no doubt about it that on at least two
occasions, irrespective of Ancram's yarn about him, he--well, er--caved
in. Yet now he's as cool and collected as a cucumber."

"'M--yes. A collected cucumber," said Isard.

"Oh, don't be an ass, Isard. Now, I wonder if it's a case of the nigger
lion-tamer who used to stick his head in the lion's mouth every evening,
but when some fighting rough threatened to take it out of him he ran.
That cad wouldn't have gone into that lion's cage even, let alone stick
his head into the brute's mouth. No, I expect we are all funksticks on
some point or other. What?"

"Perhaps," said Isard frostily, not in the least agreeing. Outwardly he
was a tall, fine, soldierly man, looking well set up and smart in his
uniform and spurs, and `Jameson' hat. He had a bit of a reputation for
`side,' and now he little relished playing second fiddle to a man he
esteemed as lightly as he did Lamont. "I don't know that the fellow's
yarn isn't all cock-and-bull and mare's-nest," he went on. "You see,
it's in his interest to pose as the saviour of Gandela."

And he clanked out, not quite so convinced of what he preached, all the
same.

"Say, Mr Lamont," grinned the bar-keeper, as he and Driffield entered
the hotel, "I'm afraid you won't be able to pull off that scrap with Jim
Steele to-day. He's much too boozed."

"Is he? Oh well, I really can't be expected to hang about Gandela
waiting till Jim Steele condescends to be sober again. Now can I? I
put it to anyone."

"Certainly not," said Driffield. "You've given him every chance."

A murmur of assent went up from those in the room, with one or two
exceptions. These, charitably opined, though they did not say so, that
it was `slim' of Lamont putting off the affair, knowing what sort of
state the other man would be in for the next three days at least.
Lamont went on--

"He can take it on any time he likes. For the matter of that he can
come out to my place and have it there. I'll put him up for the
occasion. Peters 'll see fair play. What more can I do!"

It was agreed that the speaker stood vindicated.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

FIRST BLOOD.

Peters was fossicking away at his shaft sinking, rather as if nothing
had happened, yet all the while he was thinking out the situation from
every side.

For a good deal had happened, and that since the averted tragedy of the
race meeting. True to his word Lamont had made another visit to
Zwabek