light from one of the lean…to windows。 He went to the front door
and knocked。 After waiting in vain for a reply； he knocked again。
The second knock proving equally futile； he tried the door； it was
unlocked； and； pushing it open； he walked in。 The narrow passage
was quite dark； but from his knowledge of the house he knew the
〃lean…to〃 was next to the kitchen； and； passing through the dining…
room into it； he opened the door of the little room from which the
light proceeded。 It came from a single candle on a small table；
and beside it； with his eyes moodily fixed on the dying embers of
the fire； sat old Slinn。 There was no other light nor another
human being in the whole house。
For the instant Mulrady； forgetting his own feelings in the mute
picture of the utter desolation of the helpless man； remained
speechless on the threshold。 Then； recalling himself； he stepped
forward and laid his hand gayly on the bowed shoulders。
〃Rouse up out o' this； old man！ Come！ this won't do。 Look！ I've
run over here in the rain； jist to have a sociable time with you
all。〃
〃I knew it；〃 said the old man； without looking up； 〃I knew you'd
come。〃
〃You knew I'd come？〃 echoed Mulrady； with an uneasy return of the
strange feeling of awe with which he regarded Slinn's abstraction。
〃Yes； you were alonelike myselfall alone！〃
〃Then； why in thunder didn't you open the door or sing out just
now？〃 he said； with an affected brusquerie to cover his uneasiness。
〃Where's your daughters？〃
〃Gone to Rough…and…Ready to a party。〃
〃And your son？〃
〃He never comes here when he can amuse himself elsewhere。〃
〃Your children might have stayed home on Christmas Eve。〃
〃So might yours。〃
He didn't say this impatiently； but with a certain abstracted
conviction far beyond any suggestion of its being a retort。
Mulrady did not appear to notice it。
〃Well； I don't see why us old folks can't enjoy ourselves without
them；〃 said Mulrady； with affected cheerfulness。 〃Let's have a
good time； you and me。 Let's seeyou haven't any one you can send
to my house； hev you？〃
〃They took the servant with them；〃 said Slinn； briefly。 〃There is
no one here。〃
〃All right；〃 said the millionaire； briskly。 〃I'll go myself。 Do
you think you can manage to light up a little more； and build a
fire in the kitchen while I'm gone？ It used to be mighty
comfortable in the old times。〃
He helped the old man to rise from his chair； and seemed to have
infused into him some of his own energy。 He then added； 〃Now；
don't you get yourself down again into that chair until I come
back；〃 and darted out into the night once more。
In a quarter of an hour he returned with a bag on his broad
shoulders； which one of his porters would have shrunk from lifting；
and laid it before the blazing hearth of the now lighted kitchen。
〃It's something the old woman got for her party； that didn't come
off；〃 he said； apologetically。 〃I reckon we can pick out enough
for a spread。 That darned Chinaman wouldn't come with me；〃 he
added； with a laugh； 〃because； he said； he'd knocked off work
'allee same； Mellican man！' Look here； Slinn；〃 he said； with a
sudden decisiveness； 〃my pay…roll of the men around here don't run
short of a hundred and fifty dollars a day； and yet I couldn't get
a hand to help me bring this truck over for my Christmas dinner。〃
〃Of course；〃 said Slinn； gloomily。
〃Of course； so it oughter be；〃 returned Mulrady； shortly。 〃Why；
it's only their one day out of 364； and I can have 363 days off； as
I am their boss。 I don't mind a man's being independent；〃 he
continued； taking off his coat and beginning to unpack his sacka
common 〃gunny bag〃used for potatoes。 〃We're independent
ourselves； ain't we； Slinn？〃
His good spirits； which had been at first labored and affected； had
become natural。 Slinn； looking at his brightened eye and fresher
color； could not help thinking he was more like his own real self
at this moment than in his counting…house and officeswith all his
simplicity as a capitalist。 A less abstracted and more observant
critic than Slinn would have seen in this patient aptitude for real
work； and the recognition of the force of petty detail； the
dominance of the old market…gardener in his former humble； as well
as his later more ambitious； successes。
〃Heaven keep us from being dependent upon our children！〃 said
Slinn； darkly。
〃Let the young ones alone to…night； we can get along without them；
as they can without us；〃 said Mulrady； with a slight twinge as he
thought of his reflections on the hillside。 〃But look here；
there's some champagne and them sweet cordials that women like；
there's jellies and such like stuff； about as good as they make
'em； I reckon； and preserves； and tongues； and spiced beeftake
your pick！ Stop； let's spread them out。〃 He dragged the table to
the middle of the floor； and piled the provisions upon it。 They
certainly were not deficient in quality or quantity。 〃Now； Slinn；
wade in。〃
〃I don't feel hungry；〃 said the invalid； who had lapsed again into
a chair before the fire。
