To The West Part 72

It did not take long to arrange what I should do for Mrs John Dempster.

I know I had determined upon a carriage and pair, with a very careful coachman, expressly for her use; though how it was to be got out to that wilderness, or used there, I did not stop to think. I only meant her to grow well and strong, and have every luxury, while Mr John could be a perfect country gentleman, and study, and be my friend. That gold was to be regular Arabian Nights wealth, and I felt already quite a prince.

These ideas floated rapidly through my brain, while Mr Raydon made a low washing noise with the tiny basket, and discoloured the flowing water as he let the fine sand pa.s.s away.

All at once he stopped, held the dripping basket--every drop which ran from it turned to ruddy gold by the sinking sun--tightly between his knees, and again rapidly picked out the larger stones, sending them flying about, to fall with a splash in the water.

"Can I help you, sir?"

"No, my boy, no," he said. "I have done this thing before. One can manage it best."

Just then I heard a sigh from Esau, who could not refrain in his anxiety from coming nearer the river.

This made Mr Raydon look up sharply, and he smiled.

"Hullo, sentry," he said, "you're not keeping a good look out. Mind what you are about with that rifle."

"Yes, sir, I'll be very careful," said Esau, "and I am looking out well."

"For the gold," said Mr Raydon, in an undertone, which words I caught, as he went on picking and throwing out smaller stones, then washing the basket round again and again, and the more he worked, the more his countenance seemed to change, till it looked older and more careworn than I had ever seen it before.

I knew that there were a few scales and beads of gold, for I had seen them glisten in the sunshine as he rapidly moved the basket but directly after I felt horribly disappointed, for he set it right down in the water, the weight of stones within it keeping it at the bottom, and splashed toward me.

"Here," he said roughly, "give me the shovel."

I gave it into his hand, and he waded half across to where there was an eddy behind a huge ma.s.s of rock, and bending down here, he sc.r.a.ped away the stones and sand, as if trying to make a hole, discolouring the water right along the stream. Then, forcing the shovel down as far as he could drive it, he brought up a dripping quant.i.ty of sand and small gravel, placed it in the basket, returned for another shovelful, and placed it with the other before handing the shovel to me.

"If there is much gold," he said, "it would lie at the bottom of that eddy, where it would be swept when the stream is in flood. Now, then, we shall see."

For another ten minutes he went on washing again, while I could see Esau, as he crept nearer and nearer, perspiring with impatience, and glancing up and down what in the setting sun now seemed to be a golden valley, for water, rocks, and the ferns seemed to be tinted of a ruddy yellow, and the tall fir-trees stood up like spires of gold.

At last I caught a glimpse of something bright again, but I could not be sure that there was more gold in the basket; it might only be the stones glistening in the wonderful ruddy light that filled the ravine.

"Hah!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Mr Raydon, and he once more set down the basket beneath the water. "Hard work. What trouble men take to get gold!"

"There is some in the basket, isn't there, sir?" I said anxiously, and in no wise prepared for the result.

"We'll see directly," he said. "Let's get out of this. The water is bitterly cold."

He waded out now with the basket, from which the golden water dripped as if the contents were melting.

"Why, there is some," cried Dean, excitedly.

"Some?" cried Mr Raydon, bitterly. "Unfortunately, yes. Look!" and he held the basket sidewise in the full blaze of the glowing sun, giving it a shake, so that we could see scales, beads, and tiny nuggets dotted about among the flashing stones, and all looking of that beautiful pure yellow colour which is possessed alone by native gold.

"Why, there must be pounds," cried Esau, excitedly.

"Pish!" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Mr Raydon, contemptuously. "How you boys let your imagination go wild! There must be, however, a full ounce--a wonderful washing for the trial."

"Then you are not disappointed, sir?" I said, eagerly.

"Yes," he cried, turning upon me fiercely; "horribly."

"But there must be quant.i.ties more, sir."

"Yes. I was in hopes that it was a mere patch, but everything points to the fact that the stream is rich, and it may be far better higher up."

"But you said you were disappointed, sir?" I said, as he sat down, and began to replace his stockings and boots.

"I am boy, horribly."

"With all that wealth before us?"

"Yes. Do you know what it means?"

"Riches for us all, sir," I said, proudly.

"Hah! Look here, boy. I have been out in these glorious valleys many years now. The place is a perfect Eden, where nature smiles upon us, and wealth showers her golden gifts. You know my home, and that no troubles come, save some trifle with the Indians now and then. Do you know what would happen if it were known that this ravine teems with gold?"

"We should set to work and make fortunes of it, sir, and not let it be known."

"Bah! Impossible, Gordon. In one month from now the news would have spread; and as long as the gold lasted, this place would be turned from a Paradise into a horror. The sc.u.m of the American population would float here, with all the lawlessness that was in California in its early days. Drinking-bars and gambling-saloons would rise like mushrooms; and where now all is beauty and peace, there would be robbery, violence, murder, drunkenness, and misery too horrible to contemplate."

"What!" I cried, incredulously, "because a rich supply of gold is found?"

"Yes. I have seen it all, and I know," he cried; "and I have often hoped and prayed that no gold might be found near here. Gold can be made a blessing, but too often it has proved a curse."

I looked at Esau, and in spite of my trouble and disappointment as I saw my fortune fading away, and with it Mrs John's carriage and my life of ease and plenty, I could not help smiling, for my companion's face was comic in the extreme.

"There, let's get back," said Mr Raydon, stamping his feet in his heavy boots.

"But what--"

"Am I going to do with the gold?" he said, quickly. "Oh, we'll take it home with us. Dig up a root or two of those ferns to put in the basket, and hide what we have found."

"Then you will not work for the gold with us, sir?" I said, as Esau stood holding the rifle, listening eagerly.

"No," said Mr Raydon, sternly. "And now listen. I am chief officer of this fort and station. I am, so to speak, almost a king here among these people; and amongst the tribes who come to trade I am their father and chief of chiefs, and my word is law."

"Yes, sir, I know," I said.

"You two lads were sent out to me by my thoughtless brother-in-law, who is always meaning well and doing ill. You were delighted by the prospect, and did not see what a mad scheme it was. As it happens, all has turned out well, though it is almost a miracle to me that you have both reached me in safety."

I thought of Gunson, and how we could not have done it without his help; and as I thought of him, I recalled the object of his visit to this region--prospecting for gold and other metals--and of what he would say to our discovery.

"Well," said Mr Raydon, "you reached me safe and sound, and though I was annoyed at your coming and being thrown on my hands as you were, I think I may say I have not treated you unkindly."

"Indeed you have not," I cried earnestly, as I held out my hand to him.

"You have been very generous to us both, sir, and I am most grateful."

"Then prove it," he cried, gripping my hand.