right in warnin' me agin him。〃
The outburst was so unlike him； and so dwarfed his large though
common nature with its littleness； that it was easy to detect its
feminine origin； although it filled Slinn with vague alarm。
〃Never mind him；〃 said the old man； hastily； 〃what I wanted to say
now is that I abandon everything to you and yours。 There are no
proofs； there never will be any more than what we know； than what
we have tested and found wanting。 I swear to you that； except to
show you that I have not lied and am not crazy； I would destroy
them on their way to your hands。 Keep the money； and spend it as
you will。 Make your daughter happy； and； through her； yourself。
You have made me happy through your liberality； don't make me
suffer through your privation。〃
〃I tell you what； old man；〃 said Mulrady； rising to his feet； with
an awkward mingling of frankness and shame in his manner and
accent； 〃I should like to pay that money for Mamie； and let her be
a princess； if it would make her happy。 I should like to shut the
lantern jaws of that Don Caesar； who'd be too glad if anything
happened to break off Mamie's match。 But I shouldn't touch that
capitalunless you'd lend it to me。 If you'll take a note from
me； payable if the property ever becomes yours； I'd thank you。 A
mortgage on the old house and garden； and the lands I bought of Don
Caesar； outside the mine； will screen you。〃
〃If that pleases you；〃 said the old man； with a smile； 〃have your
way； and if I tear up the note； it does not concern you。〃
It did please the distinguished capitalist of Rough…and…Ready； for
the next few days his face wore a brightened expression； and he
seemed to have recovered his old tranquillity。 There was； in fact；
a slight touch of consequence in his manner； the first ostentation
he had ever indulged in； when he was informed one morning at his
private office that Don Caesar Alvarado was in the counting…house；
desiring a few moments' conference。 〃Tell him to come in；〃 said
Mulrady； shortly。 The door opened upon Don Caesarerect； sallow；
and grave。 Mulrady had not seen him since his return from Europe；
and even his inexperienced eyes were struck with the undeniable
ease and grace with which the young Spanish…American had
assimilated the style and fashion of an older civilization。 It
seemed rather as if he had returned to a familiar condition than
adopted a new one。
〃Take a cheer；〃 said Mulrady。
The young man looked at Slinn with quietly persistent significance。
〃You can talk all the same；〃 said Mulrady； accepting the
significance。 〃He's my private secretary。〃
〃It seems that for that reason we might choose another moment for
our conversation；〃 returned Don Caesar； haughtily。 〃Do I
understand you cannot see me now？〃
Mulrady hesitated； he had always revered and recognized a certain
social superiority in Don Ramon Alvarado； somehow his sona young
man of half his age； and once a possible son…in…lawappeared to
claim that recognition also。 He rose； without a word； and preceded
Don Caesar up…stairs into the drawing…room。 The alien portrait on
the wall seemed to evidently take sides with Don Caesar； as against
the common intruder； Mulrady。
〃I hoped the Senora Mulrady might have saved me this interview；〃
said the young man； stiffly； 〃or at least have given you some
intimation of the reason why I seek it。 As you just now proposed
my talking to you in the presence of the unfortunate Senor Esslinn
himself； it appears she has not。〃
〃I don't know what you're driving at； or what Mrs。 Mulrady's got to
do with Slinn or you；〃 said Mulrady； in angry uneasiness。
〃Do I understand；〃 said Don Caesar； sternly； 〃that Senora Mulrady
has not told you that I entrusted to her an important letter；
belonging to Senor Esslinn； which I had the honor to discover in
the wood six months ago； and which she said she would refer to
you？〃
〃Letter？〃 echoed Mulrady； slowly； 〃my wife had a letter of
Slinn's？〃
Don Caesar regarded the millionaire attentively。 〃It is as I
feared；〃 he said； gravely。 〃You do not know or you would not have
remained silent。〃 He then briefly recounted the story of his
finding Slinn's letter； his exhibition of it to the invalid； its
disastrous effect upon him； and his innocent discovery of the
contents。 〃I believed myself at that time on the eve of being
allied with your family； Senor Mulrady；〃 he said； haughtily； 〃and
when I found myself in the possession of a secret which affected
its integrity and good name； I did not choose to leave it in the
helpless hands of its imbecile owner； or his sillier children； but
proposed to trust it to the care of the Senora； that she and you
might deal with it as became your honor and mine。 I followed her
to Paris； and gave her the letter there。 She affected to laugh at
any pretension of the writer； or any claim he might have on your
bounty； but she kept the letter； and； I fear； destroyed it。 You
will understand； Senor Mulrady； that when I found that my
