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no opportunity was offered for a 'send off' suitable to the condition of the
parties and the esteem in which they are held in Rough…and…Ready。〃
The paper dropped from his hands。 Gone！ and without a word！ No；
that was impossible！ There must be some mistake； she had written； the
letter had miscarried； she must have sent word to Los Gatos； and the
stupid messenger had blundered； she had probably appointed another
meeting； or expected him to follow to San Francisco。 〃The day before
yesterday！〃 It was the morning's papershe had been gone scarcely two
daysit was not too late yet to receive a delayed message by post； by some
forgetful handbyahthe tree！
Of course it was in the tree； and he had not been there for a week！
Why had he not thought of it before？ The fault was his； not hers。
Perhaps she had gone away； believing him faithless； or a country boor。
〃In the name of the Devil； will you keep me here till eternity！〃
The blacksmith stared at him。 Don Caesar suddenly remembered that
he was speaking； as he was thinkingin Spanish。
〃Ten dollars； my friend； if you have done in five minutes！〃
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The man laughed。 〃That's good enough American；〃 he said；
beginning to quicken his efforts。 Don Caesar again took up the paper。
There was another paragraph that recalled his last interview with Mamie：
〃Mr。 Harry Slinn； Jr。； the editor of this paper； has just moved into the
pioneer house formerly occupied by Alvin Mulrady； Esq。； which has
already become historic in the annals of the county。 Mr。 Slinn brings
with him his fatherH。 J。 Slinn； Esq。；and his two sisters。 Mr。 Slinn；
Sen。； who has been suffering for many years from complete paralysis； we
understand is slowly improving； and it is by the advice of his physicians
that he has chosen the invigorating air of the foothills as a change to the
debilitating heat of Sacramento。〃
The affair had been quickly settled； certainly； reflected Don Caesar；
with a slight chill of jealousy； as he thought of Mamie's interest in the
young editor。 But the next moment he dismissed it from his mind； all
except a dull consciousness that； if she really loved himDon Caesaras
he loved her； she could not have assisted in throwing into his society the
young sisters of the editor； who she expected might be so attractive。
Within the five minutes the horse was ready； and Don Caesar in the
saddle again。 In less than half an hour he was at the wayside boulder。
Here he picketed his horse； and took the narrow foot… trail through the
hollow。 It did not take him long to reach their old trysting…place。 With
a beating heart he approached the decaying trunk and looked into the
cavity。 There was no letter there！
A few blackened nuts and some of the dry moss he had put there were
lying on the ground at its roots。 He could not remember whether they
were there when he had last visited the spot。 He began to grope in the
cavity with both hands。 His fingers struck against the sharp angles of a
flat paper packet： a thrill of joy ran through them and stopped his beating
heart； he drew out the hidden object； and was chilled with disappointment。
It was an ordinary…sized envelope of yellowish…brown paper； bearing；
besides the usual government stamp； the official legend of an express
company； and showing its age as much by this record of a now obsolete
carrying service as by the discoloration of time and atmosphere。 Its
weight； which was heavier than that of any ordinary letter of the same size
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A MILLIONAIRE OF ROUGH…AND…READY
and thickness； was evidently due to some loose enclosures； that slightly
rustled and could be felt by the fingers； like minute pieces of metal or
grains of gravel。 It was within Don Caesar's experience that gold
specimens were often sent in that manner。 It was in a state of singular
preservation； except the address； which； being written in pencil； was
scarcely discernible； and even when deciphered appeared to be incoherent
and unfinished。 The unknown correspondent had written 〃dear Mary；〃
and then 〃Mrs。 Mary Slinn；〃 with an unintelligible scrawl following for
the direction。 If Don Caesar's mind had not been lately preoccupied with
the name of the editor； he would hardly have guessed the superscription。
In his cruel disappointment and fully aroused indignation； he at once
began to suspect a connection of circumstances which at any other
moment he would have thought purely accidental； or perhaps not have
considered at all。 The cavity in the tree had evidently been used as a
secret receptacle for letters before； did Mamie know it at the time； and
how did she know it？ The apparent age of the letter made it preposterous
to suppose that it pointed to any secret correspondence of hers with young
Mr。 Slinn； and the address was not in her handwriting。 Was there any
secret previous intimacy between the families？ There was but one way
in which he could connect this letter with Mamie's faithlessness。 It was
an infamous； a grotesquely horrible idea； a thought which sprang as much
from his inexperience of the world and his habitual suspiciousness of all
humor as anything else！ It was that the letter was a brutal joke of Slinn's…
…a joke perhaps concocted by Mamie and himselfa parting insult that
should at the last moment proclaim their treachery and his own credulity。
Doubtless it contained a declaration of their shame； and the reason why
she had fled from him without a word of explanation。 And the enclosure；
of course； was some significant and degrading illustration。 Those
Americans are full of those low conceits； it was their national vulgarity。
He had the letter in his angry