Saturday Evening Mail, Volume 14, Number 19, Terre Haute, Vigo County, 3 November 1883 — Page 6

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THE MAIL

*A PAPER FOR THE PEOPLE.

f^om the Author's Advance Proof .. Sheets.] -Vi i'V U—r-

^Mike, Patchett.

Romance of the Gold Fields.

Br flt L. FABJBON.^

5 Author of "Blade o' Grass," "Grif," "Bread and Gheese and Kisses," "Joshua

Th&rder that the new readers of The Mall mmy have the pleasure of fully enjoying Mr. PSkrJeon'8 new novel, we give below an outline of the chapters published in last week's tame:

The time of the story is that period of delirious excitement when the gold fever was at Its height in Australia. On the evening of toe eleventh of October the clerks In the Melbourne office of Messrs Law A Pardon, famous Liverpool shippers, were enjoying a few hours of breathing time, such as happened at fare intervals between tbe departure of a ship and the arrival of another with its batch mt new emigrants. At eleven o'clock a man presented himself from the gold diggings, gray-haired, with a stoop iu tbe shoulders and a furrowed face, lightened by humorous lines about his mouth and an occasional merry twinkle in his eyes,denoting an orlainally sonny nature. He seemed anywhere between forty and sixty years of age, and his shabby clothes were caked with the clay of the 'diggings.' In his hands he carried a whip bound with bright ribbons, and pinnea to hts coat was a large bouquet of dahlias. He stood ps if debating which of the four •lerks he should first address. Three of the four were young and fresh looking, and the fourth was middle-aged, with a pimply face. This man was addressed as 'Bpotty,' one of the young clerks answered to the name of Horace and the others to Fred and John. 'Spotty' bore a look of dissipation, and carried a llask which he applied to his lips about four times an hour to steady his nerves. Horace was the swell of the four—a very superior young gentleman, well dressed, with ite hands, who went about his duties lan-

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uldly, and contemptuously, patronized the unior clerks, who looked up to him with reverence. 'Hpotty' and Horace had been engaged in various gambling and betting transactions, and no reverence was lost between them. Three oft he clerks being called away Horace and the man with the dahlias were left alone in the office. The stranger made up his mind that Horace could best attend to tals business for him. 'A gentleman,'he murmured softiy, 'every inch of him.' He fntroduced liluiself, 'I'm Mike Patchett, from Pegleg. This here business of mine alnft common business, mind you. We can't worik in the dark.' Mike Patchett had become finmous at the diggings by finding at the foot Of Ironbark Hill three feet below the surface two hundred and twenty ounees of solid gold in the shape of a cross, and near it another •mall cross, weighing between two and three ounces. The 'find' was christened the 'Sacred Nugget.'The smaller nugget Mike Patchett ahooK out of a chamois bag upon the counter of tbe office together with about forty other nuggets of various sizes. The gold digger push to Hi

tied four or live of the larger pieces of gold iorace and begged him to accent of them but the cross, which looked as if it had been tosliloned by the goldsmith's art, he declared was intended for the'prltty neck of a prltty ml.' 'I see it a hanging there,'said Mike Patchett, 'und she a smiling at me with her red lips and wlilto teeth.' There was a wistful ring in his voice as though he yearned for the assurance of a hope iu which he had Indulged. Horace refused the proposed gift and the offer of friendship,but Mike Patchett insisted that his business must be done there and by Horace, and that he must be remembered and ldontifled. 'I'm Mike Patchett and Mlko Patchett's me. I've got* property to alalia in one of your clippers, the 'Pride of the Houth' hourly ex| ected, and I'll have the life oT any man what tries to do me eat of It. IwllK as I'm a living man—I'll have his life.' There was no load passion in bis voice, which was not raised above Its natural level, but he fairly trembled with occlteiuent as he made his declaration. Horace undlstubed by the demonstration, advised him not to excite himself, that no one would take his properly—which Mike Patchett doc tared wits 'the preclousest property that ever crosse the Pacific.' He refused to toll what kind of property it was until all Uiings are fixed, and, said: "the first thing you've got to fix is me.' Horace oould not put the man off, and was compelled to takedown hi writing lil« personal appearanoe, after which Horace intimated that there was other business to attend to. Mike Patchett said: There's penty of time I can wait, If yer've

