162 ON AND OFF THE TURF. 



in print. It was with Ford, of Bayley and Ford^, 

 the pioneers of the famous Coolgardie goldfields. 



It was Ford opened my office door^ and when 

 I saw him I fancied he might have come for his 

 revenge for that interview. 



" Well, how are you ? Looking well, I must 

 say : stouter than ever/* said Ford. 



" Who the deuce would have thought of seeing 

 you here ! '* I said ; '' where on earth did you 

 come from ? '^ 



^^ Melbourne/' was the answer. " Any objec- 

 tions to that ? " 



"None/' I replied. "Sit down. Not that 

 chair, it's a bit rickety; take this." 



I gave him my own. I wanted to have the 

 pleasure of saying that a man who had picked 

 up 2OO0Z. nuggets had occupied ray particular seat. 



" What are you looking at ? " said Ford, as he sat 

 down. " Do I look ill ? " 



" Not a bit of it," I replied. " I was just glancing 

 over you to see if there were any stray ounces of gold 

 about your attire likely to drop off and lodge on the 

 office floor." 



He laughed. Ford has a jolly laugh. I fancy I 

 could imitate it if I had had the luck to strike Bayley's 

 Reward. 



** What made you put that in the paper about mQ 

 after I saw you at Cup time ? " said Ford. 



