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〃Well； you needn't have let him SEE that you knew it； so that any
civility of ours would look as if we were ready to take up with her
leavings；〃 responded Esther； astutely； as the girls reentered the
house。
Meantime； the unconscious object of their criticism walked sadly
down the old market…garden； whose rude outlines and homely details
he once clothed with the poetry of a sensitive man's first love。
Well； it was a common cabbage field and potato patch after all。 In
his disgust he felt conscious of even the loss of that sense of
patronage and superiority which had invested his affection for a
girl of meaner condition。 His self…respect was humiliated with his
love。 The soil and dirt of those wretched cabbages had clung to
him； but not to her。 It was she who had gone higher； it was he who
was left in the vulgar ruins of his misplaced passion。
He reached the bottom of the garden without observing any sign of
the lonely invalid。 He looked up and down the cabbage rows； and
through the long perspective of pea…vines； without result。 There
was a newer trail leading from a gap in the pines to the wooded
hollow； which undoubtedly intersected the little path that he and
Mamie had once followed from the high road。 If the old man had
taken this trail he had possibly over…tasked his strength； and
there was the more reason why he should continue his search； and
render any assistance if required。 There was another idea that
occurred to him； which eventually decided him to go on。 It was
that both these trails led to the decayed sycamore stump； and that
the older Slinn might have something to do with the mysterious
letter。 Quickening his steps through the field； he entered the
hollow； and reached the intersecting trail as he expected。 To the
right it lost itself in the dense woods in the direction of the
ominous stump； to the left it descended in nearly a straight line
to the highway； now plainly visible； as was equally the boulder on
which he had last discovered Mamie sitting with young Slinn。 If he
were not mistaken； there was a figure sitting there now； it was
surely a man。 And by that half…bowed； helpless attitude； the
object of his search！
It did not take him long to descend the track to the highway and
approach the stranger。 He was seated with his hands upon his
knees； gazing in a vague； absorbed fashion upon the hillside； now
crowned with the engine…house and chimney that marked the site of
Mulrady's shaft。 He started slightly； and looked up； as Don Caesar
paused before him。 The young man was surprised to see that the
unfortunate man was not as old as he had expected； and that his
expression was one of quiet and beatified contentment。
〃Your daughters told me you were here；〃 said Don Caesar； with
gentle respect。 〃I am Caesar Alvarado； your not very far neighbor；
very happy to pay his respects to you as he has to them。〃
〃My daughters？〃 said the old man； vaguely。 〃Oh； yes！ nice little
girls。 And my boy Harry。 Did you see Harry？ Fine little fellow；
Harry。〃
〃I am glad to hear that you are better；〃 said Don Caesar； hastily；
〃and that the air of our country does you no harm。 God benefit
you； senor；〃 he added； with a profoundly reverential gesture；
dropping unconsciously into the religious habit of his youth。 〃May
he protect you； and bring you back to health and happiness！〃
〃Happiness？〃 said Slinn； amazedly。 〃I am happyvery happy！ I
have everything I want： good air； good food； good clothes； pretty
little children； kind friends〃 He smiled benignantly at Don
Caesar。 〃God is very good to me！〃
Indeed； he seemed very happy； and his face； albeit crowned with
white hair； unmarked by care and any disturbing impression； had so
much of satisfied youth in it that the grave features of his
questioner made him appear the elder。 Nevertheless； Don Caesar
noticed that his eyes； when withdrawn from him； sought the hillside
with the same visionary abstraction。
〃It is a fine view； Senor Esslinn；〃 said Don Caesar。
〃It is a beautiful view； sir；〃 said Slinn； turning his happy eyes
upon him for a moment； only to rest them again on the green slope
opposite。
〃Beyond that hill which you are looking atnot far； Senor Esslinn
I live。 You shall come and see me thereyou and your family。〃
〃Youyoulive there？〃 stammered the invalid； with a troubled
expressionthe first and only change to the complete happiness
that had hitherto suffused his face。 〃Youand your name isis
Ma〃
〃Alvarado；〃 said Don Caesar； gently。 Caesar Alvarado。〃