attentions were no longer agreeable to your daughter； I had no
longer the right to speak to you on the subject； nor could I；
without misapprehension； force her to return it。 I should have
still kept the secret to myself； if I had not since my return here
made the nearer acquaintance of Senor Esslinn's daughters。 I
cannot present myself at his house； as a suitor for the hand of the
Senorita Vashti； until I have asked his absolution for my
complicity in the wrong that has been done to him。 I cannot； as a
caballero； do that without your permission。 It is for that purpose
I am here。〃
It needed only this last blow to complete the humiliation that
whitened Mulrady's face。 But his eye was none the less clear and
his voice none the less steady as he turned to Don Caesar。
〃You know perfectly the contents of that letter？〃
〃I have kept a copy of it。〃
〃Come with me。〃
He preceded his visitor down the staircase and back into his
private office。 Slinn looked up at his employer's face in
unrestrained anxiety。 Mulrady sat down at his desk； wrote a few
hurried lines； and rang a bell。 A manager appeared from the
counting…room。
〃Send that to the bank。〃
He wiped his pen as methodically as if he had not at that moment
countermanded the order to pay his daughter's dowry； and turned
quietly to Slinn。
〃Don Caesar Alvarado has found the letter you wrote your wife on
the day you made your strike in the tunnel that is now my shaft。
He gave the letter to Mrs。 Mulrady； but he has kept a copy。〃
Unheeding the frightened gesture of entreaty from Slinn； equally
with the unfeigned astonishment of Don Caesar； who was entirely
unprepared for this revelation of Mulrady's and Slinn's
confidences； he continued； 〃He has brought the copy with him。 I
reckon it would be only square for you to compare it with what you
remember of the original。〃
In obedience to a gesture from Mulrady； Don Caesar mechanically
took from his pocket a folded paper； and handed it to the
paralytic。 But Slinn's trembling fingers could scarcely unfold the
paper； and as his eyes fell upon its contents； his convulsive lips
could not articulate a word。
〃P'raps I'd better read it for you；〃 said Mulrady； gently。 〃You
kin follow me and stop me when I go wrong。〃
He took the paper； and； in dead silence； read as follows：
〃DEAR WIFE；I've just struck gold in my tunnel； and you must get
ready to come here with the children； at once。 It was after six
months' hard work； and I'm so weak I 。 。 。 It's a fortune for us
all。 We should be rich even if it were only a branch vein dipping
west towards the next tunnel； instead of dipping east； according to
my theory〃
〃Stop！〃 said Slinn； in a voice that shook the room。
Mulrady looked up。
〃It's wrong； ain't it？〃 he asked； anxiously； 〃it should be EAST
towards the next tunnel。〃
〃No！ IT'S RIGHT！ I am wrong！ We're all wrong！〃
Slinn had risen to his feet； erect and inspired。 〃Don't you see；〃
he almost screamed； with passionate vehemence； 〃it's MASTERS'
ABANDONED TUNNEL your shaft has struck？ Not mine！ It was Masters'
pick you found！ I know it now！〃
〃And your own tunnel？〃 said Mulrady； springing to his feet in
excitement。 〃And YOUR strike？〃
〃Is still there！〃
The next instant； and before another question could be asked； Slinn
had darted from the room。 In the exaltation of that supreme
discovery he regained the full control of his mind and body。
Mulrady and Don Caesar； no less excited； followed him precipitately；
and with difficulty kept up with his feverish speed。 Their way lay
along the base of the hill below Mulrady's shaft； and on a line with
Masters' abandoned tunnel。 Only once he stopped to snatch a pick
from the hand of an astonished Chinaman at work in a ditch； as he
still kept on his way； a quarter of a mile beyond the shaft。 Here
he stopped before a jagged hole in the hillside。 Bared to the sky
and air； the very openness of its abandonment； its unpropitious
position； and distance from the strike in Mulrady's shaft had no
doubt preserved its integrity from wayfarer or prospector。
〃You can't go in there alone； and without a light；〃 said Mulrady；
laying his hand on the arm of the excited man。 〃Let me get more
help and proper tools。〃
〃I know every step in the dark as in the daylight；〃 returned Slinn；
struggling。 〃Let me go； while I have yet strength and reason！
Stand aside！〃
He broke from them； and the next moment was swallowed up in the
yawning blackness。 They waited with bated breath until； after a
seeming eternity of night and silence； they heard his returning
footsteps； and ran forward to meet him。 As he was carrying
something clasped to his breast； they supported him to the opening。
But at the same moment the object of his search and his burden； a
misshapen wedge of gold and quartz； dropped with him； and both fell
together with equal immobility to the ground。 He had still
strength to turn his fading eyes to the other millionaire of Rough…
and…Ready； who leaned over him。
〃Yousee；〃 he gasped； brokenly； 〃I was notcrazy！〃
No。 He was dead！
End