“Quite,” answered Onrai, “and the field which you see here is but a continuation of the field directly back of the villa. We were just too late, or we might have had this scene closer at hand.”
“It is indeed too bad,” said Mr. Graham, “but it has lost none of its beauty by having the volcano’s light thrown on it.”
Mr. Bruce here stooped and picked up one of the twinkling stars; it was about the size of a hen’s egg and almost the same shape; rough on all sides but one, this being polished to a brightness which was hard to account for.
“Can you account for this smooth side,” asked Mr. Graham, as he walked up to Mr. Bruce with another diamond very much like the one he had picked up.
“I have been trying to solve the riddle,” replied Mr. Bruce, “and can only offer one solution of the mystery. These stones probably have been thrown from the bowels of the earth by the last eruption of the volcano. How many years, or thousands of years ago this has been, we cannot say, but since that time a part of these diamonds have been exposed to the storms and all kinds of weather. These have gradually polished the stones until they have reached this state of smoothness. You will notice that the polished side is somewhat flatter than the others, and as this side is always turned upward, I think these things but emphasize my theory.”
“I can only interpose one objection to your theory,” said Mr. Graham, “and that is, that diamonds are so hard that it is a question as to whether the wear of the elements would affect them at all.”
“The dropping of water for long has washed away great cliffs, has bored holes in monstrous rocks, and why should diamonds alone be proof against this influence?” argued Mr. Bruce.
“I do not say that they are,” replied Mr. Graham, “and I am willing to accept your explanation for the want of a better one.”
“They are diamonds, I think, without a doubt,” said Mr. Bruce.
“If they are not,” said Mr. Graham, “then we have discovered a jewel, the brilliancy of which is superior to that of diamonds, and there lies about us fortunes,—thousands of fortunes.”