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This was apparent from the fact that the supply of food which the fugitives
had taken with them was not exhausted。
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MARY MUSGRAVE
BY ANONYMOUS
〃Nine carets ef it's a blessed one。〃
〃Scale 'im； an' ye'll find he's a half better。 Clear es a bottle o' gin； an'
flawless es the pope！ Tommy Dartmoor； ye're in luck； s' welp me never ef
ye ain't； an' that's a brilliant yer can show the polis an' not get time fer。〃
Tommy Dartmoor； who owed his surname to a crown establishment
within the restraining walls of which he had once enjoyed a temporary
residence； growled out a recommendation to 〃stow that；〃 and then added；
〃Boys； we'll wet this。 Trek to Werstein's。〃
Forthwith a crowd of dirty； tanned diggers turned their heads in the
direction of Gustav Werstein's American Bar； and walked toward it as
briskly as the heat and their weariness would admit of。 The Israelite saw
them coming； straightened himself out of the half…doze in which he had
passed the baking afternoon； stopped down the tobacco in the porcelain
bowl of his long…stemmed pipe with stumpy forefinger； and； twisting a
cork off his corkscrew； stood in readiness。
〃Name yer pizons； boys； an' get outside 'em； wishin' all good luck to
R'yal Straight； R'yal Straight bein' the name o' this yer stone given by
Thomas D。 Hesquire； original diskiverer an' present perprietor。〃
The orders were given；bass at five shillings a bottle； champagne （nee
gooseberry） at five pounds； Cape smoke at two shillings per two fingers；
and； at a given signal； there was an inarticulate roar from dusty throats； an
inversion of tumblers over thirsty mouths； and a second inversion over the
ground to show that all the contents had disappeared。
Satan； the one cat and only domestic pet of the camp； saw that there
was a general treat going on； and bustling up for his drink took a can of
condensed milk at six shillings。 Other diggers came trooping in as the
news spread； and Tommy Dartmoor； who was rapidly becoming mellow；
for he drank half a tumbler of raw whisky with every one who nodded to
him； stood them refreshments galore； while the greasy Jew began to see
visions of his adopted fatherland in the near distance。
So the Kaffirs； except those who had supplies of their own； kept sober
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and peaceful； while the higher order of the human race at Big Stone Hole；
after the manner of their kind； began to squabble。 It was natural for them
to do so； perhaps； for the weather was so hot； and the liquors； for the most
part； more so； and under these circumstances men do not always cast
about them long for a casus belli。 One or two minor brawls opened the ball；
and Herr Gustav； scenting battle in the air； drew from a locker a card；
which he balanced against the bottles on a shelf above his head。 It read
thus：
GENTS IS REKESTED TO SHOOT CLEAR OF THE BARR…KEP。
BROKIN GLAS MAY BE PADE FOR AT COST PRISE。
and had been written for the German by a gentleman who had had
some experience in Forty Rod Gulch； Nevada。 The action elicited a
contemptuous laugh from one or two of the new hands； but the oldsters
began shifting sundry articles which depended from their belts into
positions from which they might be handled at the shortest notice； and the
black cat； more wise than any of them； having drunk his fill； stalked
solemnly out into the security of the darkness。
The sun went down；went out with a click； some one declared；and；
as no twilight interposed between daylight and darkness in the country
which Big Stone Hole ornamented； Herr Gustav lit his two paraffin… lamps。
Neither boasted more than a one…inch wick； and； as their glasses were
extremely smoky； the illumination was not brilliant； but it sufficed to show
the flushed； angry faces of a couple of men standing in the centre of the
room； with all the others clustered round； watching eagerly。 One was the
Scholar。 The other was a burly giant； whose missing left little finger
caused him to be nicknamed the Cripple。 About what they had originally
fallen out was not clear to any one； to themselves least of all。 As the case
stood when the second lamp was lit； Scholar had called Cripple a
something…or…other liar； and Cripple； who was not inventive； had retorted
by stigmatising Scholar as another。 Further recriminations followed； and
their pistols were drawn； but as the audience had a strong objection to
indiscriminate shooting； by which it was not likely to benefit； the
belligerents were seized。 No one was unsportsmanlike enough to wish to
stop the fight； and Jockey Bill； giving voice to the general wish of the
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meeting； proposed that the gents be fixed up agin' a couple o' posts outside；
where they might let daylight into each other without lead…poisoning
casual spectators。
The motion was acted on； and after rectifying a slight omission on the
Cripple's parthe had forgotten to put caps on the nipples of his revolver
the pair of them were seated upon upturned barrels some ten yards apart；
each with a lamp at his feet； and told to begin when they saw fit to do so。
The swarthy； bearded diggers grouped themselves on either side； and the
cat； emerging from his retreat； scrambled on to the shoulder of one of
them； fully as curious as the rest to 〃see the shootin'。〃 It was a weird
sight；dust； scorched grass； empty tins； rude hovels； piles of debris；
African moonlight；yet； except； perhaps； in the eyes of the newest comers；
there was nothing strange in it。 The others were too wrapped up in what
was going to take place to see anything quaint in their every…day
surroundings。 There was no theatre in the camp。 The little impromptu
drama riveted all attention。
But before the duel commenced； a galloping horse； which had
approached over the grassy veldt unnoticed during the excitement； drew
up with a crash between the two combatants； and its rider； raising his hand
to command attention； cried：
〃Boys； there's a white woman comin'！〃
〃A white woman！〃 was chorused in various tones of disbelief。 〃What；
here？ White woman comin' here； Dan？〃
And then some one inquired if she was a Boer。
〃Boerno；〃 replied Dan； 〃EnglishEnglish as I am； leastways
Englisher； bein' Amurrican…born myself。 Overtook her et Hottentot Drift。
Thort I'd spur on an' tell yer。 We'd do wi' a clean…up； some on us。〃
Dan spoke indistinctly； as a bullet had lately disarranged some of his
teeth； but his words had a wonderful effect。
Each man began instinctively to tidy himself。 The would…be duellists；
forgetting their quarrel； stuck the revolvers in their belts and followed the
general example。 The Cripple hied him to the store； and after breaking
down the door abstracted the only blacking…brush in the camp；putting
down a sovereign on the counter in exchange for it； and set to polishing
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his high boots as if a fortune depended on their brightness。 The Scholar
bought Herr Gustav's white shirt for a fiver； threatening to murder its
owner if he did not render it up。 And Partridge； a good man from Norfolk；
with a regrettable weakness for shooting other people's game； induced a
friend to denude him of his flowing locks by means of a clasp…knife and a
hunk of wood； as no scissors were procurable。
The wardrobes of Big Stone Hole were stocked more with a view to
strict utility than variety or ornamentation； and the slender resources of the
store utterly gave out under the sudden strain that was put upon them。 In
every direction grimy； unkem