Martha asserted with decision that it would be all right, or she
would know the reason why; then marching out again to the bar, she
drew a pot of beer for Pierre--without asking him what he would
have--and ordered him to sit down and be quiet, which last remark
was rather unnecessary, considering that the man was dumb. Then she
sat down behind her bar and resumed her perusal of a novel called
The Duke's Duchesses, or The Milliner's Mystery,' which contained a
ducal hero with bigamistic proclivities, and a virtuous milliner
whom the aforesaid duke persecuted. All of which was very
entertaining and improbable, and gave Miss Twexby much pleasure,
judging from the sympathetic sighs she was heaving.

Meanwhile, Villiers having heard the name of Pierre Lemaire, and
knowing he was engaged in the Pactolus claim, came round to see him
and try to find out all about the nugget. Pierre was sulky at first,
and sat drinking his beer sullenly, with his old black hat drawn
down so far over his eyes that only his bushy black beard was
visible, but Mr Villiers' suavity, together with the present of
half-a-crown, had a marked effect on him. As he was dumb, Mr
Villiers was somewhat perplexed how to carry on a conversation with
him, but he ultimately drew forth a piece of paper, and sketched a
rough presentation of a nugget thereon, which he showed to Pierre.
The Frenchman, however, did not comprehend until Villiers produced a
sovereign from his pocket, and pointed first to the gold, and then
to the drawing, upon which Pierre nodded his head several times in
order to show that he understood. Villiers then drew a picture of
the Pactolus claim, and asked Pierre in French if the nugget was
still there, as he showed him the sketch. Pierre shook his head,
and, taking the pencil in his hand, drew a rough representation of a
horse and cart, and put a square box in the latter to show the