　him　up　the
  claim；　and　told　him　to　sell　it　by　auction。　　It　was　worth　two
  hundred　pounds　still。　　The　good　people　sympathized　with　him；　and　he
  started　within　an　hour。　　He　left　his　pickaxe　and　shovel；　and　took
  only　his　double　rifle；　an　admirable　one；　some　ammunition；　including
  conical　bullets　and　projectile　shells　given　him　by　Falcon；　a　bag
  full　of　carbuncles　and　garnets　he　had　collected　for　Ucatella；　a　few
  small　diamonds；　and　one　hundred　pounds；all　that　remained　to　him；
  since　he　had　been　paying　wages　and　other　things　for　months；　and　had
  given　Falcon　twenty　for　his　journey。
  He　rode　away　and　soon　put　twenty　miles　between　him　and　the
  diggings。
  He　came　to　a　little　store　that　bought　diamonds　and　sold　groceries
  and　tobacco。　　He　haltered　his　horse　to　a　hook；　and　went　in。　　He
  offered　a　small　diamond　for　sale。　　The　master　was　out；　and　the
  assistant　said　there　was　a　glut　of　these　small　stones；　he　did　not
  care　to　give　money　for　it。
  〃Well；　give　me　three　dozen　cigars。〃
  While　they　were　chaffering；　in　walked　a　Hottentot；　and　said；　〃Will
  you　buy　this？〃　and　laid　a　clear；　glittering　stone　on　the　counter；
  as　large　as　a　walnut。
  〃Yes；〃　said　the　young　man。　　〃How　much？〃
  〃Two　hundred　pounds。〃
  〃Two　hundred　pounds！　　Let　us　look　at　it；〃　he　examined　it；　and　said
  he　thought　it　was　a　diamond；　but　these　large　stones　were　so
  deceitful；　he　dared　not　give　two　hundred　pounds。　　〃Come　again　in　an
  hour；〃　said　he；　〃then　the　master　will　be　in。〃
  〃No；〃　said　the　Hottentot　quietly；　and　walked　out。
  Staines；　who　had　been　literally　perspiring　at　the　sight　of　this
  stone；　mounted　his　horse　and　followed　the　man。　　When　he　came　up　to
  him；　he　asked　leave　to　examine　the　gem。　　The　Hottentot　quietly
  assented。
  Staines　looked　at　it　all　over。　　It　had　a　rough　side　and　a　polished
  side；　and　the　latter　was　of　amazing　softness　and　lustre。　　It　made
  him　tremble。　　He　said；　〃Look　here；　I　have　only　one　hundred　pounds
  in　my　pocket。〃
  The　Hottentot　shook　his　head。
  〃But　if　you　will　go　back　with　me　to　Bulteel's　farm；　I'll　borrow　the
  other　hundred。〃
  The　Hottentot　declined；　and　told　him　he　could　get　four　hundred
  pounds　for　it　by　going　back　to　Pniel。　　〃But；〃　said　he；　〃my　face　is
  turned　so；　and　when　Squat　turn　his　face　so；　he　going　home。　　Not　can
  bear　go　the　other　way　then；〃　and　he　held　out　his　hand　for　the
  diamond。
  Staines　gave　it　him；　and　was　in　despair　at　seeing　such　a　prize　so
  near；　yet　leaving　him。
  He　made　one　more　effort。　　〃Well；　but；〃　said　he；　〃how　far　are　you
  going　this　way？〃
  〃Ten　days。〃
  〃Why；　so　am　I。　　Come　with　me　to　Dale's　Kloof；　and　I　will　give　the
  other　hundred。　　See；　I　am　in　earnest；　for　here　is　one　hundred；　at
  all　events。〃
  Staines　made　this　proposal；　trembling　with　excitement。　　To　his
  surprise　and　joy；　the　Hottentot　assented；　though　with　an　air　of
  indifference；　and　on　these　terms　they　became　fellow…travellers；　and
  Staines　gave　him　a　cigar。　　They　went　on　side　by　side；　and　halted
  for　the　night　forty　miles　from　Bulteel's　farm。
  They　slept　in　a　Boer's　out…house；　and　the　vrow　was　civil；　and　lent
  Staines　a　jackal's　skin。　　In　the　morning　he　bought　it　for　a
  diamond；　a　carbuncle；　and　a　score　of　garnets；　for　a　horrible
  thought　had　occurred　to　him；　if　they　stopped　at　any　place　where
  miners　were；　somebody　might　buy　the　great　diamond　over　his　head。
