The latter owned the claim which he was working, and employed the nephew at a fair salary, and that was all that we knew of the connection between them, excepting that we had seen them talking together in an excited manner quite frequently, and only the day before we had heard them quarrel on some subject that we did not care to listen to, for it did not concern us.

Report had often reached our ears that Mr. Critchet had made quite a fortune with his claim, and that he was very prudent in his expenditures; but as he had never disputed our prices, and paid what we demanded without a word of complaint, we placed no reliance upon the assertions.

After our first expression of astonishment was over, we set to work without delay to ascertain what injuries the old man had sustained.  We removed his vest and shirt, and found a small cut near the region of his heart; but upon probing the wound we found that the blow, evidently intended to be a fatal one, had been misdirected; that a rib had received the point of the knife, and saved the old man from instant death.

A further examination revealed two more stabs, one on the right shoulder and the other on the left breast, both of which were bleeding profusely, and had so weakened the old man that he fainted the instant he found that he was likely to receive assistance.

We went to work and cleansed the wounds of blood, and then stopped the bleeding by applying balsam and lint freely, and over all we put pieces of adhesive plaster, which we had used before for cuts, and found very efficacious.

In the present instance it served to keep the lint in its place, and I have no doubt that it was mainly instrumental in saving the life of Mr. Critchet, for it prevented the insects from irritating the wounds and causing inflammation.

A dose of weak wine was poured down our patient’s throat, and then we sat by his side until morning, before he recovered his consciousness, and was able to speak.

“I’ve foiled the young scamp,” he muttered, as he looked around the store, and then suffered his glance to rest upon our faces.  “He thought that he could get the old miner’s dust; but he missed his aim, and I shall yet live to punish him.”

“Of whom do you speak?” I asked, bending over his form so that I could hear him more distinctly, for he spoke rather low and incoherently.

“There were two of them,” the old miner continued, not noticing my interrogation; “I know there were two of them, because I could hear them whisper, and feel for the gold; but I cheated them, and shall live.”

The old man attempted to laugh, but the effort sounded like a death-rattle, it was so faint.

“You must not talk now,” Fred said, “but save your strength, and in a few days we hope you will be quite well.  Sleep if you can, and in the mean time we will send you a physician.”

“No, no,” our patient exclaimed, hurriedly; “I want no meddlesome quack near me, with his solemn face and pretended knowledge.  There is not a doctor in Ballarat that I would trust with my life.  Besides, they are so expensive, and where is the money to come from to pay a physician’s bills?”