rain't

anything else to look after, look arter it: for me to stand in your way. I ain't going back to Pegleg till that ship comes in with my property.' When you're ready for me, Mr, Horace.lfn ready tor you. If you •act do What 1 want till shutup time comes, we'll do it afterwards, you and mo together. It's my Intention not to leave yertill it's settled." Horace tacitly accepted the implied •hallenge, while Mike Patchett swinging blmaelf on the top moot pile of boxes, sat there, with eyes fixed upon theyoungrantlenan whom he had taken into his confidence. Horace was no at all angry he oored. And yet to him there wns certain enjoyment in •ae singular proceeding of the man from Peg- **•. Lunoh thlm came, and Horace remarklug that he might be awaj a little later than asual, put on hii hat and left the office. This toritfsynopsls brings the reader to—R^.VJM

CHAP1ER VII. A CARTFUL OF R0SKS.

The moment Horace was outside the •tics be fountl Mike Patchett at his side. He walked on a few steps, and Mike Patchett followed him. He sapped and Mike Patchett stopped. Hia own shadow eould scarcely bare been more faithful.

Horace turned find gaaed at the man. There was nothing in Mike Patchett** manner to wbieh objection could reasonably be takiu, IS was entirely goodbum red. respectful and patient. "Look bow," said ^Horace, with some* thing like distraction in his tone, "you really ought to have more consideration for mo. You have had an opportunity •f judging bow much I bate worry, and bother, aud business in any shape. Ti and honestly, won't another man do1 "Truly ami honestly," replied Mike Patched* ''It's tilt belief that there tint a matt except yob la ill the Australia^ aa I "would trust. Not one. I've seen yer ways, and what I've seen and heerd was not thrown away on me. Setting there on them packing oases in that orice of your'n-—" "You mistake/' interrupted Horace "the office is not mine. It belongs to ether parties altogether. I am merely a subordinate."

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"You can call you reel what yer like, but anybody with arf an eye can see that you're the cock o! the walk. Well, enting on them then packing oases in that there orfice, itcotneacross me that* «n wbo had seryed yer long would grov have such an opinion of yer that lay down his life for yer, if so be there was occasion for it." "It is very good of you," said Horace, feebly, "to express yourself in terms so exceedingly compninentaiy, so altogather inexplicable, and so altogether undeserved. Your business, you say, la important.'* "There aint importanler to all tbe wide world." "And requires attention?" "It does—proper attention, so that nothing thanH go wrong.** "Then cant you see that you are standing in your own llghtT For your own sake, let me urge upon yon to engage a more capable agent." "For my own sake, Mr. Horaea, 1*11 slick to TOO." Having made this declaration. It oocuirsd to Mike Patch** that it had about It aa abominable flavor of

selfishness. "If I could make yer onderstand," he said in the tone of a man who desired it to be known that be was laying himself under a deep obligation, "that I don't want yer to do nothink tat nothink, it'd be a satisfaction to me. A good Mt of what Pimply-faced said about the man from Pegleg—that's me, I'm him—is true. I've got one of the richest claims on the diggings and shares in others that'll turn ont well, and I'm ible to pay and pay handsomely.

