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〃By George！〃
A long pause。
〃Cal。； when are you going to Europe？〃
〃WellI hadn't thought of that。 When are you？〃
〃In the Spring。〃
〃Going to be gone all summer？〃
〃All summer！ I shall remain there three years。〃
〃Nobut are you in earnest？〃
〃Indeed I am。〃
〃I will go along too。〃
〃Why of course you will。〃
〃What part of Europe shall you go to？〃
〃All parts。 France； England； GermanySpain； Italy； Switzerland； Syria；
Greece； Palestine； Arabia； Persia； Egyptall overeverywhere。〃
〃I'm agreed。〃
〃All right。〃
〃Won't it be a swell trip！〃
〃We'll spend forty or fifty thousand dollars trying to make it one；
anyway。〃
Another long pause。
〃Higbie； we owe the butcher six dollars； and he has been threatening to
stop our〃
〃Hang the butcher！〃
〃Amen。〃
And so it went on。 By three o'clock we found it was no use； and so we
got up and played cribbage and smoked pipes till sunrise。 It was my week
to cook。 I always hated cookingnow； I abhorred it。
The news was all over town。 The former excitement was greatthis one
was greater still。 I walked the streets serene and happy。 Higbie said
the foreman had been offered two hundred thousand dollars for his third
of the mine。 I said I would like to see myself selling for any such
price。 My ideas were lofty。 My figure was a million。 Still； I honestly
believe that if I had been offered it； it would have had no other effect
than to make me hold off for more。
I found abundant enjoyment in being rich。 A man offered me a three…
hundred…dollar horse； and wanted to take my simple； unendorsed note for
it。 That brought the most realizing sense I had yet had that I was
actually rich； beyond shadow of doubt。 It was followed by numerous other
evidences of a similar natureamong which I may mention the fact of the
butcher leaving us a double supply of meat and saying nothing about
money。
By the laws of the district； the 〃locators〃 or claimants of a ledge were
obliged to do a fair and reasonable amount of work on their new property
within ten days after the date of the location； or the property was
forfeited； and anybody could go and seize it that chose。 So we
determined to go to work the next day。 About the middle of the
afternoon； as I was coming out of the post office； I met a Mr。 Gardiner；
who told me that Capt。 John Nye was lying dangerously ill at his place
（the 〃Nine…Mile Ranch〃）； and that he and his wife were not able to give
him nearly as much care and attention as his case demanded。 I said if he
would wait for me a moment； I would go down and help in the sick room。
I ran to the cabin to tell Higbie。 He was not there； but I left a note
on the table for him； and a few minutes later I left town in Gardiner's
wagon。
CHAPTER XLI。
Captain Nye was very ill indeed； with spasmodic rheumatism。 But the old
gentleman was himselfwhich is to say； he was kind…hearted and agreeable
when comfortable； but a singularly violent wild…cat when things did not
go well。 He would be smiling along pleasantly enough； when a sudden
spasm of his disease would take him and he would go out of his smile into
a perfect fury。 He would groan and wail and howl with the anguish； and
fill up the odd chinks with the most elaborate profanity that strong
convictions and a fine fancy could contrive。 With fair opportunity he
could swear very well and handle his adjectives with considerable
judgment； but when the spasm was on him it was painful to listen to him；
he was so awkward。 However； I had seen him nurse a sick man himself and
put up patiently with the inconveniences of the situation； and
consequently I was willing that he should have full license now that his
own turn had come。 He could not disturb me； with all his raving and
ranting； for my mind had work on hand； and it labored on diligently；
night and day； whether my hands were idle or employed。 I was altering
and amending the plans for my house； and thinking over the propriety of
having the billard…room in the attic； instead of on the same floor with
the dining…room； also； I was trying to decide between green and blue for
the upholstery of the drawing…room； for； although my preference was blue
I feared it was a color that would be too easily damaged by dust and
sunlight； likewise while I was content to put the coachman in a modest
livery； I was uncertain about a footmanI needed one； and was even
resolved to have one； but wished he could properly appear and perform his
functions out of livery； for I somewhat dreaded so much show； and yet；
inasmuch as my late grandfather had had a coachman and such things； but
