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He looked across at Cash writing steadily in his precise way； duly bequeathing his worldly goods to Lovin； owning； too； his responsibilities in another direction； but still making Lovin Child his chief heir so far as he knew。 On the spur of the moment Bud had thought to do the same thing。 But could he do it？
He seemed to see his own baby standing wistfully aloof； pushed out of his life that this baby he had no right to keep might have all of his affections； all of his poor estate。 And Marie； whose face was always in the back of his memory； a tearful； accusing vision that would not let him behe saw Marie working in some office； earning the money to feed and clothe their child。 And Lovin Child romping up and down the cabin； cuddled and scolded and cared for as best an awkward man may care for a babya small； innocent usurper。
Bud dropped his face in his palms and tried to think the thing out coldly； clearly； as Cash had stated his own case。 Cash did not know where his own child was； and he did not seem to care greatly。 He was glad to salve his conscience with a small bequest； keeping the bulkif so tenuous a thing as Cash's fortune may be said to have bulkfor this baby they two were hiding away from its lawful parents。 Cash could do it； why couldn't be？ He raised his head and looked over at Lovin Child； asleep in his new and rumpled little finery。 Why did his own baby come between them now； and withhold his hand from doing the same？
Cash finished； glanced curiously across at Bud； looked down at what he had written； and slid the sheet of paper across。
〃You sign it； and then if you don't know just how to word yours； you can use this for a pattern。 I've read law books enough to know this will get by； all right。 It's plain； and it tells what I want； and that's sufficient to hold in court。〃
Bud read it over apathetically； signed his name as witness； and pushed the paper back。
〃That's all right for you；〃 he said heavily。 〃Your kid is grown up now； and besides； you've got other property to give her。 But it's different with me。 I want this baby； and I can't do without him。 But I can't give him my share in the claims； Cash。 I there's others that's got to be thought of first。〃
CHAPTER TWENTY。 LOVIN CHILD STRIKES IT RICH
It was only the next day that Bud was the means of helping Lovin Child find a fortune for himself； which eased Bud's mind considerably； and balanced better his half of the responsibility。 Cutting out the dramatic frills； then； this is what happened to Lovin Child and Bud：
They were romping around the cabin； like two puppies that had a surplus of energy to work off。 Part of the time Lovin Child was a bear； chasing Bud up and down the dead line； which was getting pretty well worn out in places。 After that； Bud was a bear and chased Lovin。 And when Lovin Child got so tickled he was perfectly helpless in the corner where he had sought refuge； Bud caught him and swung him up to his shoulder and let him grab handfuls of dirt out of the roof。
Lovin Child liked that better than being a bear； and sifted Bud's hair full of dried mud； and threw the rest on the floor； and frequently cried 〃Tell a worl'！〃 which he had learned from Bud and could say with the uncanny pertinency of a parrot。
He had signified a desire to have Bud carry him along the wall； where some lovely lumps of dirt protruded temptingly over a bulging log。 Then he leaned and grabbed with his two fat hands at a particularly big； hard lump。 It came away in his hands and fell plump on the blankets of the bunk； half blinding Bud with the dust that came with it。
〃Hey！ You'll have all the chinkin' out of the dang shack； if you let him keep that lick up； Bud；〃 Cash grumbled； lifting his eyebrows at the mess。
〃Tell a worl'！〃 Lovin Child retorted over his shoulder； and made another grab。
This time the thing he held resisted his baby strength。 He pulled and he grunted； he kicked Bud in the chest and grabbed again。 Bud was patient； and let him fussthough in self…defense he kept his head down and his eyes away from the expected dust bath。
〃Stay with it； Boy； pull the darn roof down； if yuh want。 Cash'll get out and chink 'er up again。 〃
〃Yeah。 Cash will not；〃 the disapproving one amended the statement gruffly。 〃He's trying to get the log outa the wall； Bud。〃
〃Well； let him try； doggone it。 Shows he's a stayer。 I wouldn't have any use for him if he didn't have gumption enough to tackle things too big for him； and you wouldn't either。 Stay with 'er； Lovins！ Doggone it； can't yuh git that log outa there nohow？ Uh… h！ A big old grunt and a big old heaveuh…h！ I'll tell the world in words uh one syllable； he's some stayer。〃
