alluvial gold indeed, but Leonard knew to-day that it was not in the
earth, but in the veins of quartz which permeated the mountains, that
the real wealth must be sought for, and how could he extract it from the
quartz without machinery or capital? Besides, his Kaffir servants had
deserted him, worn out with hard work and fever, and there were
no others to be had at this season. Well, it was only one more
disappointment; he must go back to Natal and take his chance. At the
worst he could always earn his living as a transport-rider, and at the
best he wearied of this search for wealth which was to build up their
family afresh.

Then of a sudden Leonard remembered what he had promised--to go on
seeking till he died. Very good, he would keep the promise--till he
died. And he remembered also that curious prophecy to which Thomas had
given utterance on the previous night, that prophecy of wealth which
should come to him.

Of course it was nothing but the distraught fancy of a dying man. For
many years his brother had brooded over this possibility of gaining
riches, not for their own sake indeed, but that it might be the means
of restoring the ancient family, which their father had brought to shame
and ruin. It was not wonderful in a man of his excitable temperament
that at the hour of his death he should have grasped at some vision of
attainment of the object of his life, though by the hand of another.
And yet how strangely he had looked at him! With what conviction he had
spoken! But all this was beside the point; he, Leonard, had sworn an
oath many years ago, and only last night he had promised to continue to
observe that oath. Therefore, come good or ill, he must pursue it to the
end.