'Neath the shining southern cross, News of gain and news of loss,
Silver hidden rocks
Changes hourly shares and stocks:
By the magic power of shares,
turn to millionaires--
Millionaires to paupers change;
swift and strange.
Genii, no, nor fairy kings
Could not do such wond'rous things
As are daily done by scores,
On Australia's golden shores.
 
 
What passed between Maxwell and Samson Belk at their interview, Mrs. Belswin could never discover; but as Archie did not in any way change his manner towards her she was satisfied that her name had not during the conversation, or if it had, Belk had said nothing to her in any way. As to Belk himself, she saw him when he came up to London, but he refused to tell her whether he had overheard the conversation between herself and Sir Rupert, and she was therefore forced to remain in a constant state of uneasiness. Although Belk denied that he had been out of the house after his return from the four o'clock interview, and supported this assertion by the evidence of his mother and the curate, yet Mrs. Belswin had a kind of half suspicion that he had been on the terrace on the night in question, and had heard more than he was willing to confess. But, then, she argued to herself that, if this were the case, he would certainly use his power over her to force her into marriage with him, whereas he did nothing of the sort, but behaved as if he knew absolutely nothing.
 
It was now three months since the famous interview at the Belk cottage, and Samson had carried out the plan proposed by his mother. He had appeared at a first-class music hall as the "Nineteenth Century Samson," and, by his superior strength, had easily distanced his rivals, both "The New Milo" and "The Modern Hercules." They, of course, were furious at being eclipsed, but his mother was delighted with his success; the music hall manager was charmed at the crowds by his new star, and perhaps the only person not happy was the star himself. The reason of this discontent was, that in order to preserve his strength, he had to lead a very life, both as regards food and drink, so that, although he was making a large income, he was not enjoying it. Despite his discontent, however, he still led his life of an , and saved all his money, which was a marked contrast to his former ways; but then, he had a purpose in economising, and the purpose was Mrs. Belswin, whom he had made up his mind to marry, as soon as he was rich enough.
 
In the meantime, that lady was leading a comfortable life, as, when she ran short of money, she always drew on Dombrain, who did not dare to refuse it to her. Kaituna still lived with her, and, as some time had elapsed since the death of her father, she had recovered nearly all her former , and was looking anxiously forward to her marriage with Archie--a marriage which was soon to take place, owing to the good news from Australia about the Pole Star Silver Mine.
 
Toby Clendon had duly arrived in the land of the Southern Cross, and had sent home brilliantly written letters of his travels, which satisfied the editor, and delighted the readers of The Weekly , In addition to this excellent literary work, which, by the way, was giving him a name in journalistic circles, he had made about the Pole Star Mine, and although the information he obtained was disheartening enough at first, yet, after a time the Pole Star silver shares began to be inquired about, and in a few weeks were actually worth money.
 
Archie, who had benefited by his mining experiences in the colony, and, moreover, had made friends with an enterprising share , who was, as they say "in the know," sent to Kaituna for the scrip lying in the hands of Dombrain. After some difficulty, Archie, who acted as her agent, obtained it from the Dombrain, and sent all the scrip, to the value of two thousand shares, out to Toby, with a power of attorney authorising him to deal with them as he judged best.
 
by the advice of his , Toby judged it best to hold the scrip, as the shares wer............