Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1908-04-02

cent gems in proof of his assertion Thes
stones have been examined at Tobolsk
and are pronounced to be equal, if no
superior in quality to any found els,
where. \ company has been alread
formed for the purpose of purchasing tn
land and working the Mines
The crisis at the African fields was ever
more acute than had been anticipated b,
the consprators. Nothing approaching tC
ii had ever been known in South Africy
before. Diamonds went steadily down II
value until they were selling at a priC'
which no dealer would have believed pos
sible, and the sale of claims reached suct
a climax that men were glad to get rid OF
them for the mere price of the plant an
machinery erected at them. The offices OF
the various dealers at Kimberley Were
besieged night and day by an importunare
crowd of miners who were willing to sell
al any price in order TO save something
from the general ruin which they imag-
ined was about to come upon the indus
try. Some, more long-headed or more
desperate than their neighbors, continued
to work their claims and to keep the
stones which they found until prices might
b.. better. AS fresh mails came from
the Cape however each confirming and
amplifying the ominous news these inda-
pendent workers grew fewer and more
faint-hearted for their boys had to oe
paid each week, and where was the
money to come from with which to pay
them? The dealers, too, began to take the
alarm, and the most tempting offers would
hardly induce them to give hard cash in
exchange for stones which might prove 10
be drug on the market Everywhere
there was misery and stagnation.
Ezra Griddlestone was not slow to take
advantage of this state of things, but he
was too cunning to do so in amannrr
which Nigh call attention to himself or
| his movements. In his wanderings he had
come across an outcast named Farntosa.
man who had once been clergyman
and master of arts of Trinity College,
Dublin, but who was now broken-down
gambler with a slender purse and a still
more slender conscience. He still retain
ed a plausible manner and an engaging
address and these qualities first recon-
nended him to the notice of the young
merchant. A couple of days after the re-
ceipt of the news from Europe, Ezra
sent for this fellow and sat with him for
some time on the verandah of the hotel
talking over the situation.
''You see," said Ezra, II have the name
here of having long purse and of know
ing which way the wind blows. If were
to be seen buying, others would follow
my lead, and prices would soon be as hign
as ever. Now what l purpose is to work
through you. dye see? You can go the
round of the camps and buy in stones on
the quiet without attracting much atten-
ton. Beat them down as low as you
can, and give this hotel as your address.
When they call here they shall be paid
which is better than having you carrying
the money round with YOU
The clergyman scowled as though he
thought it was anything but better. He
did not make any remark, however.
You can get one or two fellows to help |
you,' said Ezra. You know who would |
be likely men. | can't expect you to work |
all the camps yourself OF course, if you
offer more for a stone than l care to giv-,
that's your lookout, but if you do your
work we'll you shall not be the loser. You
shall have a percentage on business done
md weekly salary as WELL"
How much money do you care to in-
,est?' asked Farintosh.
I'm not PARTICULAR Ezra answered
If l do a thing l like to do it well. I'll
% the length of thirty thousand pounds"
Farintosh was so astonished at the mag
itude of the sum that he sank back IN
is chair in bewilderment. Why, sir
e said, II think just at present you
ould buy the country for that"
Ezra laughed We'll make it 90 as
al as we can," he said. "Of course you
lay buy claims as well as stones"
And l have carte blanche to that
mount?'
Certainly"
''All right, III begin this evening"" said
ne ex-parson, and picking up his slouch-
hat, which he still wore somewhat
oader in the brim than his comrades, in
eference to old associations, he departed
pom his mission.
Farintosh was a clever man, and soon I
hose two active suordinates. These were c
navy, ndlneu burt, ana NllllamS, a l
5ung Welshman, who had disappeared r
ON home behind cloud of forged 9
lecks, and having changed his name had
ade a fresh start in life to the south Of t
le equator. These three worked day and d
ight buying in stones from the more t
sedy and impecunious miners to whom e
,ady money was matter of absolute ne il
,ssity. Farintosh bought in the stock. Ii
,o of several small dealers whose nerves
i'd been shaken by the panic. In this
ay bag after bag was filed with dia-
onds by Ezra.
He was becoming somewhat uneasy in K
s mind as to how long the deluson t
ould be kept up, or how soon news d
light come from the Cape that the Cral q
nd had been examined into and proved
be a myth. In any case, he thought ,
at he would be free from suspicion.
till, it might be as we'll for him by that <
me TO be upon his homeward journey.
r he knew that if by any chance the tru.
cts leaked out there would be no hone
mercy from the furious diggers Hence ="
melted Farintosh to greater speed, and U
at worthy divine with his two agents b
orked so energetically that in less than t
week there was little left of FIVE and
irty thousand pounds. b
Ezra Girdlestone had shown his power G,
reading character when he chose the