looked up to.

"What do you think about this report?" he asked, in a confidential
voice. "Do you imagine that it will affect prices in Africa?"

"Affect prices! My dear sir, if it proves true it will ruin the African
fields. The mere report coming in a circumstantial fashion will send
prices down fifty per cent."

"As much as that!" said the merchant, with an excellent affectation of
surprise. "I am anxious about it, for my boy is out there. It was a
hobby of his, and I let him go. I trust he will not be bitten."

"He is much more likely to do the biting," remarked Fugger bluntly.
He had met Ezra Girdlestone in business more than once, and had been
disagreeably impressed by the young gentleman's sharpness.

"Poor lad!" said his father. "He is young, and has had little
experience as yet. I hope all is well with him!" He shook his head
despondently, and walked slowly homewards, but his heart beat
triumphantly within him, for he was assured now that the report would
influence prices as he had foreseen, and the African firm reap the
benefit of their daring speculation.

CHAPTER XX.

MR. HECTOR O'FLAHERTY FINDS SOMETHING IN THE PAPER.

Ezra Girdlestone had taken up his quarters in two private rooms at the
_Central Hotel_, Kimberley, and had already gained a considerable
reputation in the town by the engaging "abandon" of his manners, and by
the munificent style in which he entertained the more prominent citizens
of the little capital. His personal qualities of strength and beauty
had also won him the respect which physical gifts usually command in
primitive communities, and the smart young Londoner attracted custom to
himself among the diggers in a way which excited the jealousy of the
whole tribe of elderly Hebrews who had hitherto enjoyed a monopoly of
the trade. Thus, he had already gained his object in making himself
known, and his name was a familiar one in every camp from Waldeck's
Plant to Cawood's Hope. Keeping his headquarters at Kimberley, he
travelled perpetually along the line of the diggings. All the time he
was chafing secretly and marvelling within himself how it was that no
whisper of the expected news had arrived yet from England.

One sunny day he had returned from a long ride, and, having dined,
strolled out into the streets, Panama hat upon head and cigar in mouth.
It was the 23rd of October, and he had been nearly ten weeks in the
colony. Since his arrival he had taken to g