, but the old chap was hot, and that only made him rave
the worse.

"I stood it a minute, and then said, 'Never mind, Miss Rose! You go
within doors, please, and your governor will feel better when he has time
to think.'

"At this he turned upon me, ordered me off the grounds, and added that if
I did not go at once he would kick me over the hedge. Then I laughed and
said: 'Oh, no, Mr. Jenvie, you certainly would not do that.'

"Something in my voice, I guess, vexed him, for he sprang at me like a
Siberian wolf. He was a big, hearty fellow, about forty years old, and
the blow he aimed at me would have felled a shorthorn. But I knocked it
aside, as he made the rush, which swerved him a little to one side, and
the opportunity was too good. Bless my soul! Before I thought, I planted
him a stinger on the neck, and he went down like a felled ox. And he lay
there for fully a minute. The beautiful girl never screamed or uttered a
word, except, 'O, Jack, I hope you are not hurt!' She had never called me
Jack before, and by Jove, it sounded sweeter to me than a wedding march.
The old chap in a dazed way rose up on his hands. I saw he was coming out
of it, and with a hasty 'Good night, Miss Rose,' I got out of the way. I
went home and told my governor the whole story, and wasn't he mad! Jenvie
was his closest friend, you know, and so he ordered me to go and
apologize to the old barrister. I told him flatly I would not. Then he
ordered me out of the house, and, first bidding mother and sister Grace
good-bye, I left. I had four pounds six, and with it I went down to an
old aunt's of mine in Cornwall. After three days there I met some miners,
had a night with them, which ended by their initiating me into their
clan. Next morning, thinking it over, my better self asserted itself, and
the whim took me to learn the mining business.

"I worked a year, and when off shift I read all the books on geology and
mining that I could find; I found a pamphlet telling me all about this
lode and its possibilities. I had worked steadily and had saved money
enough to pay my way here; I came, and went to work the second day after
arriving on the lode."

"What are your plans, Browning?" asked Sedgwick.

"I have no certain plans," was the answer. "I have just lived on an
impossible dream, you know, of making L5,000, then going back, and if
Rose Jenvie is not married to try to steal her away. If I could make
a good bit of money I would buy a place,