CHAPTER XL.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1583, 26 August 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

CHAPTER XL.

Sniggle Snickers and Obadiah said little as they were driven to the Hesperus Extended. They were too much occupied with their own thoughts. ( It is not diilicult to guess what Obadiah ,was thinking about, aud the cogitations of Sniggle Snickers will fchow themselves hereafter. So they passed rapidly through the city of Gi'ifc. As they went by the Busy Bee Obadiah glanced out of the cab and saw that the pavement was blocked up with men eagerly buying and helling — nay the ciowd was well out into the middle of the street. The gas binned fiercely , the bais were full, and it was evident there was groat excitement. There was a constant stream of clerks up to, and down from the Telegraph office, where the operators were busily sending messages about scrip nil over the country. It svas about half-past eight o'clock, and Obadiah knew that action must bo prompt. "The market has been excited to-day ?" ho queried. "Excited!" replied Sniggle Snickers, " that's not the word. Why, the people are mad, mad as March hares. Never saw such a thing. Hesperus going up like rockets." "We'll have- them down like a stick, won't we ?" said Obadirih, with a chuckle. "Easy," replied Sniggle Snickers. "You know I've kept the men going as you told me to, .and we've fouud out something." " Jack's bought heavily," said Obadiah . "I believe you," replied Sniggle Snickers, " Why there's five brokers buying for him, and when he • comes down tonight he'll have to sign cheques enough to fill a hand basket. You've sold ?" " Every share,"' was the reply. " You cau buy them cheap enough tomorrow," said Sniggle Snicker*. The two men now relapsed into silence. In a -few minutes they were at the Hesperus Extended. The crushing, machinery was in full swing, and the steady thump of the stampers almost deafened them. The wrenching and clanking of the cages as they came up and went down added to the din. " Crowds havd been over here to-day, ?' said Sniggle Sniokeis, "but I wouldn't let them go down. . I fetched' them with the specimens." Jumping out of the cab the two men walked to the mouth of the abaft, and, ' after a few words with the men, they stepped into' a cage, wh'cb. at once began to descend. With them was the' captain of the shift. It was not long before the cage grated the;bottom of the sh?tft, and then Obadiahand Sniggle Snickers ,went into the drive. The trucks were running to and fro. From the distance came thu Kouuds of the drills, and jmt -before they had "come down the mine had been shaken Uy an explosion —a shot haying been let off: " >;• ' ' .

I Obadiah and , Sniprgle Snickera examined the level and then returned to the flat. ,i 's ' , "Well, 1 are- you satisfied?" ' asked Snigcle Snickers. ' ' , r 'ii.'jf w ■ ■ " Satisfied !" rbplied Obadirfi^wyea.jJ 'am.%' Every" l sharS/ of tminejS' sold Ithia-night'forjwhaliifc--fetches'.} iyojj> see ?,- 'Sharet* iwUl-.iall in- 1 Grit 1 tormorrow"/like if, SDhere! wa« .avlstrange^lexuldanjt;, look .on < a, SnioKer/l ; iaco^aSi^Ql^ diah; " said j this. '*- He.ev^wen^!so'jfftr;a|jt~o,laugh.^ < pfe?%hV,a)kßa^Mii%ckjnglyfe|ir^ ; |<M^oP%Mfi| ? pliedt^^,^

his companion's face. But Obadiah did not perceive it. Sniggle Snickers was too small a personage for him to notice, The cab drove up to the office of Pennitoe, which was situated at some distance off the Busy Bee. Heie Obadiah bade Sniggle .Snickers good- bye for a little while and walked into the office. The latter stood ontside for a few minutes. "' He thinks he's clever," said Sniggle Snickers, "But I am as clever as he is ; and if he attempts to do anything can't I bring that night when he tried to bury Jack alive against him. And with an eldiitch laugh Sniggle Snickers walked away. ' Mr Pemritoe was in the very height, of business. He had never moved out of that office dining the day, his time being taken up in signing sale notes, while his clerks or subbiokers were buying ami selling under the Busy Bee. He was making up a pay-in slip, the back of , which was filled up with cheque signatures. Such an engrossing occupation, how ever, did not prevent him from at once relaxing when lie beheld Obadia'i, who was a good customer. "You're the man that's making a for,tune," said Obadiah, as he glanced at the pay-in slip. i "Foitune !" said Pennitoe with a frown. "All's not gold that glitters. I make a big haul one day, and then comes a dishonored cheque, and I lose everything I've made. Still there is not much to complain of, not much." "\Yell," said Obadiah, "I'm going to do a big .stroke of business with you. "Right !" said Pennitoe, his face lighting up. "You've done me a good turn by putting that lot of Hesperus Extended in, my hands. You've made a tare lot of money out of them ?" "Yes," said Obadiah ; "I've made so much money now that I've resolved to clear out of Grit. I've seen a capital investment in Melbourne — a block of buildings that will bring me in a cool £10,000 a year, and its to be sold in a few clays ; so I must ,|iow, ma.de. ready to buy it, for there'll be, a lo.t'af^r.j.t-" "You mean ql§j\y,,|P.ut, tjieu,'' sai^l Pennitoe, all atftqiitujm,. ,„ „ 1 " Yos, ", said Qhadi^i , r^ljt, out. Such a chance wpn,',t ocft\Yr,#gq,in,fpr yeais, and property in the lnetropjis, , fa sure to rite." ' "Capital idea;', ',' , saidf P,finni fcpe. But his najtui'dl cautipn^o^camotolris lescue. , ...di "There's nothing. ,w,rong »",he asked, in a whisper. • -> „ "Nothing," said Obadiah; " only what I'm telling you. Perhaps I'm' doing wrong ; perhaps I'm not. However, my mind's made up." Pennitoe was relived. He intended to do the same thing himself by-and-bye, but he wanted to make a little more money first. Obadiah now retired witli Pennitoe into an inner office, and gave him a list of the stocks lie wanted to sell. A somewhat lengthy one it v\ns. As to price lie made no stipulation. He knew Pennitoe would get the highest rates, &c. and having finished this business, lie quietly bade his biokei- good night. M r Pennitoe was now on the alert, and at once, set his elerksUnd sub-brokers to work. Obtidiah stood outside for a few minutes before he turned the. corner to enter into the yortev. Suddenly a lady uistled past him. She was diessed in satin. He had only one glance at her face, bat in a moment he rccogni&ed her. It was Prudence. The next moment she had mingled with the crowd, and was lost. Mr Obadiah Sweetcomfort did not run or shout, or do anything rash ; he simply stood still and -whistled. " Safe," said he, witli a laugh. " Why I don't know how it is, everything is going just as> I Awuit it to go. Surely the devil must be in it. To think she'd come right into the lion's den ! And she's made good use of the money, too." He passed over to the middle of the street, and looked at the animated crou d with keen interest. "To think," said Obadiah." that I have power over this mass of humanity : that I can with one "\\oid blast their hopes, and rum two-thirds of them."' He smiled like a demon. Glancing around, Obadiah noticed that the night, which had been starlit, was becoming gloomy. A dark cloud was rising in the horizon, out of which ever and anon came flashes of lightning, and the distand tumbles of the thunder was occasionally heard. To him this seemed like the prelude of the storm that was gathering over Grit. "Only a word," he nmrimii'ed» resuming the current of his thoughts ; "only a word, and that word a\ ill be spoken. But not yet, not yet. " And lie walked out of the darkness and silence into the glare and bustle of the Beehive.