〃You said Masters；〃 said the old man； with sudden querulousness。
〃No； good friend。 I said Alvarado；〃 returned Don Caesar； gravely。
〃If you didn't say Masters； how could I say it？ I don't know any
Masters。〃
Don Caesar was silent。 In another moment the happy tranquillity
returned to Slinn's face； and Don Caesar continued：
〃It is not a long walk over the hill； though it is far by the road。
When you are better you shall try it。 Yonder little trail leads to
the top of the hill； and then〃
He stopped； for the invalid's face had again assumed its troubled
expression。 Partly to change his thoughts； and partly for some
inexplicable idea that had suddenly seized him； Don Caesar
continued：
〃There is a strange old stump near the trail； and in it a hole。 In
the hole I found this letter。〃 He stopped againthis time in
alarm。 Slinn had staggered to his feet with ashen and distorted
features； and was glancing at the letter which Don Caesar had drawn
from his pocket。 The muscles of his throat swelled as if he was
swallowing； his lips moved； but no sound issued from them。 At
last； with a convulsive effort； he regained a disjointed speech； in
a voice scarcely audible。
〃My letter！ my letter！ It's mine！ Give it me！ It's my fortune
all mine！ In the tunnelhill！ Masters stole itstole my
fortune！ Stole it all！ See； see！〃
He seized the letter from Don Caesar with trembling hands； and tore
it open forcibly： a few dull yellow grains fell from it heavily；
like shot； to the ground。
〃See； it's true！ My letter！ My gold！ My strike！ Mymymy
God！〃
A tremor passed over his face。 The hand that held the letter
suddenly dropped sheer and heavy as the gold had fallen。 The whole
side of his face and body nearest Don Caesar seemed to drop and
sink into itself as suddenly。 At the same moment； and without a
word； he slipped through Don Caesar's outstretched hands to the
ground。 Don Caesar bent quickly over him； but no longer than to
satisfy himself that he lived and breathed； although helpless。 He
then caught up the fallen letter； and； glancing over it with
flashing eyes； thrust it and the few specimens in his pocket。 He
then sprang to his feet； so transformed with energy and
intelligence that he seemed to have added the lost vitality of the
man before him to his own。 He glanced quickly up and down the
highway。 Every moment to him was precious now； but he could not
leave the stricken man in the dust of the road； nor could he carry
him to the house； nor； having alarmed his daughters； could he
abandon his helplessness to their feeble arms。 He remembered that
his horse was still tied to the garden fence。 He would fetch it；
and carry the unfortunate man across the saddle to the gate。 He
lifted him with difficulty to the boulder； and ran rapidly up the
road in the direction of his tethered steed。 He had not proceeded
far when he heard the noise of wheels behind him。 It was the up
stage coming furiously along。 He would have called to the driver
for assistance； but even through that fast…sweeping cloud of dust
and motion he could see that the man was utterly oblivious of
anything but the speed of his rushing chariot； and had even risen
in his box to lash the infuriated and frightened animals forward。
An hour later； when the coach drew up at the Red Dog Hotel； the
driver descended from the box； white； but taciturn。 When he had
swallowed a glass of whiskey at a single gulp； he turned to the
astonished express agent； who had followed him in。
〃One of two things； Jim； hez got to happen；〃 he said； huskily。
〃Either that there rock hez got to get off the road； or I have。
I've seed HIM on it agin！〃
CHAPTER IV
No further particulars of the invalid's second attack were known
than those furnished by Don Caesar's brief statement； that he had
found him lying insensible on the boulder。 This seemed perfectly
consistent with the theory of Dr。 Duchesne； and as the young
Spaniard left Los Gatos the next day； he escaped not only the
active reporter of the 〃Record；〃 but the perusal of a grateful
paragraph in the next day's paper recording his prompt kindness and
courtesy。 Dr。 Duchesne's prognosis； however； seemed at fault； the
elder Slinn did not succumb to this second stroke； nor did he
recover his reason。 He apparently only relapsed into his former
physical weakness； losing the little ground he had gained during
the last month； and exhibiting no change in his mental condition；
unless the fact that he remembered nothing of his seizure and the
presence of Don Caesar could be considered as favorable。 Dr。
Duchesne's gravity seemed to give that significance to this