Madame Midas

mind, Madame Midas determined to please herself, and take no one’s advice but her own with regard to Vandeloup. She knew if she dismissed him from the mine it would

ife only recoiled on his own head, for the Ballarat folk argued, and rightly, that whatever she did it was not his place to cast the first stone at her, seeing that the unsatisfactory position she was now in was mainly his own work. Villiers, therefore, gained nothing by his attempt to blacken his wife’s character except the contempt of everyone, and even the few friends he had gained turned their backs on him until no one would associate with him but Slivers, who did so in order to gain his own

experience of human nature he would soon be able to make a fortune, particularly as he was quite unfettered by any scruples, and as long as he made money he did not care how he gained it. With such an adaptable nature he could hardly help doing well, but in order to give him the start he required a little capital, so

Marchurst, a grave, quiet man, who was the pastor of a particular sect, calling themselves very modestly ‘The Elect’, was hardly the

that some day they would get married. But nothing was farther from M. Vandeloup’s thoughts than marr

t matrimony; ‘when I am wealthy it will be time enough to think of marriage, but it will

him, and Gaston, who was accustomed to be petted and caressed by women, accepted all her affection as his due. Curiously enough, Madame Midas, lynx-eyed as she was, never suspected the true state of affairs. Vandeloup had told Kitty that no one was to know of t

unsuspecting husbands, and on this occasion he acted admirably. He was very friendly with Kitty in public — evidently looking upon her as

at such a lead had never existed. Three people, however, had a firm belief in its existence, an

ind his teeth as he thought of all the wealth lying beneath those green fields. He had once even gone so far as to offer to buy a share

hand. Nuggets, some large, some small, began to be constantly discovered, and every day news was brought into Ballarat about the turning-up of a thirty-ounce or a

ining, he knew that the long-looked for Devil’s Lead was near at hand. Billy, becoming excited with his master, began to swear also; and these two companions cursed Madame Midas and all that belonged to he

ooking at the famous nugget. There it lay in the centre of the table, a virgin mass of gold, all water-worn an

xhibition,’ said Mrs Villiers, touching

vere face was relaxed in a grimly pleasant manner; ‘but los

a disbelieving smile, ‘the Devil’s Lea

kle makes a muckle, and ye ken the Lead wull hae mony sma’ nu

Madame, rather irreleva

h, which was part and parcel of himself, a

iers, rising; ‘I’ll take it in with me t

Presbyterian, he by no means approved of Marchurst’s hereti

loup, eagerly, for he never lost an oppor

Madame, graciously; ‘

way to get ready, whe

t’ the toun the day,’ he said, touch

ked the French

ts tae stap all nicht i’ the toun, so I’ve let him gae, an’ have tauld him t

deloup, with a pleasant smile; ‘but ma

ted Mr McIntosh, piously, ‘the deil’s ain ba

e?’ said Madame Midas, smiling quietly

ut to see after the horse and trap; ‘but I dinna care aboot sitting in the seat of the scornfu’,

d looked at Madame Midas in such a comica

her bedroom for a moment. ‘He has been brought up severely

, I’m afraid,’ answered Gaston

ndly tone, ‘you can stay in to-nigh

aston, gravely. ‘I will avail

company rather a change after the Parisian theatres

ed to Selina, who was busy

overb to answer Madame; if I can’t get the best I must be co

lied to, thought a moment, the

than none,”’ she annou

e stood at the door, ‘your wisdom is only equalled by your

him, doubtful as to whether he was in jest or earnest. Being unable to decide,

ul,’ which saying, as everyone knows, is

, and placed in the trap by him with such caution that Madame, who wa

ide, mem,’ said Archie, handing her th

this to Ballarat to-day,’ sai

as he took his seat beside her. ‘She

whose bread and salt he had partaken, Vandeloup shook the reins, and the horse star

s fortunes, M. Vandeloup

aily, ‘I carry Madame Midas a