of his helpmate。 From his own knowledge of men； he doubted if Don
Ramon； any more than himself； had ever thought of the possibility
of a matrimonial connection between the families。 He doubted if he
would consent to it。 And unfortunately it was this very doubt
that； touching his own pride as a self…made man； made him first
seriously consider his wife's proposition。 He was as good as Don
Ramon； any day！ With this subtle feminine poison instilled in his
veins； carried completely away by the logic of his wife's illogical
premises； he almost hated his old benefactor。 He looked down upon
the little Garden of Eden； where his Eve had just tempted him with
the fatal fruit； and felt a curious consciousness that he was
losing its simple and innocent enjoyment forever。
Happily； about this time Don Ramon died。 It is not probable that
he ever knew the amiable intentions of Mrs。 Mulrady in regard to
his son； who now succeeded to the paternal estate； sadly
partitioned by relatives and lawsuits。 The feminine Mulradys
attended the funeral； in expensive mourning from Sacramento； even
the gentle Alvin was forced into ready…made broadcloth； which
accented his good…natured but unmistakably common presence。 Mrs。
Mulrady spoke openly of her 〃loss〃； declared that the old families
were dying out； and impressed the wives of a few new arrivals at
Red Dog with the belief that her own family was contemporary with
the Alvarados； and that her husband's health was far from perfect。
She extended a motherly sympathy to the orphaned Don Caesar。
Reserved； like his father； in natural disposition； he was still
more gravely ceremonious from his loss； and； perhaps from the
shyness of an evident partiality for Mamie Mulrady； he rarely
availed himself of her mother's sympathizing hospitality。 But he
carried out the intentions of his father by consenting to sell to
Mulrady； for a small sum； the property he had leased。 The idea of
purchasing had originated with Mrs。 Mulrady。
〃It'll be all in the family；〃 had observed that astute lady； 〃and
it's better for the looks of the things that we shouldn't he his
tenants。〃
It was only a few weeks later that she was startled by hearing her
husband's voice calling her from the hillside as he rapidly
approached the house。 Mamie was in her room putting on a new pink
cotton gown； in honor of an expected visit from young Don Caesar；
and Mrs。 Mulrady was tidying the house in view of the same event。
Something in the tone of her good man's voice； and the unusual
circumstance of his return to the house before work was done；
caused her； however； to drop her dusting cloth； and run to the
kitchen door to meet him。 She saw him running through the rows of
cabbages； his face shining with perspiration and excitement； a
light in his eyes which she had not seen for years。 She recalled；
without sentiment； that he looked like that when she had called
hima poor farm hand of her father'sout of the brush heap at the
back of their former home； in Illinois； to learn the consent of her
parents。 The recollection was the more embarrassing as he threw
his arms around her； and pressed a resounding kiss upon her sallow
cheek。
〃Sakes alive！ Mulrady！〃 she said； exorcising the ghost of a blush
that had also been recalled from the past with her housewife's
apron； 〃what are you doin'； and company expected every minit？〃
〃Malviny； I've struck it； and struck it rich！〃
She disengaged herself from his arms； without excitement； and
looked at him with bright but shrewdly observant eyes。
〃I've struck it in the wellthe regular vein that the boys have
been looking fer。 There's a fortin' fer you and Mamie： thousands
and tens of thousands！〃
〃Wait a minit。〃
She left him quickly； and went to the foot of the stairs。 He could
hear her wonderingly and distinctly。 〃Ye can take off that new
frock； Mamie；〃 she called out。
There was a sound of undisguised expostulation from Mamie。
〃I'm speaking；〃 said Mrs。 Mulrady； emphatically。
The murmuring ceased。 Mrs。 Mulrady returned to her husband。 The
interruption seemed to have taken off the keen edge of his
enjoyment。 He at once abdicated his momentary elevation as a
discoverer； and waited for her to speak。
〃Ye haven't told any one yet？〃 she asked。
〃No。 I was alone； down in the shaft。 Ye see； Malviny； I wasn't
expectin' of anything。〃 He began； with an attempt at fresh
enjoyment； 〃I was just clearin' out； and hadn't reckoned on
anythin'。〃
〃You see； I was right when I advised you taking the land；〃 she
said； without heeding him。
Mulrady's face fell。 〃I hope Don Caesar won't think〃he began；
hesitatingly。 〃I reckon； perhaps； I oughter make some sorter
compensationyou know。〃
〃Stuff！〃 said Mrs。 Mulrady； decidedly。 〃Don't be a fool。 Any gold
discovery； anyhow； would have been yoursthat's the law。 And you
bought the land without any restrictions。 Besides； you never had
any idea of this！〃she stopped； and looked him suddenly in the
face〃had you？〃
Mulrady opened his honest； pale…gray eyes widely。
〃Why； Malviny！ You know I hadn't。 I could swear！〃