ing's iJelieving, ain't it? Ill take yer the bank to show it toyer if yer like. I don't say it as a boast I'm telling the honest truth. I've been that hard up in my that I've had broken stones for a week for a cake pi Cavendish and a few pounds of flou* but now, Mr. Horace, luck's on my side, and I'm on the track of something better than's been dealt out to me tip to now. There's a light a-sUoing here, Mr. Horace." And he touched 'the flowers on his breast with a touch as light as if a child he there. loved were lying ,, "I am deughted," said Horace, to bear it." "You was too high-spirited,." con tinned Mike Patched," to take my nuggets, but that may be because you felt you hadn't done nothink for them. Well and good it was the feeling of a gentleman. A common man such as I am wouldn't have thought twice about it he'd have grabbed, and small blame to him. But when I'm imposing on yer, as I'm a-doing of now, and taking up yer valuable time "No, no," protested Horace, "not valuable—not at all valuable." "It's a different thing, ain't it? I put it to you, not only as a gentleman, but as a fair man, who wouldn't take advantage of another man, ain't it comfortable for you to accept fifty ounces for doing a service to a stranger?" "Why," exclaimed Horace, in helpless amazement, "that would be working for money, and earning it!" "There can't be no objection to that," observed Mike Patchett "though you mustn't forget that it's me as is the obliged party." "My good man," said Horace, with a pleasant smile, "I will let you into a secret. I never earned a shilling in my life. If I consented to work for it, and took it, it would be a fraud, for it is not possible that I could have earned it. I am really not a working man, but an altogether useless member of society. I congratulate you on your good fortune, and I trust you will go on and prosper but to accept your princely offer would be an act of dishonesty. There are so many better than I, whose services would be valuable to you. Try Spotty, do—like the good fellow that I am sure you are, try Spotty!" "Yer don't mean it!" said Mike Patchett, reproachfully. "I do, I assure you. Try Spotty." "On yer honor as a gentleman," said Mike Patchett, gazing earnestly at Horace's handsome face, "is Spotty the kind of a man as'd act square by another man, if he thought as how the other man bad almost more money than he knew what to do with. Which ain't lur from the truth, mind yer. Is Spotty fair and square? Come, now I'll take yer word for it." "I withdraw Spotty," said Horace, with an ingenuous blush, which brought an approving smile on Mike Patchett's faee ''but there are two other clerks in the office, very decent young gentlemen indeed, with an enormous capacity for business. Try them. They will jump at fifty ounces. Really deserving young fellows, upon my honor." •«No man," said Mike Patchett, "as is a man would doubt yer word when yer put yer honor to it. It's better than a Lord Chancellor's seal. But if them two deserving young fellers wait till I band 'em over ounces, it ain't at all unlikely that they'll wait till they're bloo in the face." "After which statement," said Horace, shrugging his shoulders. "I must—as I have done with your other conundrums —give it up."

So saying, he walked slowly away, followed by Mike Patchett, of whom he took no further immediate notioe.

A few yards up Little Collins street, in the direction taken by Horace and tbe man from Pegleg, a erowd of people bad collected to gaze at a horse and cart. The cart was a digger's cart and the horse was a digger's horse, rough and strong. There was nothing unusual in that carts and horses of that description were common enough and were not at all likely to attract attention. But an attempt had been made—and successfully made—to smarten up this particular horse and cart, and this it was, with another and very pleasant feature in connection with it, that had caused the crowd to assemble.

Strips of cherry-colored ribbon were tied round tbe shafts, and wherever tbey could be conveniently exhibited to tbe horse's ears were attached cherry-colored rosettee its tail was garnished with blue and red silk ribbons and the harness was similarly decorated.

The other and most attraetlve feature was, that the cart was hall-filled with loose flowers, handsome roees being abundant among tbem. Some of these had fallen about the animal's feet, so that it might be said that the animal stood in abed of flowers.

This holiday picture of gladness was an undoubted novelty in the busy thoroughfare, and Horaoe paused to gase upon It.

Various opinions regarding the exhibition were hazarded by the persons standing around. The flowers were for sale, they were not for sale, it was a wedding, or a lucky digger going a-court-lac, or the crazy whim of a man with a bee in his bonnet. These piefBtly all discarded in favor of augg#ition which caoght the fancy of the crowd. It was a christening.

On the skirts of the crowd stood a woman with an infant is ber arms her husband, with a trunk on his shoulders, stood by her aide. They were tewly arrived Iromlgranta.ind had not been ashore half an hour. Tbe child was suckling at the mother's breast, which was decently covered with a colored cotton handkerchief.

It was probably tbe appearanoe of this woman and her child which inspired tbe idea that was achristening. "Yes, yes,** said the other, "it's a christening, that's what it is." "Look among them flowers," said a gold digger with a magnificent russetcolorod beard, "and you'll see tbe babby."

A man raised himself on the spokes of the wheel and peeped into the cart then jumped down and said: "No, mats, there's no baby there."

