Herring, looking flushed and glossy. 'Glorious day, this. Wonderful
discovery, this Ophir. "Thither the tribes go up!" said the prophet,
speaking of this day and the way in which they went into the tent to
their dinner. Come in and have a glass of wi--, of something comforting
but not exhilarating. Come in, my dear lieutenant; there is only the
band there, making clean the cup and the platter, when their betters
have done.'
'No, thank you,' answered Herring, 'I have had an early dinner.
Besides, I must trouble you no longer to style me lieutenant.'
'Why so?'
'Because I have sold out.'
'Sold out! Become a civilian again!'
'Yes. I have things to attend to which demand my presence here. I am
going to work the silver lead.'
'My dear fellow, don't throw money away on that. Take shares in gold.'
'I prefer lead.'
'Herring, is that why you are taking up the mortgages on West Wyke?'
'Partly.'
'You'll never work the lead yourself? You have no experience. However,
we will talk of that another time. Are you likely to be in Launceston
next week?'
'Yes. I shall go there to pay you the mortgage money.'
'Very well. We are going to have a kick about on Thursday--the first
dance in the season. There is a reason: Orange is engaged to Captain
Trecarrel. Will you come?'
Herring thought a while before answering.
'Look here! I will tell that little bleached puss of a missie to expect
you, and put your name down as her partner for the first caper.'
'I will come.'
All at once the Reverend Israel Flamank was seen flying down the valley,
with coat tails expanded like wings, and his white tie loose and
flapping. He was shouting and waving his arms.
What was it? Had he been bitten by a serpent? Had he found a nugget?
When he came up, he was breathless and of inflamed countenance. At
length he gasped--'I have been privileged to discover it?' Then he
paused again. A circle formed round him.
'A do-deka-penta-hedron,' he said. Then seeing the reporters with their
notebooks in hand and pencils pausing in mid-air, and fearing that their
knowledge of Greek surpassed his (he need have entertained no
apprehension), he added simply, 'Solomon's Seal carved on a rock.'
The whole crowd went after him. Here was a wonderful coincidence!
Coincidence! Avast! Conclusive evidence that the servants of Solomon
had worked at this identical place. The symbol of Solomon, the
interlacing triangles, cut in imperishable granite, was there as an
eternal witness to Ophir.
Herring did not follow the troop: he turned to go back to West Wyke. He
was not eager to inspect the 'Dodekapentahedron.'
END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.
LONDON: PRINTED BY
SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE
AND PARLIAMENT STREET