Later, however, they became more amenable to reason. They were willing to part with a half interest to gentlemen in whom they had such implicit confidence. When it was pointed out to them that negotiations were impossible, unless the location of the mines was indicated and some kind of an inspection allowed, they offered a rather strange arrangement, which, however, seemed fair enough on its face. By its terms they agreed to conduct two men, to be selected by Ralston and Roberts, to the diamond fields, and allow them to satisfy themselves of the general nature of the find, but with this proviso: that these representatives, after reaching the wild, uninhabitable country, must submit to being blindfolded, both going and coming back. These conditions were agreed to and such an expedition was actually made. I am not certain, but my impression is that David D. Colton was one of the two investigators, being selected by Mr. Ralston as a peculiarly level-headed man of large practical experience. However that may be, the mines were certainly visited and displayed, more diamonds were unearthed, and the party returned with the most rose-colored reports of the genuineness of the properties and their fabulous richness. It was this report that set Ralston and his associates wild. 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.