The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-09-17
CHAPTER xvTn.
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the intimation made to him by Mr.I
Whittlestaff that some letter should be
written to him at his London address.
He had made his appeal to Mr.. Whit
tlestaf, and had received no answer
whatever. And he had, after fashion,
made his appeal also to the girl. He
felt sure that his plea must reach her.
His very presence then in the house had
been an appeal to her. He knew that
she so far believed in him as to be con-
scious that she could at once become his
wife-if she were willing to throw over
his rival. He knew also that she loved
him-or had certainly loved him. He
did not know the nature of her regard;
nor was it possible that he should ever
know that, unless she were his wife.
She had given q promise to that other
man, and-it was thus he read her
characteristic could be true to her
promise without any great heart break.
At any rate, she intended to he true to
IL. He did not for q moment suspect
that Mr.. Whittlestaff was false. Mary
had declared that she would not with
draw her word-that only from her own
mouth was to be taken her intention of
such withdrawal, and that such inten-
ton she certainly would never utter.
OF her character he understood much
but not quite all. He was not aware of
the depth Of her feeling.
But Mr.. Whittlestaff he did not under
stand at all. Of all those vacillating
softnesses he knew nothing or Of those
moments spent with the poet, in which
he was wont to fight against the poets
pretences, and OF those other moments
spent with Mrs. Baggett, in which he
would listen to, and always finally re-
ject, those invitations to manly strength
which she would always pour into his
ears. That Mr.. Whittlestaff should
spend hour after hour, and now day
after day, in teaching himself TO regard
nothing but what might best suit the
girls happiness-of that he was alto
gether in the dark. To his thinking,
Mr.. Whittlestaff was hard man, who,
having gained his object, intended to
hold fast by what he had gained He,
John Gordon, knew, or thought that he
knew, that Mary, as his wife, would
lead happier life than with Mr.. Whit
tlestaff. But things had turned out I'M
fortunately and there was nothing for
him but TO return to the diamond fields.
Therefore he had gone back to Lon
don with the purpose of preparing for
his journey. A man does not start for
South Africa tomorrow, or, IL not To-
morrow, then the next day. He was
aware that there must be some delay;
but any place would be better in which
to stay than the neighborhood OF Crok-
er's Hall. There were things which
must be done, and people with whom
he must do it; but of all that he need
say nothing down at Alresford. There
fore, when he got back 10 London, he
meant 10 make all his arrangements
and did so far settle his affairs rs to take
berth on one Of the mail steamers.
He had come over in company with a
certain LAWYER, who had zone out to
Kimberley with view TO his profess
sion, and had then, as is the case with
all the world that goes TO Kimberley,
gone into diamonds. Diamonds had
become more TO him than either briefs
or pleadings. He mad been there for
fifteen years, and had ruined himself
and made himself half dozen times.
He had found diamonds to be more
pleasant tnan law and to be more COM
patiole with champagne, timed lob
Sters ana young iadles. lie had mar
rled wlie, and had parted with her,
and taken another mans wife, and paid
Tor her with diamonds, He had then
possessed nothing, and had afterwards
come iortn thlrd part owner OF the
important Stick-in-the-Mud claim,
which at one time was paying twelve
per cent. per month. IL must be un-
derstood that the stackin-the-hud claim
was an almost inhnitesimal portion OF
SOIL IN the Great kimberley nine 1t
was bot the sixteeath part ot an erigi-
nal subdivision: But from the center
oil the great basin, or rather bowl,
which iorms the nine, there ran up two
wires 10 the high mound erected on the
circumference, on which condnually
two iron cages were travelling up and
down, coming back empty, but going
up laden with gemmiierous dirt Here
travelled the diamonds OF the Stick-in-
the'Mud claim, the owner OF one-third
OF which, Mr.. Fitzwalker Tookey, had
come homo with John Gordon.
Taking a first general glance at af-
fairs in the diamond-felds, | doubt
whether we should have been inclined