some breakfast: will you have a
snack with me?"

"No, thank you. I'm on business."

"Ah, you are a busy man, Mr Norton; but let bygones be bygones. Have a
snack with me! You're welcome."

"I told you I was on business, Master Anson. Now, if you please, where
are you going?"

"Where am I going?" said Anson warmly. "Why, down south. What's the
good of my staying in Kimberley?"

"I can't answer that question, sir. Where's your pass?"

"Pass? What pass?"

"Your permit from the magistrate to leave the town."

"Permit? Nonsense!" cried Anson. "I'm turned out of the mine offices,
and I'm not going to sit and starve. No one will give me work without a
character. You know that."

The superintendent nodded.

"Perhaps not," he said; "but you are still a suspect, and you have no
right to leave the town."

"I'm not a prisoner," said Anson defiantly, "and I'm going on my lawful
way. What have you to say to that?"

"In plain English, that I believe you are going off to escape arrest and
to carry off your plunder."

"My what? Plunder? Why, it's sickening! Didn't you come to my place
and thoroughly search it?"

"I did search your room, but found nothing, because I believe you had
everything too well hidden. Now then, if you please, what have you got
in your wagon?"

"Nothing but provisions and my clothes! Why?"

"Because of your sudden flight."

"My sudden what?" said Anson, laughing.

"You know what I said, sir. Your sudden flight!"

"My sudden nonsense!" cried Anson angrily. "I have told you why I came
away."

"Yes," said the superintendent; "but I'm not satisfied that this move
does not mean that you have smuggled diamonds here with you to carry to
where you can dispose of them."

"Well, it's of no use to argue with a policeman," said Anson coolly.
"You had better make another search."

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

ANOTHER SEARCH.

"That's just what I'm going to do, Master Anson," was the reply, given
sternly.

"All right," said Anson nonchalantly. "Search away; but, if I was in
the police and had a good tip given me as to where the plunder I was
after had been planted, I don't think I should waste time hunting blind
leads, and letting the real culprits have plenty of time to get away."

"But then you are not in the police, sir," said the superintendent, with
a nod. "So first of all I'll let my men run over you and your Kaffirs."

"Wait till I've lit a cigar first," said Anson, taki