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But he had never seen my note till this moment； and this moment was the
first time he had been in the cabin since the day he had seen me last。
He； also； had left a note for me； on that same fatal afternoonhad
ridden up on horseback； and looked through the window； and being in a
hurry and not seeing me； had tossed the note into the cabin through a
broken pane。 Here it was； on the floor； where it had remained
undisturbed for nine days：
〃Don't fail to do the work before the ten days expire。 W。
has passed through and given me notice。 I am to join him at
Mono Lake； and we shall go on from there to…night。 He says
he will find it this time； sure。 CAL。〃
〃W。〃 meant Whiteman； of course。 That thrice accursed 〃cement！〃
That was the way of it。 An old miner； like Higbie； could no more
withstand the fascination of a mysterious mining excitement like this
〃cement〃 foolishness； than he could refrain from eating when he was
famishing。 Higbie had been dreaming about the marvelous cement for
months； and now； against his better judgment； he had gone off and 〃taken
the chances〃 on my keeping secure a mine worth a million undiscovered
cement veins。 They had not been followed this time。 His riding out of
town in broad daylight was such a common…place thing to do that it had
not attracted any attention。 He said they prosecuted their search in the
fastnesses of the mountains during nine days； without success； they could
not find the cement。 Then a ghastly fear came over him that something
might have happened to prevent the doing of the necessary work to hold
the blind lead （though indeed he thought such a thing hardly possible）；
and forthwith he started home with all speed。 He would have reached
Esmeralda in time； but his horse broke down and he had to walk a great
part of the distance。 And so it happened that as he came into Esmeralda
by one road； I entered it by another。 His was the superior energy；
however； for he went straight to the Wide West； instead of turning aside
as I had doneand he arrived there about five or ten minutes too late！
The 〃notice〃 was already up； the 〃relocation〃 of our mine completed
beyond recall； and the crowd rapidly dispersing。 He learned some facts
before he left the ground。 The foreman had not been seen about the
streets since the night we had located the minea telegram had called
him to California on a matter of life and death； it was said。 At any
rate he had done no work and the watchful eyes of the community were
taking note of the fact。 At midnight of this woful tenth day； the ledge
would be 〃relocatable；〃 and by eleven o'clock the hill was black with men
prepared to do the relocating。 That was the crowd I had seen when I
fancied a new 〃strike〃 had been madeidiot that I was。
＇We three had the same right to relocate the lead that other people had；
provided we were quick enough。＇ As midnight was announced； fourteen men；
duly armed and ready to back their proceedings； put up their 〃notice〃 and
proclaimed their ownership of the blind lead； under the new name of the
〃Johnson。〃 But A。 D。 Allen our partner （the foreman） put in a sudden
appearance about that time； with a cocked revolver in his hand； and said
his name must be added to the list； or he would 〃thin out the Johnson
company some。〃 He was a manly； splendid； determined fellow； and known to
be as good as his word； and therefore a compromise was effected。 They
put in his name for a hundred feet； reserving to themselves the customary
two hundred feet each。 Such was the history of the night's events； as
Higbie gathered from a friend on the way home。
Higbie and I cleared out on a new mining excitement the next morning；
glad to get away from the scene of our sufferings； and after a month or
two of hardship and disappointment； returned to Esmeralda once more。
Then we learned that the Wide West and the Johnson companies had
consolidated； that the stock； thus united； comprised five thousand feet；
or shares； that the foreman； apprehending tiresome litigation； and
considering such a huge concern unwieldy； had sold his hundred feet for
ninety thousand dollars in gold and gone home to the States to enjoy it。
If the stock was worth such a gallant figure； with five thousand shares
in the corporation； it makes me dizzy to think what it would have been
worth with only our original six hundred in it。 It was the difference
between six hundred men owning a house and five thousand owning it。 We
would have been millionaires if we had only worked with pick and spade
one little day on our property and so secured our ownership！
It reads like a wild fancy sketch； but the evidence of many witnesses；
and likewise that of the official records of Esmeralda District； is
easily obtainable in proof that it is a true history。 I can always have
it to say that I was absolutely and unquestionably worth a million
dollars； once； for ten days。
A year ago my esteemed and in every way estimable old millionaire
partner； Higbie； wrote me from an obscure little mining camp in
California that after nine or ten years of buffetings and hard striving；
he was at last in a position where he could command twenty…five hundred
dollars； and said he meant to go into the fruit business in a modest way。
How such a thought would have insulted him the night we lay in our cabin
planning European trips and brown stone houses on Russian Hill！
CHAPTER XLII。
What to do next？
It was a momentous question。 I had gone out into the world to shift for
myself； at the age of thirteen （for my father had endorsed for friends；
and although he left us a sumptuous legacy of pride in his fine Virginian
stock and its national distinction； I presently found that I could not
live on that alone without occasional bread to wash it down with）。 I had
gained a livelihood in various vocations； but had not dazzled anybody
with my successes； still the list was before me； and the amplest liberty
in the matter of choosing； provided I wanted to workwhich I did not；
after being so wealthy。 I had once been a grocery clerk； for one day；
but had consumed so much sugar in that time that I was relieved from
further duty by the proprietor； said he wanted me outside； so that he
could have my custom。 I had studied law an entire week； and then given
it up because it was so prosy and tiresome。 I had engaged briefly in the
study of blacksmithing； but wasted so much time trying to fix the bellows
so that it would blow itself； that the master turned me adrift in
disgrace； and told me I would come to no good。 I had been a bookseller's
clerk for awhile； but the customers bothered me so much I could not read
with any comfort； and so the proprietor gave me a furlough and forgot to
put a limit to it。 I had clerked in a drug store part of a summer； but
my prescriptions were unlucky； and we appeared to sell more stomach pumps
than soda water。 So I had to go。 I had made of myself a tolerable
printer； under the impression that I would be another Franklin some day；
but somehow had missed the connection thus far。 There was no berth open
in the Esmeralda Union； and besides I had always been such a slow
compositor that I looked with envy upon the achievements of apprentices
of two years' standing； and when I took a 〃take；〃 foremen were in the
habit of suggesting that it would be wanted 〃some time during the year。〃
I was a good average St。 Louis and New Orleans pilot and by no means
ashamed of my abilities in that line； wages were two hundred and fifty
dollars a month and no board to pay； and I did long to stand behind a
wheel again and never roam any morebut I had been making such an ass of
myself lately in grandiloquent letters home about my blind lead and my
European excursion that I did what many and many a poor disappointed
miner had done before； said 〃It is all over with me now； and I will never
go back home to be pitiedand snubbed。〃 I had been a private secretary；
a silver miner and a silver mill operative； and amounted to less than
nothing in each； and now
What to do next？
I yielded to Higbie's appeals and consented to try the mining once more。
We climbed far up on the mountain side and went to work on a little
rubbishy claim of ours that had a shaft on it eight feet deep。 Higbie
descended into it and worked bravely with his pick till he had loosened
up a deal of rock and dirt and then I went down with a long…handled
shovel （the most awkward invention yet contrived by man） to throw it out。
You must brace the shovel forward with the side of your knee till it is
full； and then； with a skilful toss； throw it backward over your left
shoulder。 I made the toss； and landed the mess just on the edge of the
shaft and it all came back on my head and down the back of my neck。
I never said a word； but climbed out and walked home。 I inwardly
resolved that I would starve before I would make a target of myself and
shoot rubbish at it with a long…handled shovel。
I sat down； in the cabin； and gave myself up to solid miseryso to
speak。 Now in pleasanter days I had amused myself with writing letters
to the chief paper of the Territory； the Virginia Daily Territorial
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