It was this same gentleman who late in the fall of 1872 made up his mind to have a look at the diamond fields. Notwithstanding all of our attempted secrecy, almost anyone could place his finger on our claims. Not only that, but at least two men, Berry and McClellan, had actually been at the fields, saw the old washings and the tools left by the Roberts party, and it was one of these who guided Mr. King to the spot. Mr. King’s story makes the discovery of the fraud rather a matter of deductive reasoning, whereby little straws of evidence are put together one by one and formed into the nest that holds the egg of proof. It is easier to construct this nest afterwards than before. I heard myself a somewhat different version of the story. In company with Mr. King went a middle-aged German, a sort of cross between a camp follower and a friend. Like a “super” in a great dramatic performance, he did not cut a very large figure. But many years afterward I met him in New York and he told me a very interesting story. On reaching the diamond fields, he said, notwithstanding the intense cold weather, both he and Mr. King began washing for diamonds, and naturally enough found what they were looking for. In fact, the geologist came very near being fooled as badly as anyone else--wanted to leave instantly, and thought of going to San Francisco to have a talk with the directors of the company. But the German gentleman felt differently. He was not overburdened with wealth, had never been in any place before where diamonds could be picked up without even saying, “by your leave,” and he was naturally averse to leaving a place so full of delightful possibilities. So he arranged a brief respite before departure. In the meantime he was washing “dirt” to beat the band and every now and then pocketing a sparkler that he valued at a small fortune. Suddenly he came on a stone that caught his eye and filled him with wonderment. It bore the plain marks of the lapidary’s art. He took it immediately to his principal. “Look here, Mr. King,” he said. “This is the bulliest diamond field as never vas. It not only produces diamonds, but cuts them moreover also.” King grabbed the half-cut diamond. Everything was clear as day. Beyond the peradventure of a doubt the fields were salted. He hunted out evidence that he had overlooked before, and very soon was in possession of proof quite aside from the partly cut gem, that a wholesale fraud had been committed. I am not giving this story as a fact--simply offering it for what it is worth, and certainly without any desire to detract from the great service rendered by Clarence King. Mr. King reached the diamond fields on November 2, 1872. On November 10 he was back to the railroad and sent the famous dispatch--that the company was duped.