to be a fight between the two
giants taking now the leading parts.

The man with the red beard felt that matters were growing critical for
the accusers, while public opinion was veering round in favour of the
prisoners; and resting one hand upon his hip, and flourishing his pipe
with the other, he took a step forward, his eyes full of menace, and
faced the Cornishman.

"Look ye here, old un," he growled, "I'm a plain, straightforward,
honest man, as has come up here to try and get a few scraps o' red
gold."

"Same here, my lad."

"And I want to know whether you mean all that 'ere nasty, or whether you
mean it nice?"

"Just as you like, my son," cried the Cornishman. "You've told the
company here that my two young friends tried to rob and settle you. I
tell the company that it's as big a lie as was ever spoke."

"Well!" growled the man again, and he looked round at his companions;
"of all--"

"Yes," said the Cornishman, "an out-and-out lie; and I could play the
same cards as you, and show judge here and all of you the mark of your
bullets in one of my young friends' shoulder, and on the other's skull.
But I don't."

"Yes, you do," said the dark man. "Let's see them."

"Hear, hear! Bravo, judge! Right, right!" came in chorus.

"Very good, gentlemen," said the Cornishman, turning calmly to Dallas.
"You show first."

"It is nearly healed up now," said Dallas.

"Hor, hor, hor!" laughed the man with the red beard, "hear him!"

Dallas gave him a fierce glance, and as his captors set him free he
hastily slipped off jacket and waistcoat, before tearing open his shirt
and laying bare an ugly red scar where a bullet had ploughed his
shoulder; and a murmur once more arose.

"That will do," said the dark man. "Now the other."

"I have nothing to show," said Abel. "The bullet struck my cap, and
just glanced along the side of my head."

"Come close under the lamp," said the dark man sternly.

"Better mind your eye," said Redbeard warningly.

The dark man gave him a sharp look, and then bade Abel kneel down and
bend his head sideways.

As he did so a whitish line a few inches long was visible where the hair
had been taken off, and at the sight of this there was a fresh murmur.

"That's good proof in both cases, gentlemen," said the dark man firmly.
"Now, sir," he continued, "what more have you to say in support of your
evidence?"

"This here," cried Redbeard. "I want to know first whether this bully