gnificant value to
be carried with him? Ariel, who was a much better expert than he,
carefully selected the choicest until she was burdened with all she
could conveniently carry. He filled his pockets and thrust others into
every receptacle at command. The partially emptied cartridge-belt was
made to do duty as a casket, and it is safe to say that no similar
contrivance was ever laden with a tithe of the riches that particular
one held.

"Ah," reflected the young man again and again, "if only the Professor
and Long were here to help me!"

But there came the time, all too soon, when he was forced to admit that
it was useless to attempt to carry more. He had the wealth of a prince
about his person, and yet the storehouse showed no diminution of its
boundless supply, which was enough to burden a regiment of soldiers.

Gold, the most precious of all metals, for which men delve and starve
and toil and die, still lies hidden in immeasurable masses, in
unsuspected places, screened perhaps by a thin sheeting of earth, over
which thousands have tramped, never dreaming of the boundless riches
just beneath their feet. And rubies and diamonds strew the bottom of
the ocean or scintillate within caverns and caves, as they have shone
and gleamed through ages, still waiting for the fortunate miner or
explorer to bring them to light and the gaze of an admiring world.

"If I ever live to get away from this spot," added Ashman, when he
ceased his wonderful garnering, "I will bring a force here; I can
afford to make it irresistible by King Haffgo, for every one of the men
can take away a fortune and leave more than enough for these
barbarians."

"I can take no more," he said, turning his flushed face upon the
radiant countenance just behind him; "King Haffgo will never miss
these, but when I carry you to my distant home, Ariel, where I shall
cherish and love you forever, these diamonds will bring us such wealth
that we shall never know the meaning of want; every luxury that
affection can dream of, or heart can crave, shall be yours."

"The greatest luxury my heart yearns for," said she softly, "is _your_
love."

"And that you have now," he replied catching her in his arms and
straining her to his heart.

"I am sure of it," replied the happy maiden, resisting no longer the
ardent embrace of him whose affection seemed to grow with every passing
hour.

"All that I pray heaven to grant is the opportunity to prove to you
that