laugh。
〃Well I reckon you're allus good enough for him in any dress；〃 said
Mulrady； watching her attentively； 〃and more than a match for him
NOW；〃 he added； triumphantly。
〃I don't know about that；〃 said Mamie。 〃He's been rich all the
time； and his father and grandfather before him； while we've been
poor and his tenants。〃
His face changed； the look of bewilderment； with which he had
followed her words； gave way to one of pain； and then of anger。
〃Did he get off such stuff as that？〃 he asked； quickly。
〃No。 I'd like to catch him at it；〃 responded Mamie； promptly。
〃There's better nor him to be had for the asking now。〃
They had walked on a few moments in aggrieved silence； and the
Chinaman might have imagined some misfortune had just befallen
them。 But Mamie's teeth shone again between her parted lips。 〃La；
pa！ it ain't that！ He cares everything for me； and I do for him；
and if ma hadn't got new ideas〃 She stopped suddenly。
〃What new ideas？〃 queried her father； anxiously。
〃Oh； nothing！ I wish； pa； you'd put on your other boots！
Everybody can see these are made for the farrows。 And you ain't a
market gardener any more。〃
〃What am I； then？〃 asked Mulrady； with a half…pleased； half…uneasy
laugh。
〃You're a capitalist； I say； but ma says a landed proprietor。〃
Nevertheless； the landed proprietor； when he reached the boulder on
the Red Dog highway； sat down in somewhat moody contemplation； with
his head bowed over the broad cowhide brogues； that seemed to have
already gathered enough of the soil to indicate his right to that
title。 Mamie； who had recovered her spirits； but had not lost her
preoccupation； wandered off by herself in the meadow； or ascended
the hillside； as her occasional impatience at the delay of the
coach； or the following of some ambitious fancy； alternately
prompted her。 She was so far away at one time that the stage…
coach； which finally drew up before Mulrady； was obliged to wait
for her。
When she was deposited safely inside； and Mulrady had climbed to
the box beside the driver； the latter remarked； curtly；
〃Ye gave me a right smart skeer； a minit ago； stranger。〃
〃Ez how？〃
〃Well； about three years ago； I was comin' down this yer grade； at
just this time； and sittin' right on that stone； in just your
attitude； was a man about your build and years。 I pulled up to let
him in； when； darn my skin！ if he ever moved； but sorter looked at
me without speakin'。 I called to him； and he never answered； 'cept
with that idiotic stare。 I then let him have my opinion of him； in
mighty strong English； and drove off； leavin' him there。 The next
morning； when I came by on the up…trip； darn my skin！ if he wasn't
thar； but lyin' all of a heap on the boulder。 Jim drops down and
picks him up。 Doctor Duchesne； ez was along； allowst it was a
played…out prospector； with a big case of paralysis； and we
expressed him through to the County Hospital； like so much dead
freight。 I've allus been kinder superstitious about passin' that
rock； and when I saw you jist now； sittin' thar； dazed like； with
your head down like the other chap； it rather threw me off my
centre。〃
In the inexplicable and half…superstitious uneasiness that this
coincidence awakened in Mulrady's unimaginative mind； he was almost
on the point of disclosing his good fortune to the driver； in order
to prove how preposterous was the parallel； but checked himself in
time。
〃Did you find out who he was？〃 broke in a rash passenger。 〃Did you
ever get over it？〃 added another unfortunate。
With a pause of insulting scorn at the interruption； the driver
resumed； pointedly； to Mulrady： 〃The pint of the whole thing was my
cussin' a helpless man； ez could neither cuss back nor shoot； and
then afterwards takin' you for his ghost layin' for me to get
even。〃 He paused again； and then added； carelessly； 〃They say he
never kem to enuff to let on who he was or whar he kem from； and he
was eventooally taken to a 'Sylum for Doddering Idjits and Gin'ral
and Permiskus Imbeciles at Sacramento。 I've heerd it's considered
a first…class institooshun； not only for them ez is paralyzed and
can't talk； as for them ez is the reverse and is too chipper。
Now；〃 he added； languidly turning for the first time to his
miserable questioners； 〃how did YOU find it？〃
CHAPTER II
When the news of the discovery of gold in Mulrady shaft was finally
made public； it created an excitement hitherto unknown in the
history of the country。 Half of Red Dog and all Rough…and…Ready
were emptied upon the yellow hills surrounding Mulrady's； until
their circling camp fires looked like a besieging army that had
invested his peaceful pastoral home； preparatory to carrying it by
assault。 Unfortunately for them； they found the various points of
vantage already garrisoned with notices of 〃preemption〃 for mining
purposes in the name of the various members of the Alvarado family。
This stroke of business was due to Mrs。 Mulrady； as a means of
mollifying the conscientious scruples of her husband and of
placating the Alvarados； in view of some remote contingency。 It is
