The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-10-20

he sent them back to the hut for the
long wooden pegs, kept ready for
emergency, and for the next two hours
was employed pegging out handsome
lot OF claims, such as would in his
opinion include the whole of the great
diamondlferous uprush just discovered.
Then he plotted the results out on a
map, which was rolled up and drop
ped into a tin cylinder for carrying.
The latter he carefully sealed, and, it
being now past midday, started to
trudge for Griquatown. There Was
no time to lose. His indefeasable
rights to the claim must be establish.
ed without delay and o license obtain
ed. The news might reach the town
before him. He was afraid of the
kallirs he had employed, Of everyone
he might meet. The very birds OF the
air might carry his secret.
But the task to be undertaken was
no easy one. Griquatown was forty
miles off, and the track lay across a
dusty shadelcss plain. Notwithstand-
ing the terrible heat and glare, by sun
down Crawshay had covered q third
of the distance. Then he felt that il
the journey was to be accomplished at
all, rest was Imperative. Some cold
tea from flask revived him, and he
tried to sleep, but the ovcrwrought
state of his nerves kept him wakeful
SO pushing on again he avoided the
lights of farm which lay in his
way.
By day-break, footsore and weary,
with parched tongue, eyes full Of dust
and loud singing in his ears, he stun.
bled into Gladstone, where he got a cup
of coffee at bar.
Here he passed between two great
mines belonging to the Amalgamation,
formerl, hive Of small prospcctors,
now shut down and silent, in order to
raise the price of diamonds He shui
dered. That's what they would like to
do with every thing. At Gladstone he
took the train to Griluatown, but the
long walk in the sun the day before
without food, the actual distance ira
veled, the excitement and want of sleep
all acting on an enfeeblcd constitution,
had produced their effect.
He got off at the corner opposite
Ruby's hotel by the help of the con-
ductor, and reached his room, but in a
fainting condition. He fell into high
fever, and for days lay between life
and death, They found it no easy
task to release the precious cylinder
from his tightly clenched hands; and as
he asked after it at every pause of the
delirium, it was left under his pill
low.
Nothing could equal the loving care
Ruby Lee lavished on her patient. Had
it not been for her nursing Harry must
have died; and it was in spite Of her
entreaties, that contrary to the doctors
advice he got up as soon as he did.
A week had elapsed since his return
wher he dressed and went out to pre-
s,nt himself at the office where claims
were registered. As he tottered along
people in the street turned to look at
him. News abroad of big find, and
they chaffed him about the tin case
One man said, "Come and have a
drink, Crawshay. hear you'v done
the Amalgamation and smashed the
price of diamonds. They say so down
at Abraham s, mentioning great firm
Of buyers.
He angrily clasped the case more
tightly and FASTENED on as best he
could
At the office he looked so like ghost
that kindly official gave him chair
and a dog barkcd at him. From sheer
physical weakness he lcant his fore
head on the table for an instant before
with trembling hand breaking the
seals.
I've been working at it off and on
for two years" he explained, "and made
myself i'll. It's been hard time, but
I'm all right now. | found it while
shooting springbox, and nobody be-
lieved in it except me. But they were
all wrong"
He was slowly and nervously draw
ing the plans which showed the posi-
tion and boundaries of his claim from
their repository, at the same time lay.
ing down the bank notes required to
pay the fees. The clerk helped him
to count them, wondering at the amount
and brought the books to enter all
particulars.
II want my mine called the Felicia
Crawshay said, still speaking with
great effort. at means happiness to
two people"
The clerk, who was not unaccustom-
| cd to the little Spntimonta lit les of mi
ners, smiled as he opened the register
and took up the plans to read the dis
cription. Then he paused with Il
puzzled air and stared at Crawshay
waiting patiently for the finishing
touch which would make him great
mining proprietor. The official turned
again to his books and compared them
with what the miner had brought. He
called a colleague and they went over