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the broken…down Silsbee wagons； with all the folks lyin' there
slartered。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 said Clarence； breathlessly with astonishment。
〃And；〃 continued the man； putting his hand gravely to his head as
if to assist his memory； 〃when you was all alone on the plains with
that little child you saw one of those redskins； as near to you as
I be； watchin' the train； and you didn't breathe or move while he
was there？〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 said Clarence eagerly。
〃And you was shot at by Peyton； he thinkin' you was an Injun in the
mesquite grass？ And you once shot a buffalo that had been pitched
with you down a gullyall by yourself？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Clarence； crimson with wonder and pleasure。 〃You know
me； then？〃
〃Well； ye…e…es；〃 said the man gravely； parting his mustache with
his fingers。 〃You see； YOU'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE。〃
〃Before！ Me？〃 repeated the astounded Clarence。
〃Yes； before。 Last night。 You was taller then； and hadn't cut
your hair。 You cursed a good deal more than you do now。 You drank
a man's share of whiskey； and you borrowed fifty dollars to get to
Sacramento with。 I reckon you haven't got it about you now； eh？〃
Clarence's brain reeled in utter confusion and hopeless terror。
Was he going crazy； or had these cruel men learned his story from
his faithless friends； and this was a part of the plot？ He
staggered forward； but the men had risen and quickly encircled him；
as if to prevent his escape。 In vague and helpless desperation he
gasped
〃What place is this？〃
〃Folks call it Deadman's Gulch。〃
Deadman's Gulch！ A flash of intelligence lit up the boy's blind
confusion。 Deadman's Gulch！ Could it have been Jim Hooker who had
really run away； and had taken his name？ He turned half…
imploringly to the first speaker。
〃Wasn't he older than me； and bigger？ Didn't he have a smooth；
round face and little eyes？ Didn't he talk hoarse？ Didn't he〃
He stopped hopelessly。
〃Yes； oh； he wasn't a bit like you；〃 said the man musingly。 〃Ye
see； that's the h…ll of it！ You're altogether TOO MANY and TOO
VARIOUS fur this camp。〃
〃I don't know who's been here before； or what they have said；〃 said
Clarence desperately； yet even in that desperation retaining the
dogged loyalty to his old playmate； which was part of his nature。
〃I don't know； and I don't carethere！ I'm Clarence Brant of
Kentucky； I started in Silsbee's train from St。 Jo； and I'm going
to the mines； and you can't stop me！〃
The man who had first spoken started； looked keenly at Clarence；
and then turned to the others。 The gentleman known as the living
skeleton had obtruded his huge bulk in front of the boy； and；
gazing at him； said reflectively； 〃Darned if it don't look like one
of Brant's pupssure！〃
〃Air ye any relation to Kernel Hamilton Brant of Looeyville？〃 asked
the first speaker。
Again that old question！ Poor Clarence hesitated； despairingly。
Was he to go through the same cross…examination he had undergone
with the Peytons？ 〃Yes；〃 he said doggedly； 〃I ambut he's dead；
and you know it。〃
〃Deadof course。〃 〃Sartin。〃 〃He's dead。〃 〃The Kernel's
planted；〃 said the men in chorus。
〃Well； yes；〃 reflected the Living Skeleton ostentatiously； as one
who spoke from experience。 〃Ham Brant's about as bony now as they
make 'em。〃
〃You bet！ About the dustiest； deadest corpse you kin turn out；〃
corroborated Slumgullion Dick； nodding his head gloomily to the
others； 〃in point o' fack； es a corpse； about the last one I should
keer to go huntin' fur。〃
〃The Kernel's tech 'ud be cold and clammy；〃 concluded the Duke of
Chatham Street； who had not yet spoken； 〃sure。 But what did yer
mammy say about it？ Is she gettin' married agin？ Did SHE send ye
here？〃
It seemed to Clarence that the Duke of Chatham Street here received
a kick from his companions； but the boy repeated doggedly
〃I came to Sacramento to find my cousin； Jackson Brant； but he
wasn't there。〃
〃Jackson Brant！〃 echoed the first speaker； glancing at the others。
〃Did your mother say he was your cousin？〃
〃Yes；〃 said Clarence wearily。 〃Good…by。〃
〃Hullo； sonny； where are you going？〃
〃To dig gold；〃 said the boy。 〃And you know you can't prevent me；
if it isn't on your claim。 I know the law。〃 He had heard Mr。
Peyton discuss it at Stockton； and he fancied that the men； who
were whispering among themselves； looked kinder than before； and as
if they were no longer 〃acting〃 to him。 The first speaker laid his
hand on his shoulder； and said； 〃All right； come with me； and I'll