〃Don't swear； and don't let on to anybody but what you DID know it
was there。 Now； Alvin Mulrady； listen to me。〃 Her voice here took
the strident form of action。 〃Knock off work at the shaft； and
send your man away at once。 Put on your things； catch the next
stage to Sacramento at four o'clock； and take Mamie with you。〃
〃Mamie！〃 echoed Mulrady； feebly。
〃You want to see Lawyer Cole and my brother Jim at once；〃 she went
on； without heeding him； 〃and Mamie wants a change and some proper。
clothes。 Leave the rest to me and Abner。 I'll break it to Mamie；
and get her ready。〃
Mulrady passed his hands through his tangled hair； wet with
perspiration。 He was proud of his wife's energy and action； he did
not dream of opposing her； but somehow he was disappointed。 The
charming glamour and joy of his discovery had vanished before he
could fairly dazzle her with it； or； rather； she was not dazzled
with it at all。 It had become like business； and the expression
〃breaking it〃 to Mamie jarred upon him。 He would have preferred to
tell her himself； to watch the color come into her delicate oval
face； to have seen her soft eyes light with an innocent joy he had
not seen in his wife's； and he felt a sinking conviction that his
wife was the last one to awaken it。
〃You ain't got any time to lose；〃 she said； impatiently； as he
hesitated。
Perhaps it was her impatience that struck harshly upon him；
perhaps； if she had not accepted her good fortune so confidently；
he would not have spoken what was in his mind at the time； but he
said gravely； 〃Wait a minit； Malviny； I've suthin' to tell you
'bout this find of mine that's sing'lar。〃
〃Go on；〃 she said； quickly。
〃Lyin' among the rotten quartz of the vein was a pick；〃 he said；
constrainedly； 〃and the face of the vein sorter looked ez if it had
been worked at。 Follering the line outside to the base of the hill
there was signs of there having been an old tunnel； but it had
fallen in； and was blocked up。〃
〃Well？〃 said Mrs。 Mulrady； contemptuously。
〃Well；〃 returned her husband； somewhat disconnectedly； 〃it kinder
looked as if some feller might have discovered it before。〃
〃And went away； and left it for others！ That's likelyain't it？〃
interrupted his wife； with ill…disguised intolerance。 〃Everybody
knows the hill wasn't worth that for prospectin'； and it was
abandoned when we came here。 It's your property and you've paid
for it。 Are you goin' to wait to advertise for the owner； Alvin
Mulrady； or are you going to Sacramento at four o'clock to…day？〃
Mulrady started。 He had never seriously believed in the
possibility of a previous discovery； but his conscientious nature
had prompted him to give it a fair consideration。 She was probably
right。 What he might have thought had she treated it with equal
conscientiousness he did not consider。 〃All right；〃 he said
simply。 〃I reckon we'll go at once。〃
〃And when you talk to Lawyer Cole and Jim； keep that silly stuff
about the pick to yourself。 There's no use of putting queer ideas
into other people's heads because you happen to have 'em yourself。〃
When the hurried arrangements were at last completed； and Mr。
Mulrady and Mamie； accompanied by a taciturn and discreet Chinaman；
carrying their scant luggage； were on their way to the high road to
meet the up stage； the father gazed somewhat anxiously and
wistfully into his daughter's face。 He had looked forward to those
few moments to enjoy the freshness and naivete of Mamie's youthful
delight and enthusiasm as a relief to his wife's practical； far…
sighted realism。 There was a pretty pink suffusion in her delicate
cheek； the breathless happiness of a child in her half…opened
little mouth； and a beautiful absorption in her large gray eyes
that augured well for him。
〃Well； Mamie； how do we like bein' an heiress？ How do we like
layin' over all the gals between this and 'Frisco？〃
〃Eh？〃
She had not heard him。 The tender beautiful eyes were engaged in
an anticipatory examination of the remembered shelves in the 〃Fancy
Emporium〃 at Sacramento； in reading the admiration of the clerks；
in glancing down a little criticisingly at the broad cowhide
brogues that strode at her side； in looking up the road for the
stage…coach； in regarding the fit of her new gloveseverywhere but
in the loving eyes of the man beside her。
He； however； repeated the question； touched with her charming
preoccupation； and passing his arm around her little waist。
〃I like it well enough； pa； you know！〃 she said； slightly
disengaging his arm； but adding a perfunctory little squeeze to his
elbow to soften the separation。 〃I always had an idea SOMETHING
would happen。 I suppose I'm looking like a fright；〃 she added；
〃but ma made me hurry to get away before Don Caesar came。〃
〃And you didn't want to go without seeing him？〃 he added； archly。
〃I didn't want him to see me in this frock；〃 said Mamie； simply。
〃I reckon that's why ma made me change；〃 she added； with a slight
laugh。
〃Well I reckon you're allus good enough for him in any dress；〃 said
Mulrady； watching her atten