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fallen in； and was blocked up。〃
〃Well？〃 said Mrs。 Mulrady； contemptuously。
〃Well；〃 returned her husband； somewhat disconnectedly； 〃it kinder
looked as if some feller might have discovered it before。〃
〃And went away； and left it for others！ That's likelyain't it？〃
interrupted his wife； with ill…disguised intolerance。 〃Everybody
knows the hill wasn't worth that for prospectin'； and it was
abandoned when we came here。 It's your property and you've paid
for it。 Are you goin' to wait to advertise for the owner； Alvin
Mulrady； or are you going to Sacramento at four o'clock to…day？〃
Mulrady started。 He had never seriously believed in the
possibility of a previous discovery； but his conscientious nature
had prompted him to give it a fair consideration。 She was probably
right。 What he might have thought had she treated it with equal
conscientiousness he did not consider。 〃All right；〃 he said
simply。 〃I reckon we'll go at once。〃
〃And when you talk to Lawyer Cole and Jim； keep that silly stuff
about the pick to yourself。 There's no use of putting queer ideas
into other people's heads because you happen to have 'em yourself。〃
When the hurried arrangements were at last completed； and Mr。
Mulrady and Mamie； accompanied by a taciturn and discreet Chinaman；
carrying their scant luggage； were on their way to the high road to
meet the up stage； the father gazed somewhat anxiously and
wistfully into his daughter's face。 He had looked forward to those
few moments to enjoy the freshness and naivete of Mamie's youthful
delight and enthusiasm as a relief to his wife's practical； far…
sighted realism。 There was a pretty pink suffusion in her delicate
cheek； the breathless happiness of a child in her half…opened
little mouth； and a beautiful absorption in her large gray eyes
that augured well for him。
〃Well； Mamie； how do we like bein' an heiress？ How do we like
layin' over all the gals between this and 'Frisco？〃
〃Eh？〃
She had not heard him。 The tender beautiful eyes were engaged in
an anticipatory examination of the remembered shelves in the 〃Fancy
Emporium〃 at Sacramento； in reading the admiration of the clerks；
in glancing down a little criticisingly at the broad cowhide
brogues that strode at her side； in looking up the road for the
stage…coach； in regarding the fit of her new gloveseverywhere but
in the loving eyes of the man beside her。
He； however； repeated the question； touched with her charming
preoccupation； and passing his arm around her little waist。
〃I like it well enough； pa； you know！〃 she said； slightly
disengaging his arm； but adding a perfunctory little squeeze to his
elbow to soften the separation。 〃I always had an idea SOMETHING
would happen。 I suppose I'm looking like a fright；〃 she added；
〃but ma made me hurry to get away before Don Caesar came。〃
〃And you didn't want to go without seeing him？〃 he added； archly。
〃I didn't want him to see me in this frock；〃 said Mamie； simply。
〃I reckon that's why ma made me change；〃 she added； with a slight
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