As the words passed his lips, the interest of the scene was shifted—from the ideal to the real. The woman suckling her child, mention of a baby, bad leant forward, with tbe sympathetic anxiety of motherhood, and retreating a step when tbe man jumped from the wheel, the cotton handkerchief fell to the gTOund, revealing for one moment, to the eyes erf the rough men, a bosom white aa mow.

Tbe woman bhaabed, and ber husband

CMr

It!'*

oked np tbe handkerchief, and covered bosom with U,

Upon the men standing about this incident produced a tender impression. It suggested Home. Not an immodest thought occurred to them. It was as though an angel's fingers had touched their eyes, and. driven all impunity from their minds." "Just landed, mate?" asked one of the crowd, of the husband. "Yes," be answered. "What ship?" "The Neptune." "Good passage?"^ "Ninety-three days. It was a mercy we reached here." "How old is the young 'un?" "Seven weeks." "Only seven, weeks! Born at aea,

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"Boy?" "No a girl." "Lot's have a look at it mate." The mother smilingly uncovered the baby's face, and tbe crowd left the cart and the flowers and gathered around the woman and the Child.

Horace did not join tbem he remained by the cart with its load of flowers. Roses were a greater/attraction to him than babies. "What do ypu think of it?" asked voice in his ear.

It was Mike Patchett who addfessed "Pretty," said Horace, "and in its way, and in such a place as this, singular." /'I'm going to have two bloo fla floating right and left," said Mi!— Patchett, his eyes glistening withdelight. "Oh, it belongs to you!" "Yes, Mr. Horace, it belongs to me."

Although he was speaking to Horace, and be was isolated from the crowd, he had an eye for the woman and her baby, and he moved a little toward them to hear what as being said.

Exclamations of pleasure escaped the lips of the men wbo were gazing on the baby's face and one of them was saying: "What! Landed with only five shillings in your pocket! What's the use of that in this country? Won't buy more tban half a pint of milk and a bottle of stout for the missis. Come along, mates —a good hansel for tbe little 'un!''

He held out his wideawake, and with many a laugh and merry word the man threw coins into it, which the originator of the movement poured into the woman's lap.

Mike Patchett took a double handful of flowers from his cart, and laid them in her gown among the gold and silver. Horace saw this, but he did not know why the people the next moment cried. "Bravo! Bravo! Good for you, mate!"

It was because Mike Patchett bad thrown upon the flowers, a nugget of gold, two or three ounces in weight.

The woman's lips were quivering, and her heart was throbbing with gratitude. Before this adventure, with what fear and trembling bad she looked forward to the morrow, and now how bright and beautiful was tbe future before tbem. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she murmured, as she walked away, carrying baby's hansel of gold) and flowers. "Good luck to you," tbey cried out Editor her. "And to you," she said, turning once more towards them, "good luck, and a mother's blessing!"

Then Mike Patchett and Horace were left alone by the cart. "Do roses grow in your claim on Pegleg," asked Horace, "as well as nuggets?" "No, Mr. Horace, no," replied Mike Patchett. "I bought them flowers this morning, in case 'The Pride of the South' should happen to come in sudden and unexpected." "For Bome person on the ship?"

Yes, for some person on the ship?" "Ratner an expensive fanciy." "That don't matter I can afford ex* pensive fancies." "It is evident. But in what market did you buy them. I had no idea people bad time to grow flowers in such times as these." ,, "No more did but my luck's in. Four miles from here, oh the road to Pegleg, I oome across the prettiest garden you ever clapped eyes on. A woman's work, of course. I stopped my horse and called to her. She started when I asked ber how much she'd take for every flower that was growing there, but she noon found out that I meant it. Fourty pounds I give her, and I helped her cut %m. There's-as many more left as thtirfe is in that cart, and I'm to call for them when I like. If they bring tbe sbadder of a smile to the lips ot one young gal it's money well laia out." "No one would suppdse," said Horace, glancing from the queer figure of the man from Pegleg, "that you were a man of sentiment."

