"Hark at him! He does mean it--he must mean it, unless we can bring him to his senses, West.

You will help me, won't you ?" "How can I tell till I know what it's all about?
What's the quarrel, Ingle ?" "Ask him," answered the young man addressed, frowning.
"Very well, then; I'll ask him.

What's the row, Anson ?" "I have hardly patience to tell you, West," was the reply.

"But I suppose I must, though it makes my face burn with shame." "Humph!" grunted Ingleborough.
"Then it is something you are ashamed of ?" said West quickly.
"Me?
Oh no, West; I'm not ashamed.

I've nothing to be ashamed of: only being accused by a fellow-clerk, a brother-clerk, I might say, of doing a terrible thing." "And did you ?" said West sharply.
"I?
Good gracious, no! I was out in the main street about half-an-hour ago, being of course interested in the news, when I saw a couple of Kaffirs talking, and it made me wonder what would become of them if it came to fighting, and I naturally enough asked the poor fellows whether they'd stay in Kimberley or go back to their own country." "Well ?" said West, for the speaker stopped.
"Well, that's all as far as I'm concerned," said Anson; "only just then Ingleborough, who is never happy without he's mixing himself up somehow with the police folk, and who must have been watching me in a miserable underhanded way, suddenly pounced upon me; and you'll never believe it, my dear West, he actually accused me of illicit-diamond-buying from the Kaffirs." "And that means very severe punishment," said West.