'But,' went on Vandeloup, sweetly, 'his legs, arms, and eyes are all
there.'

Slivers glared at this fresh piece of impertinence, but said
nothing. He wrote a letter to McIntosh, recommending him to take on
the two men, and handed it to Vandeloup, who received it with a bow.

'The price of your services, Monsieur?' he asked.

'Five bob,' growled Slivers, holding out his one hand.

Vandeloup pulled out two half-crowns and put them in the thin, claw-
like fingers, which instantly closed on them.

'It's a mining place you're going to,' said Slivers, pocketing the
money; 'the Pactolus claim. There's a pretty woman there. Have a
drink?'

Vandeloup declined, but his companion, with a grunt, pushed past
him, and filling a tumbler with the whisky, drank it off. Slivers
looked ruefully at the bottle, and then hastily put it away, in case
Vandeloup should change his mind and have some.

Vandeloup put on his hat and went to the door, out of which Pierre
had already preceded him.

'I trust, gentlemen,' he said, with a graceful bow, 'we shall meet
again, and can then discuss the beauty of this lady to whom Mr
Slivers alludes. I have no doubt he is a judge of beauty in others,