I had some knowledge of the prospectors. Arnold generally had borne a good reputation among the mining fraternity. Slack seemed to be a stray bird who had blown in by chance, probably picked up by Arnold because of a marriage relationship. It seemed that they had told a straight enough story. It was impossible to tangle them in any detail. Still I had a general, indefinable doubt, which I expressed in plain words to Ralston.
Before I arrived the men made a proposition that seemed eminently fair. This was an offer to go to the diamond fields and bring to San Francisco a couple of million dollars’ worth of stones and place them in our possession as a guaranty of good faith. Such a tender was, of course, accepted. Slack and Arnold left San Francisco, promising to be back in record-breaking time.
Shortly after I arrived Ralston received a telegram from Arnold dated at Reno, stating that he and Slack were on the way and urging that somebody meet them at Lathrop, presumably to share in the heavy burden of responsibility. After a hurried conference I was asked to meet our emissaries as per request, and they were so advised by wire. At the same time a later conference was arranged at my residence. After my marriage in 1866 I had bought the fine family home of Mr. Ralston on Rincon Hill. There my friends were to await my coming till the overland train arrived.
I had a long wait at Lathrop, but at last the expected overland pulled in. I located the men without difficulty. Both were travel-stained and weather-beaten and had the general appearance of having gone through much hardship and privation. Slack was sound asleep like a tired-out man. Arnold sat grimly erect like a vigilant old soldier with a rifle by his side, also a bulky-looking buckskin package.
Slack soon awoke and we discussed the business in hand in low tones. The men told a rather lurid story, but yet not improbable in its way. They said they had luckily struck a spot which was enormously rich in stones, which they estimated to be worth two million dollars, that these had been done up for convenience in two packages, one for each; that on their way home they found the water in a river they had to cross extremely high, and for purposes of safety had constructed a raft, had nearly been upset, had lost one of the bags of diamonds, but as the other contained at least a million dollars’ worth of stones, it ought to be fairly satisfactory.
Slack and Arnold left the train at Oakland, turning over the sack of diamonds on my bare receipt. It was an awkward, burdensome bundle to handle on the ferryboat. Arrived at San Francisco, my carriage was waiting and drove me swiftly to my home. An eager group was assembled. We did not waste time on ceremonies. A sheet was spread on my billiard table, I cut the elaborate fastenings of the sack and, taking hold of the lower corners, dumped the contents.
It seemed like a dazzling, many-colored cataract of light.