The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-27
fCopyright 1875 by Irving Bacheller.1

weighed, and to add their signatures
to the daily reports. On one or two oc-
casions Herr Schlitz was reported to
be too ''ill'' to be present, but Mr.. Delby
always came punctually, watched the
operations nervously and listlessly. and
hurried back to his wife at the earliest
possible moment.
MIR. Forsythe appointed me room
on the second floor of the main build
ing-a small stufYy little apartment.
but neatly furnished. and nearly oppo-
site his own room. We all ate In the
common dining hall-all, that. is eX-
cepting Mr.. and Mrs. Delby. who lived
exclusively by themselves. All the
houses In the settlement were set up on
high posts. and the steps were raisst
at night. this being necessary to guard
against the numerous serpents that IN
tested the promontory. the most vicious
being the slender gray asps. or Naja
Hale. as they are more properly known.
These were regarded with great terror
by the natives. and, at intervals each
day a pistol shot from some part or the
diggings would proclaim that an over
seer was protecting himself or his men
from one of these deadly pests.
The very day after my arrival. while
Mr. Forsythe was showing me about
the place, he suddenly jumped aside
ana uuSueu upVh oiiV Va
these aSps. which lay near our path.
He laughed when he saw the terror
written in my face, and remarked
quietly:
You'll have to get used to these fel-
lows. and to fight them. too. ! make 1t
point tn kill everyone l set eyes on
it's one the less, anyway, though their
numbers never seem to grow fewer
Mother VideauX. l believe, cultivates
their acquaintance: she has the reputa-
ton of being snake-charmer.a and I'm
sure the old hag would charm nothing
else: but the rest of us are In constant
fear of receiving n fatal bite. There is
no help for you If the poison once gets
into your blood. Otherwise this place
is pleasant enough and remarkably
healthful into the bargain.
After the first day or two Mr.. For
sythe paid little attention to me. but
left me to roam about at WILL and en-
deavored to get thoroughly acquainted
with the settlement in order that |
might. if possible. discover some clew
to the missing diamonds. At the end
Of the week | decided that there was
not a suspicious person on the promon-
tory who could, by any means. obtain
possession of any stones that We're
mined The inclosure was impregna-
"a
by armed men. At evening each over
seer marched his band of natives into
the enclosure. where everyone was care
fully searched. and then they We're
marched out again and allowed to dis
perse to their huts at the other side of
the promontory. Each overseer was
carefully searched after he had deliv-
cred his precious burden--provided the
day had been productive-to Mr.. For
sythe: and all visitors-even ] myself
were searched whenever leaving the
inclosure. It was an autocratic law.
| and no one. high or low. was permitted
to waive the ceremony.
I spoke of visitors. but beside myself
there was no one. outside those actively
employed. except the native women.
who occasionally came to the end of the
enclosure for stores or other assistance,
and Mother Nideaux. | saw this re-
markable creature for the first time the
week after my arrival. She came into
the enclosure toward evening. and hob
bled up TO Mr. Forsythe's office to de-
mand food. Her age could not even be
guessed, for her face was crossed and
scared with innumerable wrinkles. and
had the appearance Of old leather. She
was bent nearly double, and leaned on
a short stick, but she walked more
briskly than one would suppose who
watched the palsied shaking Of her
form. If spoken to she peered up at
you sideways and disclosed small but
piercing black eyes, which contrasted
picturesquely with her snow white hair.
She impressed me as being more like