And never was search more successful or better paid.

In the fragments of the sachet I found six smaller diamonds and a pair of rubies.

Eight large diamonds I found on the floor.

One, the largest and last found, had bounded away, and lay against the wall in the farthest corner.

It took me an hour to run that one to earth; but afterwards I spent another hour on my hands and knees before I gave up the search, and, satisfied at last that I had collected all, sat down on my saddle on the trap-door, and, by the last flickering light of a candle which I had taken from my bag, gloated over my treasure--a treasure worthy of fabled Golconda.
Hardly could I believe in its reality, even now.