Therefore there could not have been selected a better equipped expert, so far as the financial world knew, to settle finally the existence of the diamond fields. Mr. Janin was interviewed. He was a man of big affairs, whose time was well occupied. But he agreed to make the examination provided the time to be consumed did not exceed a month. He was also a very high-priced professional. His best terms were $2,500 cash, all expenses paid, and a right to take up 1,000 shares of the stock at a nominal price. I may add here that Mr. Janin later on sold his stock, while the excitement was in full bloom, for $40,000. Mr. Lent rebelled and protested against this arrangement as excessive, but was overruled. He and I afterwards purchased Mr. Janin’s stock. At this stage of the proceedings Arnold became restive. He said he was placing his property at the mercy of others without proper security, that what he had received was a trifle compared to the value he was about to disclose and that he must have a further guarantee in cold cash. He named a hundred thousand dollars as the amount that must be paid down, but agreed to let it remain in escrow, pending Mr. Janin’s report. Some quick writing went on between Mr. Lent and Mr. Ralston, as the result of which the latter transmitted the amount by telegraphic order; Mr. Lent holding the diamonds appraised by Tiffany at $150,000 as a further and final security. This was not exactly according to program, but the transaction was fairly business-like and did not present itself as a hold-up. All our arrangements and differences in New York were settled in a very brief space of time and we set out in high spirits on the way to the mysterious diamond land. The party consisted of Henry Janin, General George S. Dodge, Alfred Rubery, myself and Arnold and Slack. CHAPTER XXVIII. DISCOVERERS OF FIELD OF DIAMONDS FINALLY LEAD THE PARTY OF INVESTORS TO THE SCENE OF WONDERFUL FIND. _Pick Turns Up Many Fine Gems, and Expert Grows Enthusiastic as He Figures Out the Profits._ Our friends in San Francisco had, of course, been advised by wire of our transactions and movements, including the date of our departure. We had not journeyed far before we received on the train a telegram that George D. Roberts and a considerable party were on the way to join us to visit the diamond fields and would meet us, if I recollect aright, at Omaha. Here again, Arnold absolutely rebelled. He had kept all his engagements, he said. The diamonds had been appraised by an expert of our own selection. He was now on his way with the mining engineer chosen by us and with the appointed representatives of the San Francisco interests to exhibit the diamond fields and permit any kind of examination we wished to make; but he was not willing to expose his hand to the whole world until other business arrangements were complete.