The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-11-22
Madame Midas

By Fergus Hume

hands and well-formed feet.
Scattered over this pastoral looking
country were huge mounds of white earth,
looking like heaps of carded wool. and at
the end of each of these invariably stood
a tall, ugly skeleton of wood. These mark
ed the positions of the mines-the tow
ers contained the winding gear. while the
white earth was the clay called mulloch,
brought from several hundred feet below
the surface. Near these mounds were
rough looking sheds with tall red chin
neys, which made a pleasant spot of color
against The white of the clay. On one of
these mounds, rather isolated from the
others, and standing by itself in the midst
of wide green paddock, Mrs. Villiers'
eyes were fixed and she soon saw the dark
figure of man coming slowly down the
white mound, along the green field and
advancing slowly up the hill. She called
out to some one inside
Archie is coming, Selina-you had bet
ter hurry up the tea, for he will be hun
CRY after such a long day"
The person inside made no answer save
by an extra clatter of some domestic uten-
sis. Madam walked slowly down the gar
den path, and leaned lightly over the gate,
waiting for the new conner, who was in
deed none other than Archibald McIn-
tosh, the manager of the Pactolus.
He was a man Of about medium height,
rather thin than otherwise. with a long,
narrow looking head and boldly cut fea-
lures. His eyes were gray and shrewd
looking, his lips were firmly compressed
lin fact, the whole appearance of his
fao. .f,c4fra 70 he. 60 IF
who would stick to his opinions what
ever anyone else might say to the con-
trary.
Dye know what this may be-" he said.
smile relaxing his grim features as he
| held up a rather large nugget; tits the
third this week ~
Madame Midas took the nugget from
him and balanced it carefully in her hand
with thoughtful look in her face, as if
she was making a mental calculation.
about twenty to twenty-five ounces,
should say" she observed in her soft, low
voice; 1.-THE last we had was fifteen, and
the one before twenty-looks promising
doesn't it,"
''Well, I'll not say but it might mean
a deal more," replied Mcintosh, with
characteristic Scotch caution, as he fol-
lowed Madame into the house; ''it's not
very bad sign; will not say but what
we might be near the Devils Lead"
'And if we are?" said Madame, turn
ing with a smile.
''Weel, mem, yell have more siller nor
yell know what to do with"
Selma Jane Sprouts, who now acted as
servant to Mrs. Villiers, was rather an
loI1 IN, hor ha ha1 baa, aH-
ames nurse and had followed her up to
Ballarat, with the determination of never
| leaving her. Selma was a spinster. She
moved noseiessly about the small room,
in a wonderfully dextrous manner. and,
after laying the table, placed the teapot on
| the hob.
By and by Archie, who had been max
| ing a great splashing in the back prem
ses, came in looking clean and fresh, with
more obstinate look about his face
| than ever. Madame went to the tea table
and sat down. Archie ASKED blessing.
You have written to Slivers?" said
Madame, raising her eyes
THAT wooden legged body" retorted
Mcintosh. Deed and l have. but the
old tyke has not done anything to getting
me what l want. Weel. weel," in a re-
| signed sort of a manner, I'VE might be
worse off than we are, an who knows but
Providence will send US men by and by?'
Madame rose TO her feet and walked TO
| the window. Her thoughts were not pleas
| ant. She had hoped to cut herself off
from all the bitterness ard sorrow of her
past life but this husband of hers, like
an unquiet spirit, came TO trouble her
and remind her of a time she would will
] ingly have forgotten.
IF l could only get rid of him." she
thought. toying with flower, but it is
| impossible. / can't do that without
money, and money 1 never will have till 1
find that lead. ! must bride him, | sup
pose. Oh, why can't he leave me alone
now? Surely he has ruined my life suffi-
GENTLY in the past to let me have few
years, if not of pleasure, at least of for
getfulness." And with a petulant ges-
ture she hurled the rose out of the win
dow, where it struck Archie a soft and
fragrant blow on the cheek.
"Yes," said Madame to herself. as she
pulled down the window, Il must get
rid of him."