Part 11 (1/2)

We began by washi+ng a certain patch of gravel and obtained results which see So remarkable were they that on publication the shares rose to 10s pree of this opportunity to sell quite half of their bonus holding to eager applicants, explaining to me that they did so not for personal profit, which they scorned, but ”to broaden the basis of the undertaking by ad fresh blood”

It was shortly after this booravelly indeed, and it was deterin to crush the quartz froold was supposed to flow in a Pactolian streah a Cape Town firineers--but why follow the an to decrease in value They shrank to their original price of 1, then to 15s, then to 10s Jacob, he wasdirector, explained to me that it was necessary to ”support theto an enorht to take a ”lead in this good work” in order to show my faith in the concern

I took a lead to the extent of another 500, which was all that I could afford I admit that it was a shock to such trust in human nature as remained to me when I discovered subsequently that the 1,000 shares which I bought for h they appeared to be sold to me in various other names

The crisis came at last, for before that battery was delivered our available funds were exhausted, and no one would subscribe another halfpenny Debentures, it is true, had been issued and taken up to the extent of about 1,000 out of the 5,000 offered, though who bought the was called to consider the question of liquidating the cohts, I occupied the chair

When I entered the room, to my amazement I found that of the five directors only one was present besides ht and paid for 300 shares Jacob and the two friends who represented his interests had, it appeared, taken shi+p thatfor Cape Tohither they were summoned to attend various relatives who had been seized with illness

It was a stor at first I explained the position to the best of my ability, and when I had finished was assailed with a number of questions which I could not answer to the satisfaction of entle, suggested in plain language that I had cheated the shareholders by issuing false reports

I juh he ice ue the question outside, whereon he proh, and then the whole truth came out A man with coloured blood in him stood up and told a story which was subsequently proved to be true Jacob had e of gold in the gravel we had first washed (which the coloured man swore he did in innocence), and subsequently had defrauded hies That was all I sank back in ood fellow in the audience, who had lost ot up and made a noble speech which went far to restore my belief in human nature

He said in effect that it ell known that I, Allan Quater like a horse in the interests of the shareholders, had practically ruined myself over this enterprise, and that the real thief was Jacob, who had e cash profit resulting fro for ”three cheers for our honest friend and fellow sufferer, Mr

Allan Quaterave them very heartily indeed I thanked thelad to leave the room as poor as I had ever been, but with a reputation which my conscience as well as their kindness assured -up resolution was passed and thathands with my deliverer frohtest heart in the world My one, it was true; also my over-confidence in others had ledas fact, on what I believed to be the evidence of e to verify But ain seen in the course of life,when coo, though like many other truths this is one of which a full appreciation can only be gained by personal experience

Not very far fro had been held I passed a side street then in eardens and a rather large and e of the footpath Save for two people this street was empty, but that pair attracted nized the stout and half-intoxicated individual who had accusedthe company and then departed, and a withered old Hottentot who at that distance, nearly a hundred yards away, much reminded me of a certain Hans

This Hans, I inally a servant of my father, as a missionary in the Cape Colony, and had been my companion in many adventures Thus in aan murdered Retief and his party of Boers,[] and he had been one of my party in our quest for the wonderful orchid, the record of which I have written down in ”The Holy Flower”

[] See the book called ”Marie”--Editor

Hans had his weak points, aallant and resourceful old fellow as indeed he had a expedition Moreover he lovedacquired some money in a way I need not stop to describe--for is it not written elsewhere?--he was settled as a kind of little chief on a farreat honour because of the fame of his deeds

The white ed in violent altercation whereof snatches floated to ue

”You dirty little Hottentot!” shouted the whitea stick, ”I'll cut the liver out of you What do youabout after me like a jackal?” And he struck at Hans, who jumped aside

”Son of a fat white sow,” screamed Hans in answer (for the moment I heard his voice I knew that it was Hans), ”did you dare to call the Baas a thief? Yes, a thief, O Rooter in the utter--the Baas, the clipping of whose nail is worth more than you and all your faht and whose heart is cleaner than the white sand of the sea”

”Yes, I did,” roared the white , why did you run away Why did you not wait to tell hi away, you little yellow dog,” replied the other, catching Hans a cut across the ribs

”Oh! you want to seeback a few yards onderful agility ”Then look!”

Thus speaking he lowered his head and charged like a buffalo Fair in thehi splash in the deepest part of the muddy sluit Here I may remark that, as his shi+ns are the weakest, a Hottentot's head is by far the hardest and erous part of him

Indeed it seems to partake of the nature of a cannon ball, for, without more than temporary disturbance to its possessor, I have seen a half-loaded wagon go over one of the delivered this home thrust Hans bolted round a corner and disappeared, while I waited tre to see what happened to his adversary To my relief nearly a minute later he crept out of the sluit covered withater and hobbled off slowly down the street, his head so near his feet that he looked as though he had been folded in two, and his hands pressed upon what I believe is hter Often I have heard Hottentots called the lowest of ood friends to those who treat the

By the time I reached my house and had filled my pipe and sat myself down in the dilapidated cane chair on the veranda, that natural reaction set in which so often follows rejoicing at the escape froer It was true that no one believed I had cheated theold mine, but how about other matters?

I mused upon the Bible narrative of Jacob and Esau with a new and very poignant sympathy for Esau I wondered ould becoinal, prospered exceedingly as a result of his deal in porridge, and, as thought I, probably would his artful descendant who so appropriately bore his name As ahis talents in mind I think it probable that, like Van Koop, under some other patronymic he has now been rewarded with a title by the British Governe in the shape of worthless but dearly purchased shares, after labouring hard at the chase of the golden calf, while brother Jacob had got my inheritance, or rather ns upon the shi+p and sniggering as he thought of the shareholders'with me in the chair Well, he was a thief and would run his road to whatever end is appointed for thieves, so why should I bother my head more about his