Mike Patchett shook his head. There ain't much sentiment about a common chap like me, leastways as I knows on. Mr. Horace," he said wistfully, "they say money can buy anything. Do yer believe it? Will it buy anything a man sets his lxpart on?" "Pretty! well everything/' replied Horace. "Love?" I "A certain kind ofiove. There's a regular market for it, you know." "Is there, now? I never heed on it before. But I mean the real thing, Mr. Horace." "Ah, ah," thought Horace, "my friend the man from Pegleg is a slyer dog than I gave bim credit for being. He has been' commisioned bv some one,at bome to purchase a wife 'for him in tbe matrimonial market. It is a bride he is waiting for. Wonder if she has seen his portrait! Wonder what she thinks of it! Wonder whether she is a lady. Shouldn't wonder if she was—a lay, ss ladies go. Should not be surprised, bearing in mind the unaccountable affection be has displayed towards me, if be invites me to the wedding and asks me to be his best man. He will offer certainly not less than fifty ounces to gild the pill he will consider ft worth that, I have no doubt. Wbat a chance Spotty has lost! If he knew all he would be ready to bite his tongue off with mortification." And then be said aloud: "The real thing, eh, my man? Tbe genuine article? Really I am not competent to tell you." "If it is to be bought," said Mike Patchett, "not in the market yet mentioned, but according to nature, flowers will go a good way towards it." "Yes, they're fond of flowere," said Horaoe, and fine dresses—" "She can have 'em," cried Mike Patchett, "aa many as she cares for "It is a wife he is expecting," thought Horaoe. '•Perhaps," said Mike Patchett, to whom a new field was opened by the anggestion of fine dresses, "it wouldn't be a bad move to lay in a stock beforehand." "Not at all a bad move. A very sure plan for making youmslf agreeable. They're fond of diamonds, too.'* "She shall have 'em—the finest in Melbourne! Might it so happen that you would have an hour to spare?** "To assist yon in selecting the jewels?" inquired Horace, bantering!/. "Jest so. You'll know what would be likely to please her. I should take it as an oncommon flavor." "My friend,"aaid Horace,with a alight langh, "my business the business of doing nothing particular—is so extraordinarily pi wising and makes such de­

TERRE HAUTE SATOiiiJAY EV.t05ri.tt3- MATT,

mands upon my strength, that I am afraid you must get tbe jewelers to rob you without my assistance. I will, however, from my fresher experience than yottrs, throw out a gratuitous hint—the larger the diamond the deeper the love." "Does that hold good with nateral love?"a8ked Mike Patchett. "How about that?" "Well," said Horace, "how about it?" "There is such a thing, I make bold to sar*" "There may be." "I don't think," said Mike Patchett, meditatively, "as ever in my life I meta man, let alone a gentleman bred and born, who was so tend of pegging of hisself down as you, Mr. Horaoe. You row afelleron easy and amootb,and he don't see a breaker about, when all at once he finds hiaseif in such deep water that it'a as much as he can do to save hisself from being drownded. Im oncommon ignorant, Dut I'm ignoranter than I know myself to be if yer heart and yer tongue don't sometimes pnll different ways." "More enigmaa," muttered Hofraoe. "It's really very trying." "Yer on the gutter, though, when yer speak to Pimply-faoe. "I'D aay that of yer—dead on the gutter. He cant wash out a speck to the tub, but in your washdirt, Mr. Horaoe, the gold's .a Bparkllng from top to bottom. You're looking at them roses: they're as fine as earth can grow and aoo can glisten on. I never saw finer in Kent.' "Are you a Kent man, then?" asked Horace with a slight show of interest. "Yes, sir, Kent's my county,but even in the garden of England they can't grow finer roses than them. Do a favor to an ignorant man and stick one of. tbem flowers in yer buttonhole. Yer won't Well, never mind. But tell me, at least, as the scholard that you are, is there anything in that there turnout as would make it look more blooming?"

Horace gravely contemplated the_cart aright load, get and felt, and a few more ribbons on the

with its bright load, and said "When you get tbe blue flags you spoke of right

horses tail, I should say it would be perfect," Perfect it shall be. Thank yer, Mr. Horace." "I understand you came in it from Pegleg "Every step of the way, Mr. Horace." "And you probably intend to take your presious property back in it." "That's jest wbat I'm going to do."

