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the shaft； he found that the blind lead held its independent way through
the Wide West vein； cutting it diagonally； and that it was enclosed in
its own well…defined casing…rocks and clay。 Hence it was public
property。 Both leads being perfectly well defined； it was easy for any
miner to see which one belonged to the Wide West and which did not。
We thought it well to have a strong friend； and therefore we brought the
foreman of the Wide West to our cabin that night and revealed the great
surprise to him。 Higbie said：
〃We are going to take possession of this blind lead； record it and
establish ownership； and then forbid the Wide West company to take out
any more of the rock。 You cannot help your company in this matter
nobody can help them。 I will go into the shaft with you and prove to
your entire satisfaction that it is a blind lead。 Now we propose to take
you in with us； and claim the blind lead in our three names。 What do you
say？〃
What could a man say who had an opportunity to simply stretch forth his
hand and take possession of a fortune without risk of any kind and
without wronging any one or attaching the least taint of dishonor to his
name？ He could only say； 〃Agreed。〃
The notice was put up that night； and duly spread upon the recorder's
books before ten o'clock。 We claimed two hundred feet eachsix hundred
feet in allthe smallest and compactest organization in the district；
and the easiest to manage。
No one can be so thoughtless as to suppose that we slept； that night。
Higbie and I went to bed at midnight； but it was only to lie broad awake
and think； dream； scheme。 The floorless； tumble…down cabin was a palace；
the ragged gray blankets silk； the furniture rosewood and mahogany。
Each new splendor that burst out of my visions of the future whirled me
bodily over in bed or jerked me to a sitting posture just as if an
electric battery had been applied to me。 We shot fragments of
conversation back and forth at each other。 Once Higbie said：
〃When are you going hometo the States？〃
〃To…morrow！〃with an evolution or two； ending with a sitting position。
〃Wellnobut next month； at furthest。〃
〃We'll go in the same steamer。〃
〃Agreed。〃
A pause。
〃Steamer of the 10th？〃
〃Yes。 No； the 1st。〃
〃All right。〃
Another pause。
〃Where are you going to live？〃 said Higbie。
〃San Francisco。〃
〃That's me！〃
Pause。
〃Too hightoo much climbing〃from Higbie。
〃What is？〃
〃I was thinking of Russian Hillbuilding a house up there。〃
〃Too much climbing？ Shan't you keep a carriage？〃
〃Of course。 I forgot that。〃
Pause。
〃Cal。； what kind of a house are you going to build？〃
〃I was thinking about that。 Three…story and an attic。〃
〃But what kind？〃
〃Well； I don't hardly know。 Brick； I suppose。〃
〃Brickbosh。〃
〃Why？ What is your idea？〃
〃Brown stone frontFrench plate glassbilliard…room off the dining…
roomstatuary and paintingsshrubbery and two…acre grass plat
greenhouseiron dog on the front stoopgray horseslandau； and a
coachman with a bug on his hat！〃
〃By George！〃
A long pause。
〃Cal。； when are you going to Europe？〃
〃WellI hadn't thought of that。 When are you？〃
〃In the Spring。〃
〃Going to be gone all summer？〃
〃All summer！ I shall remain there three years。〃
〃Nobut are you in earnest？〃
〃Indeed I am。〃
〃I will go along too。〃
〃Why of course you will。〃
〃What part of Europe shall you go to？〃
〃All parts。 France； England； GermanySpain； Italy； Switzerland； Syria；
Greece； Palestine； Arabia； Persia； Egyptall overeverywhere。〃
〃I'm agreed。〃
〃All right。〃
〃Won't it be a swell trip！〃
〃We'll spend forty or fifty thousand dollars trying to make it one；
anyway。〃
Another long pause。
〃Higbie； we owe the butcher six dollars； and he has been threatening to
stop our〃
〃Hang the butcher！〃
〃Amen。〃
And so it went on。 By three o'clock we found it was no use； and so we
got up and played cribbage and smoked pipes till sunrise。 It was my week
to cook。 I always hated cookingnow； I abhorred it。
The news was all over town。 The former excitement was greatthis one
was greater still。 I walked the streets serene and happy。 Higbie said
the foreman had been offered two hundred thousand dollars for his third
of the mine。 I said I would like to see myself selling for any such
price。 My ideas were lofty。 My figure was a million。 Still； I honestly
believe that if I had been offered it； it would have had no other effect
than to make me hold off for more。
I found abundant enjoyment in being rich。 A man offered me a three…
hundred…dollar horse； and wanted to take my simple； unendorsed note for
it。 That brought the most realizing sense I had yet had that I was
actually rich； beyond shadow of doubt。 It was followed by numerous other
evidences of a similar natureamong which I may mention the fact of the
butcher leaving us a double supply of meat and saying nothing about
money。
By the laws of the district； the 〃locators〃 or claimants of a ledge were
obliged to do a fair and reasonable amount of work on their new property
within ten days after the date of the location； or the property was
forfeited； and anybody could go and seize it that chose。 So we
determined to go to work the next day。 About the middle of the
afternoon； as I was coming out of the post office； I met a Mr。 Gardiner；
who told me that Capt。 John Nye was lying dangerously ill at his place
（the 〃Nine…Mile Ranch〃）； and that he and his wife were not able to give
him nearly as much care and attention as his case demanded。 I said if he
would wait for me a moment； I would go down and help in the sick room。
I ran to the cabin to tell Higbie。 He was not there； but I left a note
on the table for him； and a few minutes later I left town in Gardiner's
wagon。
CHAPTER XLI。
Captain Nye was very ill indeed； with spasmodic rheumatism。 But the old
gentleman was himselfwhich is to say； he was kind…hearted and agreeable
when comfortable； but a singularly violent wild…cat when things did not
go well。 He would be smiling along pleasantly enough； when a sudden
spasm of his disease would take him and he would go out of his smile into
a perfect fury。 He would groan and wail and howl with the anguish； and
fill up the odd chinks with the most elaborate profanity that strong
convictions and a fine fancy could contrive。 With fair opportunity he
could swear very well and handle his adjectives with considerable
judgment； but when the spasm was on him it was painful to listen to him；
he was so awkward。 However； I had seen him nurse a sick man himself and
put up patiently with the inconveniences of the situation； and
consequently I was willing that he should have full license now that his
own turn had come。 He could not disturb me； with all his raving and
ranting； for my mind had work on hand； and it labored on diligently；
night and day； whether my hands were idle or employed。 I was altering
and amending the plans for my house； and thinking over the propriety of
having the billard…room in the attic； instead of on the same floor with
the dining…room； also； I was trying to decide between green and blue for
the