The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-27

belt from which hung a pistol upholster,
with the cleaning butt of revolver
protruding from II.
He finished the letter. folded 1t, placed
it in his pocket and stood up.
You are welcome. Mr.. Andrews. ana
shall have all the assistance | can FUR
nish you. At the same time | cannot
encourage you to look for success, as
we have about abandoned the hope OF
discovering the culprit who is riiiing US.
Still. you can make yourself at nome,
as the steamer will not call again FOR a
month and in that time you may have
either succeeded in unraveiing the myS-
terry or realizing your helplessness. In
a few moments will introduce you at
headquarters" He paused and looked
toward the landing. At that moment
two men had grasped barrel of cocoa
nuts and were carrying it aboard the
boat Howard Forsythe never took his
eyes from that barrel until II swung
out of view into the hold. Then he
turned to me, colored slightly at seeing
my eyes fixed earnestly on his face.
and said with a short laugh:
our sole expectation, aside from the
diamonds. Mother VideauX's cocoa
nuts are the only thing the place will
yield. and she sends TO France a barrel
each month with great regularity. But
L
Benita." and he led the way slowly to-
ward the entrance of the enclosure.
The building consisted of a number
of small cottages or huts, which We're
occupied by the white foreman, or
bosses" as they We're called each of
whom had charge of a gang of native
diggers. There was also a pretty little
villa occupied by Mr.. and Mrs. Peter
Delby, the former the official represent
tative OF the English member of the
firm Of proprietors.
I soon discovered that Mr.. Delby was
of no practical use to the firm at BENZ
ia. He was a little man, with simple
and unaffected manners and no ap-
parent interest in the business he rep
resented. He was rapturously in love
with his wife, and they devoted their
entire attention to one another, being
sufficient unto themselves, and rather
resenting any undue intrusion into
their earthly paradise.
The agent for the German firm, Herr
SchlitZ. was a confirmed drunkard. He
occupied a little room at the top of the
main offices. His face was vacant and
stupid. and his manners, when he mixed
at all with his fellows, absolutely boor-
ish.
1t was therefore very easy to see that
the management Of affairs fell almost
wholly upon Howard Forsythe. 1t was
he who kept the wheels moving. He
arose early. and passed the day in visit
Ing the different gangs of laborers and
seeing that the overseers did their duty.
Every evening he stood behind the little
grated window OF his office and re-
ceived the report of each overseer in
turn. the man standing upon the YER
anda and handing In the results Of his
days work.
Mr.. Forsythe received the diamonds,
placed them imam iron box, thrust that
into the safe when the returns were all
In, and then went to supper Afterward
he weighed and counted the stones, and
recorded them In the firms book.
watched him often and soon discovered
that he never varied this program.
Sometimes Mr.. Delby or Herr Schlitz
would be present when the stones were
received, but oftener they were invisi-
BILE until after supper, when they were
Obliged to see the stones counted and