f accompanying him to
the gate. He was getting as sick as Druro of Emma's perpetual gaiety
and came out with the distinct intention of saying so as rudely as
possible.

"What do you mean by bringing your devilish good spirits here? Have
you no bowels? Kindly chuck it for once and for all."

Guthrie, squatting on his haunches, feeling his bicycle tyres, turned
up to him a face grown suddenly rutted and haggard as a Japanese
gargoyle.

"That drum-and-fife band is only a bluff, Dick," he said quietly. "The
Leopard is G. I., and if that boy loses his eyes as well, neither of us
will ever climb out of the soup again."

Tryon came out of the gate and stared at him interestedly.

"What do you mean? How can the Leopard----"

"I mean that the reef is gone--for good, this time."

"The reef gone?" reiterated Tryon stupidly. "Why--good Lord, I thought
you'd found it richer and stronger than ever!"

"So we did. But, my boy, mining is the biggest gamble in the world.
It pinched out, sudden as a stroke of apoplexy, a few days after
Lundi's accident. We've got a month's crushing in hand now, and when
that's gone, we'll have to shut down. We're bust!"

"But what about that five-hundred-ounce clean-up you handed him?"

"All bluff! I drew two thousand quid for native wages and threw it
into the melting-pot. That lovely button goes back to the bank
tomorrow. They've got to be bluffed, too, until Lundi's able to stand
the truth."

"I don't know if he'll thank you for it, Emma," said Tryon, at last.

"I don't say he will; I don't say Lundi can't take his physic when he's
got to, as well as any man. But I can reckon he's got an overdose
already. I'll wait."

Tryon stared a while into the shrewd, wizened face, then said
thoughtfully:

"I think you're quite right. There are moments when enough is too
much, and I haven't a doubt but that a little extra bad luck would just
finish what chance he has of seeing again. Keep it up your sleeve
anyway, until we hear my brother's verdict."

"Oh, I'll keep it," said Emma grimly. "Once his bandages are off,
we'll let the hornets buzz, but not before."

"Meantime," remarked Tryon, "if you like to make me a present of the
information, I will promise to use it carefully and for nothing but
Druro's benefit."

Guthrie gave him a long, expressionless glance.

"There are worse things than having your eyes clawed out by a leopard,"
continued Dick enigmatically.

"What wor