Horace tftrned to Mike Patchett, with a glimmering idea that the man was not in his right senses but if men who have lost their wits in any way resembled Mike Patchett as he appeared at that moment tnere vwould be no need for lunatic asylums, for there wero tears in biB eyes and in his face an expression yery sweet and human.

CHAPTER VIII. HORACE 18 CONQUERED.

Now, as these two men stood gazing at each other, a curious episode occurred. Tbe simple earnestness of Mike Patchett had produced its effect upon Horace, and a kindly smile upon his lips languid self, and that he was capable of tender moods than those which spring from a selfish indifference to the joys and troubles of our fellow creatures. This smile brought a light to his eyes which seemed to ohauge their color, from a soft gray to a luminous blue—as though his soul, suddenly awakened, bad leapt into his eyes to express sympathy for tbe rough man who had, in a measure, lsdd his own soul bare at a stranger's feet. When Mike Patchett saw bis deeper light, he passed his hands across his forehead, and muttered in atone of bewilderment: "Goa Almighty! I do believe as I'm a dreaming!"

He gazed again upon Horace's face, but the light was gone the young gentleman had relapsed into his normal condition of apathy and indifference. "Dreaming!" muttered Mike Patchett. "Yes, sure enough. But how could the fancy ha' got into my head? It's nigh on twenty years ago since I saw that light ana that change of color in another man's eyes—a man as I've the best of all reasons to remember to the last minute of my life. Dreaming! Yes, dreaming—nothing less."

The words did not reach Horace's ears he was walking away while they were being uttered, and Mike Patchett was walking behind, in pursuance of his determination not to leave the young gentleman till his business was done.

Horace's road lay in tbe direction of the Criterion Hotel, where be lunched daily, standing, as be stood now, before tbe bar, which was thronged with busy men, who were restling with their food as they would have wrestled with an enemy whom it was necessary to quickly dispatch. Horace ate more leisurely, and his example was followed by Mike Patchett, who stood behind him, slowly munching a biscuit wbioh be had taken from bis pocket. A waiter passing, Mike Patchett siezed hold of him. "It's worth a orown toyer mate," said Mike Patchett, "to give me yer attention for jest hal, a minute." "Fire away," said the waiter. "What's the best wine you've got in the store—the best gentleman's wine, with a bang-up fl&?" "Can't beat sparkling Moselle, Notwo?" "If it can't be beat, that's the wine I want. Bring me a bottle."

He paid his guinea for it and a crown to tbe waiter, and opened the bottle ex pediouslv, without the aid of a corkscrew. He knocked the neck off with fossicking knife and placed it, bubbling and frothing, before Horace, saying, apologetically: "I hope yer won't refuse, Mr. Horace.

Entering Into the humor of the aituation, Horaoe filled two glasses and handed one to Mike Patchett. "Thank yer, Mr. Horace," said Mike Patchett. "Here's the best of good luck!" and be emptied his glass in one

^JE^race drank but one glass of wine, declining Mike Patchett's invitation to finish tbe bottle, and having eaten his lunch, went into the billiard room. There were tour tables, all engaged, and tbe room was filled with amateur and professional gamblers. At one of the tables a game of paol had jnat been decided ana another was bring formed. "Take a ball?" asked the marker of Horace, wbo was known to him as a regular mid-day patron of the room.

Horace nodded indolently, and selected his cue. "Any other gentleman coming in?" called ont tbe marker. "Put in a ball for me." answered a player at an adjoining table.

It was a foreigner wbo spoke his English was perfect iu a gramatical sense it was only bis accent and bis appearanoe which betrayed his nationality. A swarthy, handsome Italian, with an abundance of curly hair on his head, and a very .carefully trained mustache each waxed end of which stuck ont like the tail of a stinging fish. Oocaekmally as be struck tbe ball, and moved from table to table with the accustomed ease of a man to whom this kind of life was second nature, be softly hummed a few bars of an air from /Don Flovanni" or some other favorite opera, with a fall enjoyment and appreciation of tbe mss ter-pleoas with which be waa evidently fanUter.

