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come。〃
〃You knew I'd come？〃 echoed Mulrady； with an uneasy return of the
strange feeling of awe with which he regarded Slinn's abstraction。
〃Yes； you were alonelike myselfall alone！〃
〃Then； why in thunder didn't you open the door or sing out just now？〃
he said； with an affected brusquerie to cover his uneasiness。 〃Where's your
daughters？〃
〃Gone to Rough…and…Ready to a party。〃
〃And your son？〃
〃He never comes here when he can amuse himself elsewhere。〃
〃Your children might have stayed home on Christmas Eve。〃
〃So might yours。〃
He didn't say this impatiently； but with a certain abstracted conviction
far beyond any suggestion of its being a retort。 Mulrady did not appear to
notice it。
〃Well； I don't see why us old folks can't enjoy ourselves without
them；〃 said Mulrady； with affected cheerfulness。 〃Let's have a good time；
you and me。 Let's seeyou haven't any one you can send to my house；
hev you？〃
〃They took the servant with them；〃 said Slinn； briefly。 〃There is no
one here。〃
〃All right；〃 said the millionaire； briskly。 〃I'll go myself。 Do you
think you can manage to light up a little more； and build a fire in the
kitchen while I'm gone？ It used to be mighty comfortable in the old
times。〃
He helped the old man to rise from his chair； and seemed to have
infused into him some of his own energy。 He then added； 〃Now； don't
you get yourself down again into that chair until I come back；〃 and darted
out into the night once more。
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In a quarter of an hour he returned with a bag on his broad shoulders；
which one of his porters would have shrunk from lifting； and laid it before
the blazing hearth of the now lighted kitchen。 〃It's something the old
woman got for her party； that didn't come off；〃 he said； apologetically。 〃I
reckon we can pick out enough for a spread。 That darned Chinaman
wouldn't come with me；〃 he added； with a laugh； 〃because； he said； he'd
knocked off work 'allee same； Mellican man！' Look here； Slinn；〃 he said；
with a sudden decisiveness； 〃my pay…roll of the men around here don't run
short of a hundred and fifty dollars a day； and yet I couldn't get a hand to
help me bring this truck over for my Christmas dinner。〃
〃Of course；〃 said Slinn； gloomily。
〃Of course； so it oughter be；〃 returned Mulrady； shortly。 〃Why； it's
only their one day out of 364； and I can have 363 days off； as I am their
boss。 I don't mind a man's being independent；〃 he continued； taking off
his coat and beginning to unpack his sacka common 〃gunny bag〃used
for potatoes。 〃We're independent ourselves； ain't we； Slinn？〃
His good spirits； which had been at first labored and affected； had
become natural。 Slinn； looking at his brightened eye and fresher color；
could not help thinking he was more like his own real self at this moment
than in his counting…house and officeswith all his simplicity as a
capitalist。 A less abstracted and more observant critic than Slinn would
have seen in this patient aptitude for real work； and the recognition of the
force of petty detail； the dominance of the old market…gardener in his
former humble； as well as his later more ambitious； successes。
〃Heaven keep us from being dependent upon our children！〃 said Slinn；
darkly。
〃Let the young ones alone to…night； we can get along without them； as
they can without us；〃 said Mulrady； with a slight twinge as he thought of
his reflections on the hillside。 〃But look here； there's some champagne
and them sweet cordials that women like； there's jellies and such like stuff；
about as good as they make 'em； I reckon； and preserves； and tongues； and
spiced beeftake your pick！ Stop； let's spread them out。〃 He dragged
the table to the middle of the floor； and piled the provisions upon it。
They certainly were not deficient in quality or quantity。 〃Now； Slinn；
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wade in。〃
〃I don't feel hungry；〃 said the invalid； who had lapsed again into a
chair before the fire。
〃No more do I；〃 said Mulrady； 〃but I reckon it's the right thing to do
about this time。 Some folks think they can't be happy without they're
getting outside o' suthin'； and my directors down at 'Frisco can't do any
business without a dinner。 Take some champagne； to begin with。〃
He opened a bottle； and filled two tumblers。 〃It's past twelve o'clock；
old man； so here's a merry Christmas to you； and both of us ez is here。
And here's another to our familiesez isn't。〃
They both drank their wine stolidly。 The rain beat against the
windows sharply； but without the hollow echoes of the house on the hill。
〃I must write to the old woman and Mamie； and say that you and me had a
high old time on Christmas Eve。〃
〃By ourselves；〃 added the invalid。
Mr。 Mulrady coughed。 〃Nat'rallyby ourselves。 And her
provisions；〃 he added； with a laugh。 〃We're really beholden to HER for
'em。 If she hadn't thought of having them〃
〃For somebody else； you wouldn't have had themwould you？〃 said
Slinn； slowly； gazing at the fire。
〃No；〃 said Mulrady； dubiously。 After a pause he began more
vivaciously； and as if to shake off some disagreeable thought that was
impressing him； 〃But I mustn't forget to give you YOUR Christmas； old
man； and I've got it right here with me。〃 He took the folded envelope
from his pocket； and； holding it in his hand with his elbow on the table；
continued； 〃I don't mind telling you what idea I had in giving you what I'm
goin' to give you now。 I've been thinking about it for a day or two。 A
man like you don't want moneyyou wouldn't spend it。 A man like you
don't want stocks or fancy investments； for you couldn't look after them。
A man like you don't want diamonds and jewellery； nor a gold…headed
cane； when it's got to be used as a crutch。 No； sir。 What you want is
suthin' that won't run away from you； that is always there before you and
won't wear out； and will last after you're gone。 That's land！ And if it
wasn't that I have sworn never to sell or give away this house and that
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garden； if it wasn't that I've held out agin the old woman and Mamie on
that point； you should have THIS house and THAT garden。 But； mebbee；
for the same reason that I've told you； I want that land to keep for myself。
But I've selected four acres of the hill this side of my shaft； and here's the
deed of it。 As soon as you're ready； I'll put you up a house as big as this
that shall be yours； with the land； as long as you live； old man； and after
that your children's。〃
〃No； not theirs！〃 broke in the old man； passionately。 〃Never！〃
Mulrady recoiled for an instant in alarm at the sudden and unexpected
vehemence of his manner； 〃Go slow； old man； go slow；〃 he said；
soothingly。 〃Of course； you'll do with your own as you like。〃 Then； as
if changing the subject； he went on cheerfully： 〃Perhaps you'll wonder
why I picked out that spot on the hillside。 Well； first； because I reserved it
after my strike in case the lead should run that way； but it didn't。 Next；
because when you first came here you seemed to like the prospect。 You
used to sit there looking at it； as if it reminded you of something。 You
never said it did。 They say you was sitting on that boulder there when
you had that last attack； you know； but；〃 he added； gently； 〃you've
forgotten all about it。〃
〃I have forgotten nothing；〃 said Slinn； rising； with a choking voice。
〃I wish to God I had； I wish