and the _Times_," he said, handing the various
papers out to his subordinate. "Begad, there's not one of ye knows the
expinse of k'aping a great paper loike this going, forebye the brains
and no profit at the ind of it. Here's the _Post_ and the _News_. If
you were men you'd put in an advertisement ivery wake, whether ye needed
it or not, just to encourage literature. Here's the _Cape Argus_--it'll
be in here whativer it is."

With great deliberation Mr. Hector O'Flaherty put on a pair of
spectacles and folded the paper carefully round, so as to bring the
principal page to the front. Then he cleared his throat, with the
pomposity which is inseparable with most men from the act of reading
aloud.

"Go it, boss!" cried his audience encouragingly.

"'Small-pox at Wellington'--that's not it, is it? 'Germany and the
Vatican'--'Custom House Duties at Port Elizabeth'--'Roosian Advances in
Cintral Asia' eh? Is that it--'Discovery of great Diamond Moines?'"

"That's it," roared the crowd; "let's hear about that." There was an
anxious ring in their voices, and their faces were grave and serious as
they looked up at the reader upon the steps of the office.

"'Diamond moines have been discovered in Roosia,'" read O'Flaherty,
"'which are confidently stated to exceed in riches anything which has
existed before. It is ginerally anticipated that this discovery, if
confirmed, will have a most prejudicial effect upon the African trade.'
That's an extract from the London news of the _Argus_."

A buzz of ejaculations and comments arose from the crowd. "Isn't there
any more about it?" they cried.

"Here's a later paper, boss," said the little Kaffir, who had been
diligently looking over the dates.

O'Flaherty opened it, and gave a whistle of astonishment.
"Here's enough to satisfy you," he said. "It's in big toipe and takes
up noigh the whole of the first page. I can only read ye the headings,
for we must get to work and have out a special edition. You'll git
details there, an' it'll be out in a few hours. Look here at the fuss
they've made about it." The editor turned the paper as he spoke, and
exhibited a series of large black headings in this style:--

RUSSIAN DIAMOND FIELDS.

EXTRAORDINARY DISCOVERY BY AN ENGLISHMAN.
THREATENED EXTINCTION OF THE CAPE INDUSTRY.
GREAT FALL IN PRICES.
OPINIONS OF THE LONDON PRESS.