d you, Sydney listen! These other men are
thieves all; they've paid us to salt every patch they've tried, so far!
They brought over a thousand carats of diamonds stolen from Kolman's
Kop to do it with; I know who they bought them from! And Grosman and I
thought they deserved to be robbed, and we intended doing so to-night.
But one of these swine must have thought of the same game, and hid the
stones somewhere. Own up, you cowardly blighters which of you has taken
them where are they? Quick! . . . Keep your distance; Sydney this ain't
your trouble, and if you move again I'll put a bullet through you," he
continued; for Dick was edging near with an idea of making a spring at
the armed and desperate man, "and you, professor, help Grosman. ... I'm
sorry I shot you now, Heinriech! Now then, I want those diamonds quick,
you Jo'burg sharps!"

The four scared men raised their voices in a chorus of protestations,
in the middle of which Dick's eye caught sight of something over Junes'
shoulder that caused him to start involuntarily. About half a mile away
a small cloud of dust was rising. Something or somebody was coming, and
quickly too.

Slight as had been Dick's movement, Junes had noted it, and still
covering the group, he swung his horse round till he could glance in
the direction of the little cloud of dust, through which two horsemen
could now be seen; and the glitter of the sun on their rifles showed
them to be armed men, probably mounted police.

A bitter curse broke from Junes' pale lips. "Police, by God!" he said;
"they're too near or I'd shoot all four of you whining swine. Hell! and
I've killed Grosman for nothing!"

And furiously lashing his startled horse he spurred madly away,
striking savagely with his sjambok at the cowering quartette as he
passed.

"A rifle, a rifle" gasped the wounded man, now plainly dying, and his
ghastly face more awful by the look of terrible vindictiveness it now
wore "shoot at the horse!"

But before a rifle was forthcoming the two mounted police rode into
camp. They were bronzed, burly men, arrayed in a corduroy uniform, with
a wide felt hat bearing a large Imperial crown in gilt as a badge, and
were fully armed with Mauser rifles, revolver and light saber.

"Donnerwetter!" exclaimed the leader, a big sergeant, or wachtmeister,
as they cantered up. "What is this, murder?"

"Murder and there goes the murderer!" said the professor.

"And is it you, Brandt?" he exclaimed, as he