In Search of an Unknown Race — page 187: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

VAN. 175 rule his business caution. ‘‘ Though diamonds are greatly depreciated in value since the market has become so flooded with South African stones, ” he added, hastily, and with a solemn shake of the head. But Van, who had received a ‘“‘ pointer” or two from Captain McGrath, heard this assertion very tranquilly. When the merchant saw that his visitor knew something as to the value of a clear white stone, he became more placable, and, after some chaffering, a bargain was concluded. ‘‘The only diamonds I have seen like these,” frankly owned Mr. Isaacs, ‘‘were sold me by a remarkably beautiful young girl, accompanied by a female attendant and a colored servant, some three or four weeks ago, and shortly afterward I purchased three more of unusual size and brilliancy from a young man about your own age,” Van had of course expected something of the kind, yet it was not pleasant to know that Flores was dis- posing of Van’s property as though it were his own; and that, unless he could overtake him in time, Van’s entire stock of diamonds might be disposed of in the same way. Flores could easily represent to Ninada that they were some of his own property left in his guardian’s hands by his deceased parents, by way of accounting for his means. For Van felt perfectly sure that Flores would closely follow Ninada up and use every possible means to gain his former friendiy footing. And what more natural to suppose than that the young girl, astranger in a strange land, might gradually lay aside her distrust of hes former Companion ? GoOmMmichooks (E(@) im