"Any other gentleman coming in?" called out the marker again. No other gentleman responding, the balls were put in the basket and given out, Horace being red, the Italian yelloW. Between the Englishman and Italian a few words of recognition had passed. "Ah. Horace." said to the Italian, with a certain vivacity. "Still at it, Antonio," said Horace,' with disdainful, indolent intonation. "Yes, yes," said Antonio, with a flourish, and a shrug and a smile. "The time must be killed- You are red, I am yellow- My lives against yours for one little sovereign." "Done," said Horace,prepa/ingto play upon the white.

Mike Patchett leaned against tbe wall, and watched the play. It was a great delight to him to discover that Horaoe waa a fair hand at the game, and every time the young gentleman struck the ball he loudly expressed approval of the stroke, regardless of ita being good or bad. This drew upon him the attention of the players, especially of the Italian, who, pausing between the bars of the shadow danoe from "Dinorah," said smilingly: "He is your hero, onr friend Horace. He plays a fine game. But—that heisa gentleman, ana cases too .little—he might be a profersor. Do you bet?" "What yer like," said Mike Patchett. "Say, then, one little sovereign, my lives against bis. You and Horace shall be in tbe same boat. What say you?" "It's a bet, Italiano," replied Mike Patchett. "If yer win, it'll go towards buying yer an organ." "Yes, eccentric," said Antonio, with great good humor. "If I win, it shall, as you say, go towards my organ and if lose, you shall, with my bright sovereign, purchase one ounce, one little ounce of good manners."

This turned the laugh against Mike Patchett, who himself joined in it, and said: "That's not at all bad for an Italiano. I was in the wrong, mate." "Say no more, say no more," said Antonio, with a magnificent wave of his hand "it is tit for tat, and weareeven."

At the conclusion of this magnanimous speech, he pocketed Horace's ball. "Second life of red," called the marker. "I shall win your sovereign for my organ," said Antonio with a joyous laugh.

Towards the conclusion of the game Horace and Autonio were left in, Antonio still with his three lives, Horace with only one. "Two sovereigns to one you don't divide," said Antonio, to Horace. "Done," said Horace. "And done with me," said Mike Patchett, who would willingly have given a hundred sovereigns for Horace to take the pool. "And done with you, eccentric," said Antonio.

Many bets were made round the table, the odds being two and three to'one on the Italian. Horace, perfect.y cool, played with judgment, and was the first to l&k6 ft lif©« "First iife off yellow," called the marker.

This announcement produced a buzz, in the midst of which Mike Patchett cried: "I'll bet twenty pounds to ten that red divides."

The offer was instantly accepted and the money staked with the marker, Mike Patchett pulling out a bundle of bank notes so bulky and valuable as to cause some of tbe impecunious players to stare at him with envy. "Is be made of money, this eccentric asked Antonio of Horace.

Horace found time to say a word tg Mike Patchett in a low tone. "Don't bet any more on me Antonio can beat me/' "It's my lucky day, Mr. Horace," replied Mike Patchett, "and it don't matter a straw if I lose a hundred or two. I'd give a lot to see yer beat the Italian. (Join, Horace, go in and show the foreigners tbe kind of stuff an Englishmau is made of."

Nevertheless he took Horace advice, out of deference to tbe young gentleman and did not make another bet on tbe game. The excitement, however, had reached fever height, and bets to tbe amount of two or three hundred pounds were made by tbe lookers-on.

They played their best, Horace quiet and self-possessed,

Antonio the gayest

with his operatic remfnls-

of the cencee." In attem Horace left his pocket. "It's all over," who had backed

a difficult stroke over a middle

leefully cried those Italian.

The pocketing of the ball, however, from the position in which tbe Italian's ball was left, required a very delicate stroke and Antonio, measuring it to a nicety with his eye, just managed to overreach himself. Horace's ball went into the middle pocket, and the Italian's went spinning up tbe cushion and fell comfortably into the top pocket. "Division," cried the marker.

There was a great deal of talk and some grumbling as the money changed hands, Mike Patchett's winnings being thirteen pounds. "I told yer it was my lucky day, Mr. Horace," he said, tossing a sovereign to the marker "I'll back yer at pool or aay other gauie agin' tbe world.'' "Don't." said Horace "that's tbe only advice I can give you. Don't. I don't mind losing my own money, butl don't care to lose another man's."

