is talk is wildly exaggerated, but I'm sensible enough to discount all
that sort of thing and to disbelieve absurd stories. I shan't go with
the slightest notion of finding the thing true, but will be satisfied if
I do reasonably well. In fact, if I don't pick up more than a hatful of
gold a day, I shall be perfectly satisfied."

Which remark sufficiently indicates about where we all were!

CHAPTER II

THE HAMMERLOCK

We had many sorts of men in our club, but nearly all young. One, in
especial, early attracted my attention, and held it through all the
changing vicissitudes of our many meetings. I say attracted me, though
fascinated would be perhaps the better word, for after the first evening
of his attendance I used deliberately so to place myself that I could
watch him.

He came always in a rather worn military cape, which on entering the
door he promptly threw back in such a manner as to display the red
lining. This seemed an appropriate envelopment of his flaming, buoyant
personality. He walked with his chin up and his back straight, and trod
directly on and over the ends of his toes so that he seemed fairly to
spring with vigour. His body was very erect and tall and pliant, bending
easily to every change of balance. If I were never to have seen his face
at all I should have placed him as one of the laughing spirits of the
world. His head was rather small, round, well poised, with soft
close-set ringlets all over it like a cap, in the fashion of some marble
gods I have seen. He had very regular, handsome features, with a clear,
biscuit-brown complexion, and a close-clipped, stubby, light moustache.
All these things were interesting and attractive, though no more so than
are the vigour and beauty of any perfect animal. But the quality of his
eyes placed him, at least to me, in a class apart. They were sober,
clear eyes, that looked out gray and contemplative on the world about
them; so that one got the instant impression of a soul behind them that
weighed and judged. Indeed they were not laughing eyes at all, and
rather negatived the impression made by the man's general bearing. But
somewhere down in them something flickered like a strong burning candle
in a brisk wind. Occasionally it was almost out; then again it blazed up
clear, so that one thought to see it plainly through the steady brooding
look. It always fascinated the beholder, for it was mysterious. Whether
it came and went, grew and shrank, fo