but fair to say that this degradation of his father's Castilian
principles was opposed by Don Caesar。 〃You needn't work them
yourself； but sell out to them that will； it's the only way to keep
the prospectors from taking it without paying for it at all；〃
argued Mrs。 Mulrady。 Don Caesar finally assented； perhaps less to
the business arguments of Mulrady's wife than to the simple
suggestion of Mamie's mother。 Enough that he realized a sum in
money for a few acres that exceeded the last ten years' income of
Don Ramon's seven leagues。
Equally unprecedented and extravagant was the realization of the
discovery in Mulrady's shaft。 It was alleged that a company；
hastily formed in Sacramento； paid him a million of dollars down；
leaving him still a controlling two…thirds interest in the mine。
With an obstinacy； however； that amounted almost to a moral
conviction； he refused to include the house and potato…patch in the
property。 When the company had yielded the point； he declined；
with equal tenacity； to part with it to outside speculators on even
the most extravagant offers。 In vain Mrs。 Mulrady protested； in
vain she pointed out to him that the retention of the evidence of
his former humble occupation was a green blot upon their social
escutcheon。
〃If you will keep the land； build on it； and root up the garden。〃
But Mulrady was adamant。
〃It's the only thing I ever made myself； and got out of the soil
with my own hands； it's the beginning of my fortune； and it may be
the end of it。 Mebbee I'll be glad enough to have it to come back
to some day； and be thankful for the square meal I can dig out of
it。〃
By repeated pressure； however； Mulrady yielded the compromise that
a portion of it should be made into a vineyard and flower…garden；
and by a suitable coloring of ornament and luxury obliterate its
vulgar part。 Less successful； however； was that energetic woman in
another effort to mitigate the austerities of their earlier state。
It occurred to her to utilize the softer accents of Don Caesar in
the pronunciation of their family name； and privately had 〃Mulrade〃
take the place of Mulrady on her visiting card。 〃It might be
Spanish；〃 she argued with her husband。 〃Lawyer Cole says most
American names are corrupted； and how do you know that yours
ain't？〃 Mulrady； who would not swear that his ancestors came from
Ireland to the Carolinas in '98； was helpless to refute the
assertion。 But the terrible Nemesis of an un…Spanish； American
provincial speech avenged the orthographical outrage at once。 When
Mrs。 Mulrady began to be addressed orally； as well as by letter； as
〃Mrs。 Mulraid；〃 and when simple amatory effusions to her daughter
rhymed with 〃lovely maid；〃 she promptly refused the original vowel。
But she fondly clung to the Spanish courtesy which transformed her
husband's baptismal name； and usually spoke of himin his absence
as 〃Don Alvino。〃 But in the presence of his short； square figure；
his orange tawny hair； his twinkling gray eyes； and retrousse nose；
even that dominant woman withheld his title。 It was currently
reported at Red Dog that a distinguished foreigner had one day
approached Mulrady with the formula； 〃I believe I have the honor of
addressing Don Alvino Mulrady？〃 〃You kin bet your boots； stranger；
that's me；〃 had returned that simple hidalgo。
Although Mrs。 Mulrady would have preferred that Mamie should remain
at Sacramento until she could join her； preparatory to a trip to
〃the States〃 and Europe； she yielded to her daughter's desire to
astonish Rough…and…Ready； before she left； with her new wardrobe；
and unfold in the parent nest the delicate and painted wings with
which she was to fly from them forever。 〃I don't want them to
remember me afterwards in those spotted prints； ma； and like as not
say I never had a decent frock until I went away。〃 There was
something so like the daughter of her mother in this delicate
foresight that the touched and gratified parent kissed her； and
assented。 The result was gratifying beyond her expectation。 In
that few weeks' sojourn at Sacramento； the young girl seemed to
have adapted and assimilated herself to the latest modes of fashion
with even more than the usual American girl's pliancy and taste。
Equal to all emergencies of style and material； she seemed to
supply； from some hitherto unknown quality she possessed； the grace
and manner peculiar to each。 Untrammeled by tradition； education；
or precedent； she had the Western girl's confidence in all things
being possible； which made them so often probable。 Mr。 Mulrady
looked at his daughter with mingled sentiments of pride and awe。
Was it possible that this delicate creature； so superior to him
that he seemed like a degenerate scion of her remoter race； was his
own flesh and blood？ Was she the daughter of her mother； who even
in her remembered youth was never equipped like this？ If the
thought brought no pleasure to his simple； loving nature； it at
least spared him the pain of what might have seemed ingratitude in
one more akin to himself。 〃The fact is； we ain't qu