Miracle Gold (Vol. 1 of 3)

n Hanbury, twenty-six years of age, of independent fortune, had entered it in a black frock coat and low black felt hat, with Dora Ashton, aged twenty, to whom he was privately engaged to be marri

there prepared to perform, hoping to win a few coppers from the loungers about the mews and the Hanover public-house. Men with faces black

said Dora Ashton, clinging more closely to Hanbury's ar

ed hat when escorting a lady in London; but on this occasion he put one on rather than provoke the inhabitants to throw bri

raid, Jack," she said with grave

tation of being, clever, extremely clever. He was very fond of Dora, but like many clever young men, he had a great scorn of women when they assumed, or took an interest in things out of their sphere. Dora knew the impetuous, volcani

you think I am alarmed. I am o

would be hard indeed, if he could be insensible to the beauty of her face and h

ce, she looked round, "And, Jack,

these are the people who live here. I told you they weren't nice. Ar

rself of his presence and protection. "It is of no con

u are not oblig

ce whether I should like to live here or not. What is of co

you. The people of no country are p

d, in protest a

applause of the crowd, who call them people. Look at him, for instance. There is a creature who i

esticulating violently, at the open end of Welbeck Place, and addressing loud speech

the girl, whose composur

see, he's

ing to do? Why is there a

ouple of dozen people had drifted near the Negro, who was now declaring, in st

ncing straws or chairs; fire-eating, or something of that kind. Would you like to stay and see, Dora?"

apprehensively. "Yes,

ven if he were, they don't permit Niggers to eat harmless English folk in the public st

u know I didn't mean any such folly

n't. Tell me wh

t did you think this is a fit

hastily around. "No one of your acquaint

ittle sigh. She had not dreaded any one s

m it that he had not answered her question as she expected. He a

silly, I know--I cannot bear to hear people sa

y bad language in it. Let us cross over, Dora, if you would really care to see. You may be sure he will use n

the young girl and her companion were well dressed, fell back a little right and left to leave a clear view of the performer. Th

im, on the ground, two cubes of stone, one the size of an iron half-hundredweig

y mouth with the mouth I put it into. I have a lovely mouth," opening an enormous cavern and sh

half-a-head taller, and looked powerful and stubborn. Hanbury surveyed him curiously and finished his examination by thinking, "I shouldn't mind taking him on. I dare say he knows how to use his fists." He himself had taken lessons with the gloves, and was a creditable amateur in the art. You

m all round. With my teeth and my mouth and my jaw, I get my living. Here is my stock in trade," patting his chin and cheek and teeth, "and I never can sell them that puts faith in me, as the Parliament m

Negro and the crowd with benignant toleration, then turning his eyes upwards he saw Leigh at the window, whither he ha

Mr. Leigh, and see the fun." A man who could afford to give good English money for a dead Egyptian

then called out, "All right,"

he Emperor of China, called him Black Sam, when he dined with them in private. "The ladies, who are to a man fond of me, call me Black Sam too. You may laugh, but you won't see me blush when you laugh at me. You don't find this Nigger so green as to blush because

n the ground. He surveyed them as though they were living animals of priceless

t jawed man in all the world. Ladies and gentlemen, when I was last in America, I went out West. You have often hea

es, Jack?" whispered Dora, wit

bury in a whisper. "Didn

e door of Forbes's bakery, the door in W

ted Williams, across the st

standing at the curb on the footway in Chetwynd

d the gateway of Welbeck Mews, at the end of the Place. There was a clear view of the Negro from where Hanbury and Miss Ashton stood, and from where

a word, and stood leaning heavily on his stick.

parations consisted in violent gestures menacing the four cardinal points of the heavens, and then

smile. "What is he going to d

aid Williams, with a laugh. He had a great turn

e going to have a b

the road, saying, in a defiant voice, "Eighteen pounds." Then he took the larger block, and

aken off for cash down?"

I'll stand a bottle of champagne to the men, give a shilling's worth of jujubes to th

asked the man who

untry--meaning myself." He placed his

e children, who thought that a serious matter, such a

er of an inch thick, and six inches by four. Then he balanced a stone on the point of the first finger of each hand, and then jerked the lesser stone from the point of his left

vier one as they fell caught the lighter one on the toe of his left foot, flun

shoulder dreadfull

interested in the performance by this time. It was new to him, and an am

w it a few feet into the air, and caught and balanced it o

of a connoisseur, who, although

n's huge feet. He smiled at the applause, and affected to know nothing of the twopence. T

ed it between his gleaming teeth, rolling back his lips so that the spectators might see the white teeth closed upon the white wood. His lowe

d the landlord of the Hanover, w

s free save for the Negro, and Leigh's eyes had travelled beyond the burly man of colour and were fixed on the slender form and pale olive face of the girl, with an expression of amazement. He looked like an animal that suddenly sees something it

t on with his

eigh was a man looking at the incredible, seeing the invisible, beholding in full daylight a ghost whom he must not challenge, and whom he cannot leave. Dora was watching with mingled fear, di

eeth upon the line of white wood in the distorted ebony face made the head seem cut in two at the line of the f

ed, raised the lesser stone, and placed it on the piece of white board, no

thing that l

he huge undershot lower jaw. He bent back the upper part of his head until his eyes stared vertically into the unclouded blue sky of the June afternoon. It appeared as if the Negro's lower jaw had been torn down from the skull by the weight of the stone,

yes but those of Oscar Leigh. His eyes

ess expectancy. Oscar Leigh watched th

sponded, all but Oscar Leigh. He had eyes for no one, nothi

ood was brought into swift contact with the upper teeth, and the stone, impelled from the catapult formed by t

hout of appla

ck with a si

id the landlord of the Hanover to Os

. "Pray excuse me!" He crossed the road, and placed himself on the curb within a co