James D. Hague 



genuine, the inevitable laws of Nature 

 must have carried them ; with the 

 further observation that the ant-hills, 

 built of small pebbles mined by the 

 ants, which were found to bear rubies 

 on their surfaces or in penetrating 

 holes (artificially made with a small 

 stick), invariably showed in close 

 proximity the storm-worn footprints 

 of mankind, while other anthills, with- 

 out such sign of human tracks and 

 not pierced by any artificial holes, 

 were also without rubies or precious 

 stones of any sort. Thorough in- 

 vestigation, following the lines indi- 

 cated by these suspicions, soon proved 

 beyond any doubt that some design- 

 ing hand had " salted " the ground 

 with deliberate fraudulent intent. 



This disclosure created a great 

 sensation in this country and in Eu- 

 rope, whence evidence was soon forth- 

 coming that the stones used in the 

 salting had been bought in large 



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