p,
remembered he had no revolver with him, and turned pale and red in
confusion.

By this time the loud voices and talking at the door had brought the
remainder of the men upon the scene. Those who had already passed into
the shaft left their work and came up behind Talbot in the tunnel; those
in front pressed a little nearer. Talbot stood now completely surrounded
by the crowd of rough working men. Marley's adherents were in full
force. He was quite alone. He did not glance round them. He did not
think of himself, nor of his own danger should two or three of them back
up their fellow and commence to hustle him. He felt nothing but a cool
though intensely savage determination to subdue this burly brute, to
defend his position and title, though it cost him his life.

"There can be only one boss here," he said coldly, as Marley hesitated
before him. "If you are not satisfied who it is, go to your cabin and
get your six-shooter, and we will settle it here on the dump."

There was a movement and a murmur of satisfaction amongst the men. Now
this was coming down to business and giving them something they could
understand. Here was a man willing to defend his rights in a good,
square stand-up fight on the spot, and they one and all agreed in their
own minds that he was the right sort. They glanced at Dick expectantly,
and some said to themselves he weakened. They were not going to take
sides with either party. One of the men was their friend and
fellow-worker, the other was their employer. The two had a difference,
and they could settle it between themselves. They had no business to
interfere. All they had to do was to stand round and see a square fight
and "with'old their judgment," as they said afterwards, talking it over
in the bar of the "Pistol Shot." They waited, and Dick hesitated. He
felt his opponent's eyes upon him; he glanced round the men, they were
watching him.

"Fetch your six-shooter," commanded Talbot again, with increasing
sternness, and Dick, feeling he must do something, nodded sullenly and
turned away towards his cabin. He strode up the incline in the direction
of the miners' dwellings, and Talbot, whose brain seemed to himself half
splitting with nervous, angry excitement, began to pace up and down a
short length before the door, waiting for him to come back. He did not
order his men away, and they stayed in their places.

The excitement was intense amongst them as they waited; not one of them
shif