Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-04

was superintendent OF one of the largest
quartz mines there and lived in his
family for two years, at the end OF which
time he was elected to parliament and
hired furnished house in Melbourne
for the winter.
One day, the superintendeni's vile
wanted some shopping done and sent
Matte to Buckley & Nunn's for it.
Turning out OF Collins street into Eliza
beth, she almost ran into the arms of a
stalwart man, trifle under 40 years of
age.
"Good Lord, Miss Matte. is this
you? ?" he gasped."
"Yes, MIR. Holdernese, this is me and
no one else.
Matte, / have longed to see you.
Come into this doorway for just a mo.
ment. will not detain you long, Mat
tie. I've been a wild boy, but my
hearts in the right place after ALL"
81 have never thought otherwise, Mr..
Holderness."
swell. you never shall, little woman.
Matte, Pm going away"
"What to America again ?" and her
face lighted up with the glow of the
olden days.
"No, little girl, not there; wish I
was. I'm just going to Johannisberg,
in South Africa, to seek my fortune in
the diamond mines, and when I've
made it-why, child, you are crying"
II can't help it, sir" sobbed the girl,
"you have seemed, like the only link to
bind me to the dear old friends in Amer
ica, God bless them. And now you are
going, too"
"Yes, I'm going, Matte, but I'll come
back to you"
ITO me, Mr.. Holderness ?" che
gasped, in astonishment.
Eyes, to you, for you are the only
woman I ever loved. l have less than
an hour to catch the steamer at Will
Jamestown. Good-by, and heaven keep
you till my return"
He had clasped to his breast and
kissed her as no man should kiss a
woman he does not love. A dazed and
bewildered girl staggered into the most
fashionable drygoods store in Melbourne
and sank almost to the floor. Then she
recovered her composure, bought what
was needed, and went back home.
Two months later she got letter
from Jack. He was in the diamond
mines and working very hard, but had
barely made laborer's wages. All the
larger companies employed negro labor.
and seemed content to let white men
starve.
One night Jack had little more
money than usual. He had not mined
for several months, but had become
overseer for man who owned great
line of bullock carts that carried sup
plies into the mines. FIe bad just re-
ceiyed his quarters wages and bad
about e200 in his pocket. AS he was
walking along the hall to his room in
the little tavern where he stopped, a
hand was laid upon his shoulder. and
all he could see were two lows of
glistening white teeth.
"Say, mass Buckra man, take me
your room jis' one minute. l got 'um
good ting"
At first Jack suspected treachery, but
he had revolver in his pocket, which
he grasped in the dark, and told the
fellow to come along. He struck a
match on entering his room, and lit the
candle; and here stood gigantic Afri-
can, with his clothes all splashed with
what Californians would call chickens"
"Weli," said Holderness. surveying
the sable giant, "what the ID do you
want of me 2"
"Great chance get 'em rich, boss. Me
work in Alexandra mine; dig 'em dia-
mond. This morning see big diamond
in water; no dare pick 'em up fingers
They lick you too quick; mebbs kill
you some night. So me get 'em cup,
drink 'em some water. Me pick 'em up
diamond in cup, drink 'em down all
water. Me lose one tool las year. Me
put 'em diamond in tween other two
teef; nobody notice me. bring him
here now."
"How much you want for it?" asked
Jack.
''You gimme two hund' pounds" said
the negro.
"No, 1 can't spare it, t,"replied Jack.
We'll, you gimme one hund' fifty
NO." retorted Jack, "you know very
we'll you don't dare to 60 down town to
sell that diamond. You are company
NAH, and If you were seen going into a
jewelry store you would be arrested be-
fore you could close the door behind
you. [ will give yon one hundred
pounds for it, or you can 60 to the devil
with it,"
"All right" said the black giant,
"gimme de hund' pounds"
Holdernees counted out eight l0.pound
notes and 20 sovereigns. The negro
took the money and was gone. Jack
held the stone up to the light and ex-
claimed:
"Not flaw, as hope to see Australia
again. 1t is a second Koh-i-noor."
Six weeks from that eight Matte got
letter at the st. Kilda postofice, and
the first sentence was, I am very rich !"
Poor Matte could not understand how
a man could be very rich who was work
ing for ESQ month, a superintendent
OF bullock train and paying from six
to eight shillings for every meal
that went down his throat. But
she bided her time, and at
the end of the next quarter
Jack received his s150 salary
and started for Cape Town to take the
steamer for Melbourne. Six weeks
later he reached the coveted goal, and
that very night Martha Custance be-
came Mrs. John Croydon Holderness.
1t was nearly four weeks later before he
went out to sell his great and valuable
treasure; and, in the meantime, Mr..
Holton Custance, Mattie's long-missing
uncle, turned up, after having spent
several years at Charters Towers, where
he had amassed princely fortune.
81 sometimes think Jack does not
love me-" said Matte. one day to her.
self, "for he can talk OF nothing but his
great wealth and his diamond worth a