nd
looking, as they thought, entrancingly lovely as she stood there, with
the pale moonbeams falling full on her.

Then she turned to go in, but as Euchre Buck stepped forward with an
admonishing cough, she waited and looked round at him.

"Miss," said he, holding out a big revolver in his hard fist, "you take
this yer gun, an' ef any one whistles, or otherwise disturbs you, let a
hole into him straight away, an' we'll see him buried decent."

But Miss Musgrave courteously, and with profuse thanks, refused the
offer, and, saying that she had perfect confidence in all who were
around her, gave Euchre Buck a bewitching smile, went inside, and closed
the door after he.

Then the diggers returned to Gustav Werstein's American Bar and
discussed the new arrival.

"I known Noomarket an' Hascot an' Hepson, an' all the places where
swells goes in England," said Jockey Bill, enthusiastically; "but never
one come there as pretty as she, stop my license if ther' did."

"Grand eyes, hain't she?" said Tommy Dartmoor. "Regular fust-water 'uns.
Here's to 'em!"

"And-a-hoof! See it peep below her gownd. S' welp me ef it wer' es big
as my 'bacca-box!"

"An' 'er close, gentlemen! Made to measure, every thread on 'em, I
allow."

"She's a lady, boys," exclaimed he who had offered to see after a
funeral, "a reg'lar slap-up, high-toned, blow-yer-eyes-don't-touch-me
lady; an' as she sees fit to do the civil to this fellar"--striking
himself on the chest--"he's just going to drop his professional name,
an' arsk yer to call him Mister Samuel K. Gregson, Esquire. Play on
that."

Next morning the inhabitants of Big Stone Hole were startled by reading
this announcement outside the cabin which Dan had resigned to Miss
Musgrave:

SINGING AND MUSIC TAUGHT.
LITERARY WORK DONE.

It was printed on a card, which was affixed to the door by means of a
drawing-pin, and from within came the sound of a contralto voice singing
to a guitar accompaniment. One by one the male residents of Big Stone
Hole drew near to that iron-roofed hut and stopped to listen; but after
commenting on the innovation in gleeful whispers--for guitar had never
twanged in that part of Africa before--they moved on to their work. No
consideration could cause them to neglect that. They might fritter away
the dull, rough gems when they had found them, but the lust of handling
diamonds once was the strongest passion they knew. And so the day's
toil was not curtail