show you where to dig。〃
〃Who are you？〃 said Clarence。 〃You called yourself only 'me。'〃
〃Well； you can call me FlynnTom Flynn。〃
〃And you'll show me where I can digmyself？〃
〃I will。〃
〃Do you know；〃 said Clarence timidly； yet with a half…conscious
smile； 〃that II kinder bring luck？〃
The man looked down upon him； and said gravely； but； as it struck
Clarence； with a new kind of gravity； 〃I believe you。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Clarence eagerly； as they walked along together； 〃I
brought luck to a man in Sacramento the other day。〃 And he related
with great earnestness his experience in the gambling saloon。 Not
content with thatthe sealed fountains of his childish deep being
broken up by some mysterious sympathyhe spoke of his hospitable
exploit with the passengers at the wayside bar； of the finding of
his Fortunatus purse and his deposit at the bank。 Whether that
characteristic old…fashioned reticence which had been such an
important factor for good or ill in his future had suddenly
deserted him； or whether some extraordinary prepossession in his
companion had affected him； he did not know； but by the time the
pair had reached the hillside Flynn was in possession of all the
boy's history。 On one point only was his reserve unshaken。
Conscious although he was of Jim Hooker's duplicity； he affected to
treat it as a comrade's joke。
They halted at last in the middle of an apparently fertile
hillside。 Clarence shifted his shovel from his shoulders； unslung
his pan； and looked at Flynn。 〃Dig anywhere here； where you like；〃
said his companion carelessly； 〃and you'll be sure to find the
color。 Fill your pan with the dirt； go to that sluice； and let the
water run in on the top of the panworkin' it round so；〃 he added；
illustrating a rotary motion with the vessel。 〃Keep doing that
until all the soil is washed out of it； and you have only the black
sand at the bottom。 Then work that the same way until you see the
color。 Don't be afraid of washing the gold out of the panyou
couldn't do it if you tried。 There； I'll leave you here； and you
wait till I come back。〃 With another grave nod and something like
a smile in the only visible part of his bearded facehis eyeshe
strode rapidly away。
Clarence did not lose time。 Selecting a spot where the grass was
less thick； he broke through the soil and turned up two or three
spadefuls of red soil。 When he had filled the pan and raised it to
his shoulder； he was astounded at its weight。 He did not know that
it was due to the red precipitate of iron that gave it its color。
Staggering along with his burden to the running sluice； which
looked like an open wooden gutter； at the foot of the hill； he
began to carefully carry out Flynn's direction。 The first dip of
the pan in the running water carried off half the contents of the
pan in liquid paint…like ooze。 For a moment he gave way to boyish
satisfaction in the sight and touch of this unctuous solution； and
dabbled his fingers in it。 A few moments more of rinsing and he
came to the sediment of fine black sand that was beneath it。
Another plunge and swilling of water in the pan； andcould he
believe his eyes！a few yellow tiny scales； scarcely larger than
pins' heads； glittered among the sand。 He poured it off。 But his
companion was right； the lighter sand shifted from side to side
with the water； but the glittering points remained adhering by
their own tiny specific gravity to the smooth surface of the
bottom。 It was 〃the color〃gold！
Clarence's heart seemed to give a great leap within him。 A vision
of wealth； of independence； of power； sprang before his dazzled
eyes； anda hand lightly touched him on the shoulder。
He started。 In his complete preoccupation and excitement； he had
not heard the clatter of horse…hoofs； and to his amazement Flynn
was already beside him； mounted； and leading a second horse。
〃You kin ride？〃 he said shortly。
〃Yes〃 stammered Clarence； 〃but〃
〃BUTwe've only got two hours to reach Buckeye Mills in time to
catch the down stage。 Drop all that； jump up； and come with me！〃
〃But I've just found gold；〃 said the boy excitedly。
〃And I've just found yourcousin。 Come！〃
He spurred his horse across Clarence's scattered implements； half
helped； half lifted； the boy into the saddle of the second horse；
and； with a cut of his riata over the animal's haunches； the next
moment they were both galloping furiously away。
CHAPTER IX
Torn suddenly from his prospective future； but too much dominated
by the man beside him to protest； Clarence was silent until a rise
in the road； a few minutes later； partly abated their headlong
speed； and gave him chance to r