Madame Midas

ch he belonged to regarding their doctrine of eternal punishment. They, holding fast to the teachings of Knox and Calvin, looked upon him in horror for daring to h

ke edifice he erected — and christened this new society which he had called into existence ‘The Elect’. About one hundred people were members of his church, and with their subscriptions, and also having a little money of his own, he managed to live in a quiet manner in a cottage on the Black Hill near to his temple. Every Sunday he held forth morning and evening, expounding his views to his sparse congregation, and was looked upon by them as a kind of prophet. As a matter of fact, the man had that peculiar power of fascination which seems to be inseparable from the prophetic character, and it was his intense enthusiasm and eloquent tongue that cast a spell over the simple-minded people who believed in him. But his doctrines were too shallow and unsa

he set forth, and told him she had her own views on religion, which views she declined to impart to him, though frequently pressed to do so. The zealot regretted this obstinacy, as, according to his creed, she was a lost soul, but he liked her too well personally to quarrel with her on that account, consoling himself with the reflection that sooner or later, she would seek th

up of strong tea, and the Bible open at ‘The Lamentations of Jeremiah’. His room was lined with books, but they had not that friendly look books generally have, but, bound in dingy brown calf, looked as grim and uninviting as their cont

ty to wear sad-coloured dresses and poke bonnets; but in this attempt he failed lamentably, as Kitty f

thing with the obdurate Kitty, he allowed her to have her own way, a

ich always seemed to be looking into the spiritual world. He wore his brown hair long, as he always maintained a man’s hair was as much his glory as a woman’s was hers, quoting Samson and Absalom in support of this opinion. His arms were long and thin, and when he gesticulated in the pulpit on Sundays flew about like a couple of flails, which gave him a most unhappy resemblance to a windmill. The ‘Lamentations of Jeremiah’ are not the most cheerful of

ing of the door of his study, when Kitty, joyous and ga

a severe voice, “I wish you would not ent

, disrespectfully, crossing to the window and pulling aside the c

oom, and Marchurst put his hand to his eyes for a

aid Kitty, going back to the door: “a big nu

e Midas, calm, cool, and handsome, entered the room, followed by Vandeloup, carrying a wooden box contain

ting a glance at the scattered papers, the cup of tea, and the open Bible, “but

ddenly in the middle as if he had a hinge in his back, which was his idea of a bow

up, cheerfully, “if we can

t sadly, shaking his head. “Why di

ed Madame Midas, bluntly; “but if the le

ently, being anxious to see the nugget.

, “how you do exaggerate — ah!” he broke off his exhortation suddenly, for the b

hands as Vandeloup lifted it out and plac

y, though her heart throbbed with pride as she loo

urface; ‘verily the Lord hath hidden great treasure in the entrails of the earth, a

nder, that Marchurst felt himself compelled to admonish them against prizing the treasures of earth above those of heaven. Vandeloup, afraid that they were in for a sermon, beckon

ce blushed and grew pink beneath the fond gaze of her lover as

raordinary can hardly be imagined than this chasm, for the sides, which tower up on either side to the height of some fifty or sixty feet, are all pure white, and at the top break into all sorts of fantastic forms. The white surface of the rocks are all stained with colours which alternate in shades of dark brown, bright red and delicate pink. Great masses of rock have tumbled down on each side, often coming so close together as to almost block up the path. Here and there in the white walls can be seen th

ards, and then there is a steep sloping bank formed by the falling earth. In the moonlight this wonderful white gully looks weird and bizarre;

ls over it like the waves of the ocean, and the houses rise up like isolated habitations. Now and then a red brick building, or the slender white spire of a church gave a touch of colour to the landscape, and contrasted pleasantly with the bluish-white roofs and green trees. Scattered all through the town were the huge mounds of earth marking the mining-shafts of various colours, from dark brown to pure white, and beside them, with the utmost regularity, were the skeleton towers of the poppe

er that they did not trouble themselves to look much at it; but the girl s

ven her this pet name, ‘how long i

er heart. She had never known any life but the simple one sh

d, stared idly at the blue sky. ‘Unfortunately, human life is so short nowadays that we cannot afford to

ismay, never having contemplated

ckly rolling over and looking steadily at her, with h

hose innocent mind never dreamt o

if he were going to encumber himself with marriage before he had made a fortune, and even then it wa

till keeping his face turned away, ‘we will g

y us,’ pouted Kitty,

ld not consent to the match, as I am poor and unknown, and not by any means the man he would choose for you; and in the

larat?’ objected Kit

arm round her waist; ‘we must run away quietly, and when we are mar

delightfully romantic, and yet there seemed to be something wrong about it. She was like a timid bather, longing to plunge into the water, yet hesitatin

with a touch of virginal fear, p

eart’s idol, you are cruel to speak like that; you must c

ed Kitty, who was now

in leaving the Pactolus — still there were always possibilities, and Fortune was fond of playing wild pranks. At the same time there

nd when I do go, perhaps in a month or so, you will be ready to come with me. No,’ he said, as Kitty was about to answer, ‘I do

me, each intent on their own thoughts,

to dinner with you

y no

’ she answered; ‘

p shook

re,’ he said, in a preoccupied manner, ‘and will have something to eat ther

er?’ asked Kitty, in surprise

h Madame’s kind permission, to see the theatre. Now, good-bye at present, Bebe,’ kiss

pride in her heart. He was a lover any girl might have been proud of, but Kitty wo

to Melbourne, my sweet Bebe, I will find some way to keep you off that idea — and when w

s the keeper into whose hands innocent Kitty wa

valent in the male sex, and Homer’s descript