no liveries； I felt rather drawn to beat him；or beat his ghost； at any
rate； I was also systematizing the European trip； and managed to get it
all laid out； as to route and length of time to be devoted to it
everything； with one exceptionnamely； whether to cross the desert from
Cairo to Jerusalem per camel； or go by sea to Beirut； and thence down
through the country per caravan。 Meantime I was writing to the friends
at home every day； instructing them concerning all my plans and
intentions； and directing them to look up a handsome homestead for my
mother and agree upon a price for it against my coming； and also
directing them to sell my share of the Tennessee land and tender the
proceeds to the widows' and orphans' fund of the typographical union of
which I had long been a member in good standing。 ＇This Tennessee land
had been in the possession of the family many years； and promised to
confer high fortune upon us some day； it still promises it； but in a less
violent way。＇
When I had been nursing the Captain nine days he was somewhat better；
but very feeble。 During the afternoon we lifted him into a chair and
gave him an alcoholic vapor bath； and then set about putting him on the
bed again。 We had to be exceedingly careful； for the least jar produced
pain。 Gardiner had his shoulders and I his legs； in an unfortunate
moment I stumbled and the patient fell heavily on the bed in an agony of
torture。 I never heard a man swear so in my life。 He raved like a
maniac； and tried to snatch a revolver from the tablebut I got it。
He ordered me out of the house； and swore a world of oaths that he would
kill me wherever he caught me when he got on his feet again。 It was
simply a passing fury； and meant nothing。 I knew he would forget it in
an hour； and maybe be sorry for it； too； but it angered me a little； at
the moment。 So much so； indeed； that I determined to go back to
Esmeralda。 I thought he was able to get along alone； now； since he was
on the war path。 I took supper； and as soon as the moon rose； began my
nine…mile journey； on foot。
Even millionaires needed no horses； in those days； for a mere nine…mile
jaunt without baggage。
As I 〃raised the hill〃 overlooking the town； it lacked fifteen minutes of
twelve。 I glanced at the hill over beyond the canyon； and in the bright
moonlight saw what appeared to be about half the population of the
village massed on and around the Wide West croppings。 My heart gave an
exulting bound； and I said to myself； 〃They have made a new strike to…
nightand struck it richer than ever； no doubt。〃 I started over there；
but gave it up。 I said the 〃strick〃 would keep； and I had climbed hill
enough for one night。 I went on down through the town； and as I was
passing a little German bakery； a woman ran out and begged me to come in
and help her。 She said her husband had a fit。 I went in； and judged she
was righthe appeared to have a hundred of them； compressed into one。
Two Germans were there； trying to hold him； and not making much of a
success of it。 I ran up the street half a block or so and routed out a
sleeping doctor； brought him down half dressed； and we four wrestled with
the maniac； and doctored； drenched and bled him； for more than an hour；
and the poor German woman did the crying。 He grew quiet； now； and the
doctor and I withdrew and left him to his friends。
It was a little after one o'clock。 As I entered the cabin door； tired
but jolly； the dingy light of a tallow candle revealed Higbie； sitting by
the pine table gazing stupidly at my note； which he held in his fingers；
and looking pale； old； and haggard。 I halted； and looked at him。 He
looked at me； stolidly。 I said：
〃Higbie； whatwhat is it？〃
〃We're ruinedwe didn't do the workTHE BLIND LEAD'S RELOCATED！〃
It was enough。 I sat down sick； grievedbroken…hearted； indeed。 A
minute before； I was rich and brimful of vanity； I was a pauper now； and
very meek。 We sat still an hour； busy with thought； busy with vain and
useless self…upbraidings； busy with 〃Why didn't I do this； and why didn't
I do that；〃 but neither spoke a word。 Then we dropped into mutual
explanations； and the mystery was cleared away。 It came out that Higbie
had depended on me； as I had on him； and as both of us had on the
foreman。 The folly of it！ It was the first time that ever staid and
steadfast Higbie had left an important matter to chance or failed to be
true to his full share of a responsibility。
But he had never seen my note till this moment； and this moment was the
first time he had been in the cabin