moment in the young man's career the weapon went off without injuring him, and the ball lodged in the ceiling.

It was a narrow escape.

"Idiot," cried Smith, "what are you thinking of?"

Clarence Holt looked repentant and abashed.

"I have spent your money," he replied. "I repulsed my wife. I am a wretch, unworthy to live."

"Get up and go home."

"Alas! I have no home now. My money is gone and——"

Mr. Smith interrupted him by allowing to flutter down at his side a one hundred-dollar bill, giving it to him as carelessly as one casts a bone to a dog.

"For me!" asked Clarence, eagerly snatching it.

"No, for Elise and your child," was the reply. "Give it to her. A fellow like you deserves nothing but a good thrashing."

"That's what I say," answered Clarence, the old, despairing look coming over him again. "Let me die."

Mr. Smith looked disgusted.

"If you don't leave off whining," he exclaimed, "I shall be strongly tempted to kick you!"

Clarence did not move; he picked up his hat and left the pistol where it had fallen.

"Be a man," continued Mr. Smith. "Don't be afraid of the world and the world won't hurt you."

Humiliated, and with his head in a whirl, Clarence quitted the room, and Mr. Smith re-entered the gambling-saloon, in which was a noisy party of miners who, having come into town with plenty of money, could not resist the fascinations of faro.

All at once Mr. Smith was confronted by a man, who exclaimed:

"So we have met sooner than I expected!"

"Harkaway," repeated the person who called himself Smith.

"At your service, my lord," was the reply.

Jack had met Lord Maltravers.

This gentleman was an English nobleman of high rank and great wealth.

They had met in New York, and both had fallen in love with a young lady named Lena Vanhoosen.

Lena's brother Alfred wished her to marry Jack, but her mother, Mrs. Vanhoosen, wished her to espouse the rich nobleman.

Jack and Lord Maltravers had quarreled about Lena.

The quarrel took place in a well-known up-town resort, and Maltravers had fired a pistol at Jack.

The shot missed its mark, but the cowardly nobleman had to fly to avoid arrest.

He retreated to San Francisco, and Jack, learning where he had gone, followed him.

They met in the gambling-saloon.

His lordship was perfectly collected after the first shock of surprise had passed away, and he did not attempt to escape.

"So you have followed me?" he observed.

"That is an unnecessary question to ask," replied Jack. "You see I am here."

"Not at all. You might have been making a tour of California, but since you have declared that you followed me, may I ask your reason?"

"To bring you to justice for attempting my life, after which I shall marry Miss Vanhoosen."

"So you have gone into the detective business, Mr. Harkaway? I congratulate you," said his lordship, sarcastically.

"It was time for me to do something."

"Well, you have found me. What next?"

"I shall arrest you."

"Here?"

"Certainly, my lord. I shall be my own police officer, and not give you a chance to run away."

Lord Maltravers laughed harshly.

"My dear fellow," he replied, "what do you take me for?"

"Precisely for that which I know you to be."

"And that is——"

"An unmitigated scoundrel."

"Thank you; personality seems to be your forte," said Maltravers. "And now let me tell you one thing: I am no child to be arrested by you."

"We shall see," answered Jack.

The room, as we have said, was full of rough characters, who were noisy, and inclined to be riotous; wine was flowing freely.

"Boys!" cried Maltravers, in a stentorian voice.

Instantly he was the centre of attraction.

"Do any of you want to make a stake of a hundred dollars?"

"Yes, yes!" replied a dozen men.

"Then put a head on this man for me."

He held out five twenty-dollar gold-pieces in one hand and pointed to Harkaway with the other.

A big man, over six feet high, apparently strong as a horse, with a well-developed biceps muscle, stepped forward.

He had several scars on his face, and had lost one eye, which gave him a ghastly appearance.

"That money's mine," he exclaimed.

"You can have it if you are my man."

"Hand it over."

Lord Maltravers gave him the gold, and at the same time Jack took a step in advance.

"You shall not escape me in that way," he said.

"Hold on there," cried the volunteer.

"Oh, I'm not afraid of you," cried Jack.

"I'm Nappa Bill," said the man, "and if I can't make you squeal, I want to go home."

"Listen to me," said Harkaway. "This fellow is a notorious murderer, and is wanted in New York."

"New York be darned!" said Nappa Bill. "If he has killed his man, there are lots of us in this room who has done the same thing, and his money is as good to me as any other chap's. Let him go, and then you an' me's got to talk."

Seeing that it would be useless to attempt to arrest his lordship after the turn affairs had taken, Jack relinquished his idea.

"Gentlemen, I will leave you to amuse yourselves," exclaimed Maltravers.

Jack was furiously indignant, and burned with rage as he saw his enemy make for the door.

"Stop!" he cried.

"To oblige you? Oh, dear, no. I rather think not. I shall be glad to meet you at Foster's Cliff House to-morrow at two, if you will promise to come unattended."

"I will be there."

"On my terms?"

"Yes."

"Very well; we can then discuss the situation; for the present, it will be enough to say good-night."

Always a polished villain, Maltravers bowed and took his departure.

Jack was baffled, and was about to sit down to consider what he should do, when Nappa Bill made a furious lunge at him with a knife.

Seeing the movement, he stepped on one side and escaped being killed by almost a miracle.

Being armed, he drew a pistol.

"Keep off," he said, "or I'll shoot."

"That's good enough. I like to see a man heeled. I'll have more pleasure in cutting you now," answered Nappa Bill.

"What do you want to fight me at all for?"

"Wasn't I paid for it? Why, look at here, I'd scorn to take the man's money and do nothing for it."

"Come on, then. The sooner this thing is settled the better."

Nappa Bill did not want to be asked twice; he accepted the invitation and threw himself upon Jack, who received a slight flesh-wound in his shoulder.

Drawing himself quickly back, he fired a snap-shot at the ruffian, not having time to take aim.

The bullet struck Nappa Bill about the middle of the wrist, and with a fearful oath he allowed his knife to drop on the floor.

"Curse you!" he cried. "You've broken my wrist."

"It's all your own fault," replied Jack, coolly. "I did not provoke this contest, as all the gentlemen here present, I am sure, will testify. You have made a little money by your conduct, but I guess it will all go in doctor's bills."

At this there was a laugh.

Nappa Bill bound up his injured hand with a napkin, which he snatched from the arm of the negro waiter.

Looking earnestly at Jack, he said:

"I'm cornered this time, and I'll own up that you got the best of me, but by thunder, I'll get square with you, colonel, if it takes me all my life."

"Ah, pshaw! fellows like you can't harm me."

"Are you betting money on that?"

"I never bet with your class," replied Jack.

"What's my class?" inquired Nappa Bill.

"Loafers, frauds and beats."

"You're kind of high-toned, aren't you?" sneered Nappa Bill. "They're all gentlemen where you come from, I should imagine; don't have to work and look around for a living."

"It matters very little who or what I am," replied Jack, "but if you pick me up for a fool you'll find that you never made a greater