'm a doomed man, my boy; doomed to be either a millionaire or a
madman!"

The glittering eyes and wild expression of the youth while he spoke
induced his friend to fear that he was already the latter.

"Oh! Tom, my dear fellow," he said, "God did not doom you. If your
doom is fixed, you have yourself fixed it."

"Now, Fred," returned the other impatiently, "don't bore me with your
religious notions. Religion is all very well in the old country, but it
won't work at all here at the diggin's."

"My experience has proved the contrary," returned Westly, "for
religion--or, rather, God--has saved _me_ from drink and gaming."

"If it _be_ God who has saved you, why has He not saved me?" demanded
Brixton.

"Because that mysterious and incomprehensible power of Free Will stands
in your way. In the exercise of your free will you have rejected God,
therefore the responsibility rests with yourself. If you will now call
upon Him, life will, by His Holy Spirit, enable you to accept salvation
through Jesus Christ."

"No use, Fred, no use," said Tom, shaking his head. "When you and I
left England, three years ago, I might have believed and trusted as you
do, but it's too late now--too late I say, so don't worry me with your
solemn looks and sermons. My mind's made up, I tell you. With these
three paltry little lumps of gold I'll gamble at the store to-night with
Gashford. I'll double the stake every game. If I win, well--if not,
I'll--"

He stopped abruptly, because at that moment Paddy Flinders re-entered
with the sugar; possibly, also, because he did not wish to reveal all
his intentions.

That night there was more noise, drinking, and gambling than usual at
Lantry's store, several of the miners having returned from a prospecting
trip into the mountains with a considerable quantity of gold.

Loudest among the swearers, deepest among the drinkers, and most
reckless among the gamblers was Gashford "the bully," as he was styled.
He had just challenged any one present to play when Brixton entered the
room.

"We will each stake all that we own on a single chance," he said,
looking round. "Come, that's fair, ain't it? for you know I've got lots
of dust."

There was a general laugh, but no one would accept the challenge--which
Brixton had not heard--though he heard the laugh that followed. Many of
the diggers, especially the poorer ones, would have gladly taken him up
if they had not been afraid of the consequenc