Page:Pictures of life in Mexico Vol 2.djvu/160

136 transparent stone imbedded in a ball of earth. He was about to hurl it indignantly away, when a ray of unusually bright light from the surface of the stone caught his eye: the piece of spar was strangely luminous, he thought; he turned it over and over in his hand broke away the earth surrounding it; and the stone shone more splendidly than ever: it was a diamond of most unusual size, and of the most dazzling brilliancy!

He threw down his pick-axe, and abandoned himself for the moment to the extravagance of his joy. "At last!" he exclaimed,—"at last, my toils and privations are rewarded; and I shall be enabled to return a rich man to my native city, and to Teresa. Gracious Mother of Heaven! what happiness!" He had the presence of mind to check himself immediate, however, and to cast a hurried glance around to see if he had been observed—well aware that the utmost caution would be required to conceal his acquisition from his fellow-workmen. On turning to look at them, however, he concluded that they were too much occupied with their own labours to have noticed him; and he returned to his tent at dusk under the impression that his emotion