第6章 CHAPTER I(4)

"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 likely--ain'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 gloves--everywhere 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 SOMETHINGwould 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.