Uncle Sylvester took the coin back； placed it in his left eye； like
a monocle； and winked gravely at the company。
〃It is the SAME！〃 he went on quietly。 〃I was interested； for I had
a good memory； and I remembered that； as a boy； grandfather had
shown me one of those coins and told me he was keeping them for old
Jules du Page； who didn't believe in banks and bank…notes。 Well； I
traced them to a trader called Flint； who was shipping gold dust
from Stockton to Peter Gunn & Sons； in New York。〃
〃To whom？〃 asked Gabriel quickly。
〃Old Gunnthe father of your friend！〃 said Uncle Sylvester
blandly。 〃We talked the matter over on our way to the station this
morning。 Well； to return。 Flint only said that he had got them
from a man called Thompson； who had got them from somebody else in
exchange for goods。 A year or two afterwards this same Thompson
happened to be frozen up with me in Starvation Camp。 When he
thought he was dying he confessed that he had been bribed by Flint
to say what he had said； but that he believed the coins were
stolen。 Meantime； Flint had disappeared。 Other things claimed my
attention。 I had quite forgotten him； until one night； five years
afterwards； I blundered into a deserted mining…camp； by falling
asleep on my mule； who carried me across a broken flume； butI
think I told you that story already。〃
〃You never finished it；〃 said Cousin Jane sharply。
〃Let me do so now； then。 I was really saved by some Indians； who
took me for a spirit up aloft there in the moonlight and spread the
alarm。 The first white man they brought me was a wretched drunkard
known to the boys as 'Old Fusil；' or 'Fusel Oil；' who went into
delirium tremens at the sight of me。 Well； who do you suppose he
turned out to be？ Flint！ Flint played out and ruined！ Cast off
and discarded by his relations in New Yorkthe foundation of whose
fortunes he had laid by the villainy they had accepted and condoned。
For Flint； as the carpenter of the old homestead； had discovered the
existence of a bricked closet in the wall of father's study；
partitioned it off so that he could break into it without detection
and rifle it at his leisure； and who had thus carried off that part
of grandfather's hoard which father had concealed there。 He knew it
could never be missed by the descendants。 But； through haste or
ignorance； he DID NOT TOUCH THE PAPERS and documents also hidden
there。 And THEY told of the existence of grandfather's second
cache； or hiding…place； beneath this hearth； and were left for me to
discover。〃
He coolly relit his pipe； fixed his eyes on Marie without
apparently paying attention to the breathless scrutiny of the
others； and went on： 〃Flint； alias Pierre a Fusil； alias Gunn； died
a maniac。 I resolved to test the truth of his story。 I came here。
I knew the old homestead； as a boy who had wandered over every part
of it； far better than you； Gabriel； or any one。 The elder Gunn
had only heard of it through the criminal disclosure of his
relative； and only wished to absorb it through his son in time； and
thus obliterate all trace of Flint's outrage。 I recognized the
room perfectlythanks to our dear Kitty； who had taken up the
carpet； which thus disclosed the loose plank before the closet that
was hidden by the partition。 Under pretext of rearranging the
roomfor which Kitty will forgive meI spent the day behind a
locked door； making my way through the partition。 There I found
the rifled closet； but the papers intact。 They contained a full
description of the sum taken by Flint； and also of a larger sum
buried in a cask beside this chimney。 I had just finished
unearthing it a few moments before you came。 I had at first hoped
to offer it to the family as a Christmas gift to…morrow； but〃 He
stopped and sucked slowly at his pipe。
〃We anticipated you；〃 said Gabriel laughing。
〃No；〃 said Uncle Sylvester coolly。 〃But because it don't happen to
belong to YOU at all！ According to the paper I have in my pocket；
which is about as legal a document as I ever saw； it is father's
free gift to Miss Marie du Page。〃
Kitty threw her arms around her white and breathless friend with
a joyful cry； and honest Gabriel's face shone with unselfish
gratification。
〃For yourself； my dear Gabriel； you must be satisfied with the fact
that Messrs。 Peter Gunn & Sons will take back your wildcat stock at
the price you paid for it。 It is the price they pay for their
share in this little transaction； as I had the honor of pointing
out to Mr。 Gunn on our way to the station this morning。〃
〃Then you think that young Mr。 Gunn knew that Flint was his
relation； and that he had stolen father's money；〃 said Kitty； 〃and
that Mr。 Gunn only wanted to〃 She stopped； with flashing eyes。
〃I think he would have liked to have made an arrangement； my dear；
that would keep the secret and the property in the family；〃 said
Uncle Sylvester。 〃But I don't think he suspected the existence of
the second treasure here。〃
〃And then； sir；〃 said Cousin Jane； 〃it appears that all these
wretched； unsatisfactory scraps of stories you were telling us were
nothing after all but〃
〃My way of telling THIS one；〃 said Uncle Sylvester。
As the others were eagerly gathering around the unearthed treasure；
Marie approached him timidly； all her audacity gone； tears in her
eyes； and his ring held hesitatingly between her fingers。 〃How can
I thank youand how CAN you ever forgive me？〃
〃Well；〃 said Uncle Sylvester； gazing at her critically； 〃you might
keep the ring to think over it。〃
End