One morning about thirty-five days after his arrival in London he
received a cable from McGregor announcing the arrival of the "Pallas" at
Melbourne and saying he would sail again in four days. Then Sedgwick made
his final preparations for departure. He sent full plans for a house to
his brother, with directions where to build. He obtained a promise from
Mrs. Hazleton that she would not desert Grace during his absence, and
from Jack that he would not try any prosecutions to obtain his money
from the old men until his return, explaining that he had made his
arrangements in America, and was then going to see that African mine and
work it if it would do.
His wife knew where he was going; the others except Jack, believed he
meant to return to the United States. He told them he had a little
business in Paris and would this time take a French steamer.
Grace worried more over the second parting than she had over the first.
She cried a good deal and was much distressed. But it was over at last,
and Sedgwick was gone. He did stop over a few hours in Paris, made an
arrangement which he desired to with the Bank of France, then speeded on
to Marseilles, caught the Imperial steamer, sailed over the same route as
before to Port Said, and there embarked on exactly the same steamer that
he and Jordan sailed for Port Natal in seven months before.
He was twenty days from London to Port Natal. Jordan was at D'Umber
waiting his coming, and the joy of the meeting was immeasurable. When
they became calm, Jordan said: "It war a good while, old friend, but I
knowed as how y'd cum."
CHAPTER XXIV.
DEALING IN MINING SHARES.
The presence of Sedgwick in London greatly excited and alarmed Jenvie,
Hamlin and Stetson. That mysterious American had returned, and all
confidently expected each day to be served with a notice of with a suit
or a warrant of arrest. But finally it leaked out that he had bought a
home in Ohio and ordered a house built, sending the plans from London,
and as day after day passed and no sign was given, they gained courage,
and when Sedgwick once more left England, as they supposed for America,
they grew jubilant again. The firm was now Jenvie, Hamlin & Stetson.
Their business was prospering, and they all realized that the way to make
money was to have money to use, and the prestige which the command of
large means gives.
About a week after Sedgwick's departure they were seated in their private
office one morning congratulating themselves, when the former owner of
'The Wedge of Gold' was announced.
"We cannot afford to snub the origin of our fortune," said Jenvie; "show
him in." This man's name was Emanuel. He was a Portugese. On this morning
he presented a seedy and dissipated appearance, as though he had been
enjoying his fortune too rapidly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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