d Anson.

"And never engaged in illicit-diamond-dealing?"

"Me, sir? Never," cried Anson virtuously. "I was only charged by those
two to save themselves! Then they got on, and I was trampled down."

"And joined the Boers out of revenge, eh?"

"No, sir: it was all fate and accident."

"Well, fate is very unkind to us sometimes, my man," said the General.
"That is your wagon and span of oxen, you say?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well, you have prospered by your change. What did you say you traded
in?"

"Provender, sir--mealies and corn."

"And you?" cried the General, turning sharply to West. "What do you
think he deals in?"

"I believe he deals in diamonds, sir," replied West.

"Why?" said the General.

"For one reason, sir, because my friend, in whom I have perfect faith,
caught him in the act."

"Yes: anything more?"

"I know him to be a cowardly liar, sir, and--"

"Oh!" groaned Anson. "I never heard anything like it."

"Go on," said the General.

"Lastly, sir, because he set it about that I had volunteered to carry a
despatch to Mafeking so as to get away with the diamonds I had
smuggled."

"And did you?" said the General.

"I got away to Mafeking with the despatch!" said West, smiling.

"And where are the diamonds in question?"

"My friend and I believe that they are in James Anson's wagon," said
West bitterly, for he felt bitter then against the traitor, whose
proceedings he recalled when they were prisoners. Later on he felt a
little sorry for his words.

"Oh!" cried Anson, throwing up his hands and looking appealingly at the
General, who fixed him with his eyes.

"Well," he said; "what have you to say to this?"

"It's abominable, sir--it's atrocious--it's cruel!"

"Then you have no smuggled diamonds with you?"

"No, sir," cried Anson excitedly. "They charged me once before, and had
my wagon searched by the police."

"And did the police find any?"

"No, sir, not one! It was a blind, sir, so that they might carry off
theirs by throwing the police off the scent. I'll be bound to say they
have a lot with them now!"

"Well, I doubt that!" said the General, smiling. "Where would they
carry them?"

"Oh, sir, you don't know what artful tricks are played!" said Anson
eagerly.

"Oh, I've heard of a few since I came to South Africa; but I don't think
it likely that a couple of despatch-riders would carry many
illicit-diamonds with them!"

"Have the butts of their revolvers examined