was very friendly with Kitty in public--evidently looking upon her
as a mere child, although he made no difference in his manner. And
this innocent intrigue gave a piquant flavour to his otherwise dull
life.

Meanwhile, the Devil's Lead was still undiscovered, many people
declaring it was a myth, and that such a lead had never existed.
Three people, however, had a firm belief in its existence, and were
certain it would be found some day--this trio being McIntosh, Madame
Midas, and Slivers.

The Pactolus claim was a sort of Naboth's vineyard to Slivers, who,
in company with Billy, used to sit in his dingy little office and
grind his teeth as he thought of all the wealth lying beneath those
green fields. He had once even gone so far as to offer to buy a
share in the claim from Madame Midas, but had been promptly refused
by that lady--a circumstance which by no means added to his love for
her.

Still the Devil's Lead was not found, and people were beginning to
disbelieve in its existence, when suddenly indications appeared
which showed that it was near at hand. Nuggets, some large, some
small, began to be constantly discovered, and every day news was
brought into Ballarat about the turning-up of a thirty-ounce or a
twenty-ounce nugget in the Pactolus, when, to crown all, the news
came and ran like wildfire through the city that a three hundred
ounce nugget had been unearthed.

There was great excitement over this, as such a large one had not
been found for some time, and when Slivers heard of its discovery he