〃No more do I；〃 said Mulrady； 〃but I reckon it's the right thing to
do about this time。 Some folks think they can't be happy without
they're getting outside o' suthin'； and my directors down at
'Frisco can't do any business without a dinner。 Take some
champagne； to begin with。〃
He opened a bottle； and filled two tumblers。 〃It's past twelve
o'clock； old man； so here's a merry Christmas to you； and both of
us ez is here。 And here's another to our familiesez isn't。〃
They both drank their wine stolidly。 The rain beat against the
windows sharply； but without the hollow echoes of the house on the
hill。 〃I must write to the old woman and Mamie； and say that you
and me had a high old time on Christmas Eve。〃
〃By ourselves；〃 added the invalid。
Mr。 Mulrady coughed。 〃Nat'rallyby ourselves。 And her
provisions；〃 he added； with a laugh。 〃We're really beholden to HER
for 'em。 If she hadn't thought of having them〃
〃For somebody else； you wouldn't have had themwould you？〃 said
Slinn； slowly； gazing at the fire。
〃No；〃 said Mulrady； dubiously。 After a pause he began more
vivaciously； and as if to shake off some disagreeable thought that
was impressing him； 〃But I mustn't forget to give you YOUR
Christmas； old man； and I've got it right here with me。〃 He took
the folded envelope from his pocket； and； holding it in his hand
with his elbow on the table； continued； 〃I don't mind telling you
what idea I had in giving you what I'm goin' to give you now。 I've
been thinking about it for a day or two。 A man like you don't want
moneyyou wouldn't spend it。 A man like you don't want stocks or
fancy investments； for you couldn't look after them。 A man like
you don't want diamonds and jewellery； nor a gold…headed cane； when
it's got to be used as a crutch。 No； sir。 What you want is
suthin' that won't run away from you； that is always there before
you and won't wear out； and will last after you're gone。 That's
land！ And if it wasn't that I have sworn never to sell or give
away this house and that garden； if it wasn't that I've held out
agin the old woman and Mamie on that point； you should have THIS
house and THAT garden。 But； mebbee； for the same reason that I've
told you； I want that land to keep for myself。 But I've selected
four acres of the hill this side of my shaft； and here's the deed
of it。 As soon as you're ready； I'll put you up a house as big as
thisthat shall be yours； with the land； as long as you live； old
man； and after that your children's。〃
〃No； not theirs！〃 broke in the old man； passionately。 〃Never！〃
Mulrady recoiled for an instant in alarm at the sudden and
unexpected vehemence of his manner； 〃Go slow； old man； go slow；〃 he
said； soothingly。 〃Of course； you'll do with your own as you
like。〃 Then； as if changing the subject； he went on cheerfully：
〃Perhaps you'll wonder why I picked out that spot on the hillside。
Well； first； because I reserved it after my strike in case the lead
should run that way； but it didn't。 Next； because when you first
came here you seemed to like the prospect。 You used to sit there
looking at it； as if it reminded you of something。 You never said
it did。 They say you was sitting on that boulder there when you
had that last attack； you know； but；〃 he added； gently； 〃you've
forgotten all about it。〃
〃I have forgotten nothing；〃 said Slinn； rising； with a choking
voice。 〃I wish to God I had； I wish to God I could！〃
He was on his feet now； supporting himself by the table。 The
subtle generous liquor he had drunk had evidently shaken his self…
control； and burst those voluntary bonds he had put upon himself
for the last six months； the insidious stimulant had also put a
strange vigor into his blood and nerves。 His face was flushed； but
not distorted； his eyes were brilliant； but not fixed； he looked as
he might have looked to Masters in his strength three years before
on that very hillside。
〃Listen to me； Alvin Mulrady；〃 he said； leaning over him with
burning eyes。 〃Listen； while I have brain to think and strength to
utter； why I have learnt to distrust； fear； and hate them！ You
think you know my story。 Well； hear the truth from ME to…night；
Alvin Mulrady； and do not wonder if I have cause。〃
He stopped； and； with pathetic inefficiency； passed the fingers and
inward…turned thumb of his paralyzed hand across his mouth； as if
to calm himself。 〃Three years ago I was a miner； but not a miner
like you！ I had experience； I had scientific knowledge； I had a
theory； and the patience and energy to carry it out。 I selected a
spot that had all the indications； made a tunnel； and； without aid；
counsel or assistance of any kind； worked it for six months；
without rest or cessation； and with scarcely food enough to sustain
my body。 Well； I made a strike； not like you； Mulrady； not a
blunder of good luck； a fool's fortunethere； I don't blame you
for itbut in perfect demonstration of my theory； the reward of my
labor。 It was no pocket； but a vein； a lead； that I had regularly
hunted down and founda fortune！
〃I never knew how hard I had worked until that morning