〃Tell a worl'！〃 chuckled Lovin Child； and pulled harder at the thing he wanted。
〃Hey！ The kid's got hold of a piece of gunny sack or something。 You look out； Bud； or he'll have all that chinkin' out。 There's no sense in lettin' him tear the whole blame shack to pieces； is there？〃
〃Can if he wants to。 It's his shack as much as it's anybody's。〃 Bud shifted Lovin Child more comfortably on his shoulder and looked up； squinting his eyes half shut for fear of dirt in them。
〃For the love of Mike； kid； what's that you've got？ Looks to me like a piece of buckskin； Cash。 Here； you set down a minute； and let Bud take a peek up there。〃
〃Budpik…k？〃 chirped Lovin Child from the blankets； where Bud had deposited him unceremoniously。
〃Yes； Bud pik…k。〃 Bud stepped up on the bunk； which brought his head above the low eaves。 He leaned and looked； and scraped away the caked mud。 〃Good glory！ The kid's found a cache of some kind； sure as you live！〃 And he began to claw out what had been hidden behind the mud。
First a buckskin bag； heavy and grimed and knobby。 Gold inside it； he knew without looking。 He dropped it down on the bunk； carefully so as not to smash a toe off the baby。 After that he pulled out four baking…powder cans； all heavy as lead。 He laid his cheek against the log and peered down the length of it； and jumped down beside the bunk。
〃Kid's found a gold mine of his own； and I'll bet on it；〃 he cried excitedly。 〃Looky； Cash！〃
Cash was already looking； his eyebrows arched high to match his astonishment。 〃Yeah。 It's gold； all right。 Old man Nelson's hoard； I wouldn't wonder。 I've always thought it was funny he never found any gold in this flat； long as he lived here。 And traces of washing here and there； too。 Well！〃
〃Looky； Boy！〃 Bud had the top off a can； and took out a couple of nuggets the size of a cooked Lima bean。 〃Here's the real stuff for yuh。
〃It's yours； toounlessdid old Nelson leave any folks； Cash； do yuh know？〃
〃They say not。 The county buried him； they say。 And nobody ever turned up to claim him or what little he left。 No； I guess there's nobody got any better right to it than the kid。 We'll inquire around and see。 But seein' the gold is found on the claim； and we've got the claim according to law； looks to me like〃
〃Well； here's your clean…up； old prospector。 Don't swallow any； is all。 let's weigh it out； Cash； and see how much it is； just for a josh。〃
Lovin Child had nuggets to play with there on the bed； and told the world many unintelligible things about it。 Cash and Bud dumped all the gold into a pan； and weighed it out on the little scales Cash had for his tests。 It was not a fortune； as fortunes go。 It was probably all the gold Nelson had panned out in a couple of years； working alone and with crude devices。 A little over twenty…three hundred dollars it amounted to； not counting the nuggets which Lovin Child had on the bunk with him。
〃Well； it's a start for the kid； anyway；〃 Bud said； leaning back and regarding the heap with eyes shining。 〃I helped him find it； and I kinda feel as if I'm square with him now for not giving him my half the claim。 Twenty…three hundred would be a good price for a half interest； as the claims stand； don't yuh think； Cash？〃
〃Yeahwell； I dunno's I'd sell for that。 But on the showing we've got so faryes； five thousand； say； for the claims would be good money。 〃
〃Pretty good haul for a kid； anyway。 He's got a couple of hundred dollars in nuggets； right there on the bunk。 Let's see； Lovins。 Let Bud have 'em for a minute。〃
Then it was that Lovin Child revealed a primitive human trait。 He would not give up the gold。 He held fast to one big nugget； spread his fat legs over the remaining heap of them； and fought Bud's hand away with the other fist。
〃No； no； no！ Tell a worl' no； no； no！〃 he remonstrated vehemently； until Bud whooped with laughter。
〃All rightall right！ Keep your gold； durn it。 You're like all the restminute you get your paws on to some of the real stuff； you go hog…wild over it。〃
Cash was pouring the fine gold back into the buck skin bag and the baking…powder cans。
〃Let the kid play with it；〃 he said。 〃Getting used to gold when he's little will maybe save him from a lot of foolishness over it when he gets big。 I dunno； but it looks reasonable to me。 Let him have a few nuggets if he wants。 Familiarity breeds contempt； they say； maybe he won't get to thinkin' too much of it if he's got it around under his nose all the time。 Same as everything else。 It's the finding that hits a feller hardest； Budthe hunting for it and