True to practice the old witch doctor consumed the organ in the course of his
divinations.
At last, Kandowere was in control of the entire camp. He instilled fear as stick
and gave money as carrot.
And here was all the money to come from?
From the mines below the farm which were now producing stones in such
quantity as to fill the mummy’s cavity by the end of each season, marked by the
arrival of the big rains which caused treacherous flood waters to flow through
the rude shafts sank into the ground by peasant farmers turned miners.
One such delivered to Kandowere a stone that was too big for the mummy to
swallow; a gemstone over two kilograms in weight, the equivalent of 10,000
carats; a ruby the size of a red grapefruit. This was the stone that was to gain
notoriety, being the subject of press coverage across the globe.
It gave Kandowere many sleepless nights which was rare for the camp rooster
who nearly always went quickly to sleep with a smile on his face.
He decided never again to accept gems too big for Kokopoulos to swallow,
leaving others to dispose of stones of such parameters. He concentrated on the
routine and the routine brought him wealth, health and happiness.
