er.

"I was just in time," he said. "How do you feel now?"

"Better."

"It's lucky I didn't kill the brute. Do you know who he is?"

"I never saw him before. But I think he's a digger: lots of them have
come into the town since this discovery of gold was made. Oh, I'm _so_
frightened! Do you think he will come again?"

"It's hardly likely. I think he must have had enough trouble for one
night."

"Suppose you have drowned him----"

"There's no chance of that--the water is only deep enough to break his
fall. He'll be all right."

"I think I had better get down, if you please: it would be rather an
unusual thing to ride through the town in this manner. I think I can
walk."

She slid limply to the ground, and Jack supported her.

"Whom must I thank for helping me?" she asked.

"I'm a digger, too," said Jack; and he told her his name.

"Are you the man who discovered the new field?"

"Some people give me the credit of it. I start back to-morrow. It was
lucky I was crossing that stream when I did. You haven't told me whom I
have had the pleasure of rescuing."

They were passing a street lamp, and for the first time Jack could see
the girl's face. She was pretty, with black hair, an oval face, and a
dark complexion.

"I'm Miss Varnhagen," she said. "My Dad will be awfully grateful to
you." She looked at her preserver with eyes which expressed all the
gratitude that Scarlett could desire.

"I'll see you safely home," he said; "and when you tell your father,
perhaps he will repay me by letting me see you again."

"He'll be only too pleased. He says the town owes you more than it can
ever pay you for discovering this gold, which, he says, will mean
thousands of pounds to him and the other merchants."

They passed through the town and paused before a great wooden mansion,
painted a light colour, which made it conspicuous even in the dark. Here
Rachel said she lived. Between the gate and the house grew a plantation
of palms, camellias, and rare shrubs, which were displayed by the lights
which shone above the gate and the door.

"Won't you come in and see my father?"

"Nothing would please me more, but I'm wet, and my horse is tired and
needs a feed. Some other time I'll call and tell your father how pleased
I was to be of service to you. Good-night."

Rachel gave his hand a tender squeeze. "Thanks awf'lly," she said,
looking up at him with seraphic eyes. "Thank you awf'lly much. I think
you're just the n