  This　fear；　and　others；　grew　on　him；　and　with　all　his　philosophy　he
  went　on　thorns；　and　was　the　slave　of　the　diamond。
  He　resolved　to　keep　his　Hottentot　all　to　himself　if　possible。　　He
  shot　a　springbok　that　crossed　the　road；　and　they　roasted　a　portion
  of　the　animal；　and　the　Hottentot　carried　some　on　with　him。
  Seeing　he　admired　the　rifle；　Staines　offered　it　him　for　the　odd
  hundred　pounds；　but　though　Squat's　eye　glittered　a　moment；　he
  declined。
  Finding　that　they　met　too　many　diggers　and　carts；　Staines　asked　his
  Hottentot　was　there　no　nearer　way　to　reach　that　star；　pointing　to
  one　he　knew　was　just　over　Dale's　Kloof。
  Oh；　yes；　he　knew　a　nearer　way；　where　there　were　trees；　and　shade；
  and　grass；　and　many　beasts　to　shoot。
  〃Let　us　take　that　way；〃　said　Staines。
  The　Hottentot；　ductile　as　wax；　except　about　the　price　of　the
  diamond；　assented　calmly；　and　next　day　they　diverged；　and　got　into
  forest　scenery；　and　their　eyes　were　soothed　with　green　glades　here
  and　there；　wherever　the　clumps　of　trees　sheltered　the　grass　from
  the　panting　sun。　　Animals　abounded；　and　were　tame。　　Staines；　an
  excellent　marksman；　shot　the　Hottentot　his　supper　without　any
  trouble。
  Sleeping　in　the　wood；　with　not　a　creature　near　but　Squat；　a　sombre
  thought　struck　Staines。　　Suppose　this　Hottentot　should　assassinate
  him　for　his　money；　who　would　ever　know？　　The　thought　was　horrible；
  and　he　awoke　with　a　start　ten　times　that　night。　　The　Hottentot
  slept　like　a　stone；　and　never　feared　for　his　own　life　and　precious
  booty。　　Staines　was　compelled　to　own　to　himself　he　had　less　faith
  in　human　goodness　than　the　savage　had。　　He　said　to　himself；　〃He　is
  my　superior。　　He　is　the　master　of　this　dreadful　diamond；　and　I　am
  its　slave。〃
  Next　day　they　went　on　till　noon；　and　then　they　halted　at　a　really
  delightful　spot；　a　silver　kloof　ran　along　a　bottom；　and　there　was　a
  little　clump　of　three　acacia…trees　that　lowered　their　long　tresses；
  pining　for　the　stream；　and　sometimes　getting　a　cool　grateful　kiss
  from　it　when　the　water　was　high。
  They　halted　the　horse；　bathed　in　the　stream；　and　lay　luxurious
  under　the　acacias。　　All　was　delicious　languor　and　enjoyment　of
  life。
  The　Hottentot　made　a　fire；　and　burnt　the　remains　of　a　little　sort
  of　kangaroo　Staines　had　shot　him　the　evening　before；　but　it　did　not
  suffice　his　maw；　and　looking　about　him；　he　saw　three　elands
  leisurely　feeding　about　three　hundred　yards　off。　　They　were
  cropping　the　rich　herbage　close　to　the　shelter　of　a　wood。
  The　Hottentot　suggested　that　this　was　an　excellent　opportunity。　　He
  would　borrow　Staines's　rifle；　steal　into　the　wood；　crawl　on　his
  belly　close　up　to　them；　and　send　a　bullet　through　one。
  Staines　did　not　relish　the　proposal。　　He　had　seen　the　savage's　eye
  repeatedly　gloat　on　the　rifle；　and　was　not　without　hopes　he　might
  even　yet　relent；　and　give　the　great　diamond　for　the　hundred　pounds
  and　this　rifle；　and　he　was　so　demoralized　by　the　diamond；　and
  filled　with　suspicion；　that　he　feared　the　savage；　if　he　once　had
  the　rifle　in　his　possession；　might　levant；　and　be　seen　no　more；　in
  which　case　he；　Staines；　still　the　slave　of　the　diamond；　might　hang
  himself　on　the　nearest　tree；　and　so　secure　his　Rosa　the　insurance
  money；　at　all　events。　　In　short；　he　had　really　diamond　on　the
  brain。
  He　hem'd　and　haw'd　a　little　at　Squat's　propos