the darkness, but on looking up saw that the cloud would soon pass,
so drove on slowly quite content. Unluckily she did not see the
figure on the high bank which ran along stealthily beside her, and
while turning a corner, Mr Villiers--for it was he--dropped suddenly
from the bank on to the trap, and caught her by the throat.

'My God!' cried the unfortunate woman, taken by surprise, and,
involuntarily tightening the reins, the horse stopped--'who are
you?'

Villiers never said a word, but tightened his grasp on her throat
and shortened his stick to give her a blow on the head. Fortunately,
Madame Midas saw his intention, and managed to wrench herself free,
so the blow aimed at her only slightly touched her, otherwise it
would have killed her.

As it was, however, she fell forward half stunned, and Villiers,
hurriedly dropping his stick, bent down and seized the box which he
felt under his feet and intuitively guessed contained the nugget.

With a cry of triumph he hurled it out on to the road, and sprang
out after it; but the cry woke his wife from the semi-stupor into
which she had fallen.

Her head felt dizzy and heavy from the blow, but still she had her
senses about her, and the moon bursting out from behind a cloud,
rendered the night as clear as day.

Villiers had picked up the box, and was standing on the edge of the
bank, just about to leave. The unhappy woman recognised her husband,