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old； abandoned flume； of which nothing was now left but the upright
trestle…work and long horizontal string…piece。 As the trail was
very difficult and the mule's pace was slow； I found myself dozing
at times； and at last I must have fallen asleep。 I think I must
have been awakened by a singular regularity in the movement of the
muleor else it was the monotony of step that had put me to sleep
and the cessation of it awakened me。 You see； at first I was not
certain that I wasn't really dreaming。 For the trail seemed to
have disappeared； the wall of rock on one side had vanished also；
and there appeared to be nothing ahead of me but the opposite
hillside。〃
Uncle Sylvester stopped to look out of the window at a passing
carriage。 Then he went on。 〃The moon came out； and I saw what had
happened。 The mule； either of her own free will； or obeying some
movement I had given the reins in my sleep； had swerved from the
trail； got on top of the flume； and was actually walking across the
valley on the narrow string…piece； a foot wide； half a mile long；
and sixty feet from the ground。 I knew；〃 he continued； examining
his napkin thoughtfully； 〃that she was perfectly surefooted； and
that if I kept quiet she could make the passage； but I suddenly
remembered that midway there was a break and gap of twenty feet in
the continuous line； and that the string…piece was too narrow to
allow her to turn round and retrace her steps。〃
〃Good heavens！〃 said Cousin Jane。
〃I beg your pardon？〃 said Uncle Sylvester politely。
〃I only said； 'Good heavens！' Well？〃 she added impatiently。
〃Well？〃 repeated Uncle Sylvester vaguely。 〃Oh； that's all。 I only
wanted to explain what I meant by saying I had ridden in my sleep。〃
〃But；〃 said Cousin Jane； leaning across the table with grim
deliberation and emphasizing each word with the handle of her
knife； 〃howdidyouandthatmule get down？〃
〃Oh； with slings and ropes； you knowso；〃 demonstrating by placing
his napkin…ring in a sling made of his napkin。
〃And I suppose you carried the slings and ropes with you in your
five trunks！〃 gasped Cousin Jane。
〃No。 Fellows on the river brought 'em in the morning。 Mighty spry
chaps； those river miners。〃
〃Very！〃 said Cousin Jane。
Breakfast over； they were not surprised that their sybaritic guest
excused himself from an inspection of the town in the frigid
morning air； and declined joining a skating party to the lake
on the ground that he could keep warmer indoors with half the
exertion。 An hour later found him standing before the fire in
Gabriel Lane's study； looking languidly down on his elder brother。
〃Then； as far as I can see；〃 he said quietly； 〃you have made ducks
and drakes of your share of the property； and that virtually you
are in the hands of this man Gunn and his father。〃
〃You're putting it too strongly；〃 said Gabriel deprecatingly。 〃In
the first place； my investments with Gunn's firm are by no means
failures； and they only hold as security a mortgage on the forest
land below the hill。 It's scarcely worth the money。 I would have
sold it long ago； but it had been a fancy of father's to keep it
wild land for the sake of old times and the healthiness of the
town。〃
〃There used to be a log cabin there； where the old man had a habit
of camping out whenever he felt cramped by civilization up here；
wasn't there？〃 said Uncle Sylvester meditatively。
〃Yes；〃 said Gabriel impatiently； 〃it's still therebut to return
to Mr。 Gunn。 He has taken a fancy to Kitty； and even if I could
not lift the mortgage； there's some possibility that the land would
still remain in the family。〃
〃I think I'll drive over this afternoon and take a look at the old
shanty if this infernal weather lets up。〃
〃Yes； but just now； my dear Sylvester； let us attend to business。
I want to show you those investments。〃
〃Oh； certainly； trot 'em out；〃 said his brother； plucking up a
simulation of interest as he took a seat at the table。
From a drawer of his desk Gabriel brought out a bundle of
prospectuses and laid them before Uncle Sylvester。
A languid smile of recognition lit up the latter's face。 〃Ah！
yes；〃 he said； glancing at them。 〃The old lot： 'Carmelita；' 'Santa
Maria；' and 'Preciosa！' Just as I imaginedand yet who'd have
thought of seeing them HERE！ A good deal rouged and powdered； Miss
Carmelita； since I first knew you！ Considerably bolstered up by
miraculous testimony to your powers； my dear Santa Maria； since
the day I found you out； to my cost！ And you too； Preciosa！a
precious lot of money I dropped on you in the old days！〃
