Jim certainly was a big upstanding chap, strong built but active with it, and as fine a figure of a man as you’d see on the Turon or any other place. He stood about six feet and an inch, and was as straight as a rush. There was no stiffness about him either. He was broad-shouldered and light-flanked, quick on his pins, and as good a man—all round—with his hands as you could pick out of the regular prize ring. He was as strong as a bullock, and just as good at the end of a day as at the start. With the work we’d had for the last five or six months we were all in top condition, as hard as a board and fit to work at any pace for twenty-four hours on end. He had an open, merry, laughing face, had Jim, with straight features and darkish hair and eyes. Nobody could ever keep angry with Jim. He was one of those kind of men that could fight to some purpose now and then, but that most people found it very hard to keep bad friends with.

Besides the miners, there were lots of other people in church who had heard of the wedding and come to see us. I saw Starlight and the two Honourables, dressed up as usual, besides the Commissioner and the camp officers; and more than that, the new Inspector of Police, who’d only arrived the day before. Sir Ferdinand Morringer, even he was there, dividing the people’s attention with the bride. Besides that, who should I see but Bella and Maddie Barnes and old Jonathan. They’d ridden into the Turon, for they’d got their riding habits on, and Bella had the watch and chain Starlight had given her. I saw her look over to where he and the other two were, but she didn’t know him again a bit in the world. He was sitting there looking as if he was bored and tired with the whole thing—hadn’t seen a soul in the church before, and didn’t want to see ‘em again.