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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。
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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
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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；
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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？〃
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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