〃You are joking；〃 said Gabriel； with an uneasy smile。 〃You don't
mean to imply that this stock is old and worthless？〃
〃There isn't a capital in America or Europe where for the last five
years it hasn't been floated with a new character each time。 My
dear Gabriel； that stock isn't worth the paper it is printed on。〃
〃But it is impossible that an experienced financier like Gunn could
be deceived！〃
〃I'm sorry to hear THAT。〃
〃Come； Sylvester！ confess you've taken a prejudice against Gunn
from your sudden dislike of his son！ And what have you against
him？〃
〃I couldn't say exactly；〃 said Uncle Sylvester reflectively。 〃It
may be his eyes； or only his cravat！ But；〃 rising cheerfully and
placing his hand lightly on his brother's shoulder； 〃don't YOU
worry yourself about that stock； old man； I'LL see that somebody
else has the worry and you the cash。 And as to the land and
Kittywell； you hold on to them both until you find out which the
young man is really after。〃
〃And then？〃 said Gabriel； with a smile。
〃Don't give him either！ But； I say； haven't we had enough business
this morning？ Let's talk of something else。 Who's the French
girl？〃
〃Marie？ She's the daughter of Jules du Pagedon't you remember？
father's friend。 When Jules died； it was always thought that
father； who had half adopted her as a child； would leave her some
legacy。 But you know that father died without making a will； and
thatrich as he washis actual assets were far less than we had
reason to expect。 Kitty； who felt the disappointment as keenly as
her friend； I believe would have divided her own share with her。
It's odd； by the way； that father could have been so deceived in
the amount of his capital； or how he got rid of his money in a way
that we knew nothing of。 Do you know； Sylvester； I've sometimes
suspected〃
〃What？〃 said Uncle Sylvester suddenly。
The bored languor of his face had abruptly vanished。 Every muscle
was alert； his gray eyes glittered。
〃That he advanced money to Du Page； who lost it； or that they
speculated together；〃 returned Gabriel； who； following Uncle
Sylvester's voice only； had not noticed the change of expression。
〃That would seem to be a weakness of the Lane family；〃 said Uncle
Sylvester grimly； with a return of his former carelessness。 〃But
that is not YOUR own opinionthat's a suggestion of some one
else？〃
〃Well；〃 said Gabriel； with a laugh and a slight addition of color；
〃it WAS Gunn's theory。 As a man of the world and a practical
financier； you know。〃
〃And you've talked with HIM about it？〃
〃Yes。 It was a matter of general wonder years ago。〃
〃Very likelybut； just now； don't you think we've had enough
financial talk？〃 said Uncle Sylvester； with a bored contraction of
his eyebrows。 〃Come；〃 looking around the room； 〃you've changed the
interior of the old house。〃
〃Yes。 Unfortunately； just after father's death it was put in the
hands of a local architect or builder； one of father's old friends；
but not a very skillful workman； who made changes while the family
were away。 That's why your present bedroom； which was father's old
study； had a slice taken off it to make the corridor larger； and
why the big chimney and hearthstone are still there； although the
fireplace is modernized。 That was Flint's stupidity。〃
〃Whose stupidity？〃 asked Uncle Sylvester； trimming his nails。
〃Flint'sthe old architect。〃
〃Why didn't you make him change it back again？〃
〃He left Lakeville shortly after； and I brought an architect from
St。 Louis after I returned from Europe。 But nothing could be done
to your room without taking down the chimney； so it remained as
Flint left it。〃
〃That reminds me； Gabriel； I'm afraid I spoke rather cavalierly to
Kitty； last night； about the arrangements of the room。 The fact
is； I've taken a fancy to it； and should like to fit it up myself。
Have I your permission？〃
〃Certainly； my dear Sylvester。〃
〃I've some knickknacks in my trunks； and I'll do it at once。〃
〃As you like。〃
〃And you'll see that I am not disturbed； and you'll explain it to
Kitty； with my apologies？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Then I'm off。〃
Gabriel glanced at his brother with a perplexed smile。 Here was
the bored traveler； explorer； gold…seeker； soldier of fortune；
actually as pleased as a girl over the prospect of arranging his
room！ He called after him； 〃Sylvester！〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I say； if you could； you know； just try to interest these people
to…night with some of your adventuressomething told SERIOUSLY；
you know； as if you really were in earnestI'd be awfully obliged
to you。 The