The Italian accepted his defeat in the I spirit. Did I not tell you, eccentric," he said

most cheerful

as he paid Mike Patchett tbe sovereign he had lost, "that, but tbat he is a gentleman, and cares too little, be might be a profeasor."

There not being asuffident number of players for another game of pool, Horace and Antonio played three games of py ramids at a pound a ball, tbe Italian winning the rub and three eovereigoa from Horace.

Having thus agreeably diapoeed of an hour and a half, Horaoe laid aside bis COG, tod I©ft the room. A& h© took his departure the Italian said to him: "See yon to-night at the Bull and Moutb?" "I shall most likely drop in," said Horacs. "Come, Mr. Patchett, I'm off to the offioe, and as yon are determined not to leave me, we'll finish your business for you there."

Mike Patchett nodded, in satisfaction, and followed Horaoe to Little Collins street. The cart, with Its load of flowers, was still there, and Horaoe lingered a moment. ..... .. •*'You don't seem to be afraid," be said, "ofyourborae running away." "He's got the sense of a man," said Mkft Patchett, laying his arm over the bom. ~tk, "ana the gratitood of twenty There ain't a animal in tbe 1 world, Mr. Horace, aa don't know when he's well treated.

Tbere was something so winning in hia manner tbat Horace was fairly conquered. Stopping, he picked up a roae from tbe ground and put it in his coat. «It waa churliah of me to refuse, be said, "when you aaked me to take a ^°«Mr." Horace," aaid Mike Patchett, with grave sweetness, "it sin»t much ss has psssed atween you sad ma, bat I •bovld be the ongratef allest of men if I

didn't feel that you've laid me under ar obligation for life—yes, Mr. Horace, fo life. It's little

things,

that tells what

sort of stuff a man Is made of. I'm almost bold enough to arks yer another favor." "I hope it's not another conundrum,, or anything that will entail exertion. But don't be afraid ask." "I don't care about unfolding my business afore Pimply-face 1 don't trust him that's why I waited in your orfice till you and me were alone. Them other two young fellers may be all very well in their way, but I don't intend to have^ nothing to do with them. Let's have" our talk out in some other place "Now?" "Yes, now." "Not to be done I am overdue at the offioe, and although I am a perfectly useless piece of lumber in Messrs. Law A Pardou's establishment, it would be a. breach of duty for me not to put in an appearance during certain hours of the day. It's little enough to do to putin an appearance, and I am willing to admit that I don't do much more. But that is not my fault. It is the fault of my constitution. Therefore, you see it is impossible that we can talk elsewhere." "Well, perhaps not this afternoon but this evening or to-night,at any time and in any place you please." "There Is no radical objection you adhere to your original determination not to intrdst your business to any other hands than mine "That is what I must stick to withdoo submission." "It is very foolish of you, but as I am not my own master in the matter, I must submit. 'In for a penny, in for a pound.' WJiere do you put up? "Nowheres. I only come into Melbourne this morning. Slept last night at Femington and drove straight to ver orflce." '•What do you say to coming to my place?" "I should take it as a honor."

"Here is my address, then," said Horace, with a sigh, giving a card to Mike Patchett "I shall oe at home from six till eight."

Mike Patcbett looked at the card with the same deeply studious air with which he had looked at the description of him written by Horace in the office and passed his linger .slowly along the lines. "What's the name of the street?" he asked. "It's not a street," replied Horace "it is Victoria Lodge, St. kilda." "Of course it is. Victoria Lodge, St. Kilda. I'll be there, Mr. Horace I wou't keep yer waiting. Victoria Lodge, St. Kilda. Of course, of course Victoria Lodge, St. Kilda."

He mounted his cart and set his horse going by a flick iu tbe air of his gaily decorated whip and as he wound his way along Little Collins street he waved bis hand at Horace, and cast many a bright look at the young gentleman, who stood idly gazing at him till he was out of sight. He took the road to the seaside, and the jolting of his cart caused bis progress to oe marked by a line of flowers. The bare track before him and the flowered track behind him could soaroely have been typical of bis life, for,if appeariuces went for anything, his past bad been shadowed by clouds and the sun was shining on his future. [TO BK CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.]

THE GREAT

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