.- 
 
THE LUMP of GOLD 
 
 ESTHER BALDWIN FERGUSON 
 
 GILMARTIN COMPANY 
 PUBLISHERS : SAN FRANCISCO 
 
, f 
 
 . -a. 
 
 Copyright, 1910, 
 By Esther Baldwin Ferguson 
 
Bancroft Library 
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 The Lump of Gold 1 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 ne Thousand Dollars to the Tabooed Mother-in-Law 8 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 Golden Twenties to the Bishop 13 
 
 3 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Charity Discourses in Rhapsody the Serfdom of 
 J Women and Obtains One Thousand Dollars.. 23 
 
 o 
 
 ^ CHAPTER V. 
 
 Qj The Eyes of the Bride Drenched in Tears 28 
 
 O 
 
 J CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ^" Cupid's Disappearance 31 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 The Finding of Cupid 38 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 Uncle's Sacred Coin in the Hands of Unworthy Fate 42 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 The Mother-in-Law's Home Invaded 51 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 Faith Searches For the Sacred Coin and Receives 
 
 Consternating News 58 
 
iv CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER XI. Page 
 
 The Tragedy 61 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 Hope Returns with the Sacred Coin 64 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 The Legal Lights Deliberate 69 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 Hope's Sister Love Arrives 71 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 A Royal Wedding 86 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 Man Created Divinely Pure 96 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 The Detective's Search 98 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 The Dying Horse 114 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 Death Valley 127 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 The Confirmation Dress 135 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Truth Learns Disturbing Disclosures 148 
 
CONTENTS v 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. Page 
 
 Attorney Goodman Solves the Mystery of Uncle's 
 
 Sacred Coin 153 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 Jeallo's Repeated Visit to Her Aunt's Sick Room 160 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 Attorney Goodman Reads the Will 163 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 Truth's Anxiety Over the Missing Coin 170 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 Charity Philanthropically Uses the Sacred Coin 181 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 Love, True Love 200 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 Charity Performs An Act of Humanity 208 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 The Ship Captain's Dilemma 211 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 The Trial 215 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 Guilty 218 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 Uncle Again Meets Miss Faith Fairchild . . .224 
 
The Lump of Gold 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 Since the days of 1852 Uncle had been a searcher 
 for gold. Many times the god of fortune had 
 filled his coffers with the glittering metal, which 
 we are told paves the streets of heaven. 
 
 Certainly, no inhabitant of that place was more 
 happy than he when richly rewarded after his toil- 
 some efforts of separating the debris by rushing the 
 water down the sluice boxes, leaving only the black 
 sand and quicksilver, then delving in the bottom to 
 scoop it. 
 
 Frequently the gold was only dust and required 
 the aid of quicksilver, which separates into myriads 
 of tiny balls like shot, when urged on by the swift 
 current of water, rolled and tumbled along the sur- 
 face and into every crack, corner and crevice of the 
 boxes, gathering the millions of minute particles 
 of gold in its embrace. 
 
 How Uncle's arms would ache after shoveling, 
 picking, sweeping, and panning. 
 
 1 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Ah! the pains all forsook him as he took from 
 the pan a massive lump that was the image of a 
 large ball of silver. 
 
 Very well he knew its value as reckoned in dol- 
 lars and cents. Experience had made him quite an 
 accurate guesser. But it must be transmitted into 
 gold, for silver had not much value as worth. 
 
 He placed it in a retort, and as the fire burned it 
 into a red-hot heat, he watched the quicksilver flow 
 out of a pipe into a pan of water, where it lay as 
 calmly as though it had not been madly rushing, 
 pell-mell, hurry-scurry, to grab and usurp unscrupu- 
 lously every innocent, unspotted golden morsel as 
 it made its debut into the world. 
 
 With satisfaction, Uncle took the lump from the 
 retort, and viewed its brilliant, golden aspect. To 
 him it meant a just and honest reward for his labor- 
 ious efforts to enter the labyrinths and channels, 
 which had sacredly guarded their untold wealth for 
 ages. His patience and efforts had not flagged, and 
 was ever on the alert for every stratum and sub- 
 stratum that indicated the sleeping place of gold. 
 
 He knew that the grand old snow-formed rivers 
 from the high Sierras, which came roaring, tearing, 
 flashing and splashing over stupendous precipices, 
 entered many subterranean vaults of gold, and dash- 
 ing them asunder, carried their riches in its billowy 
 arm and distributed them in many of its byways, 
 passages and gorges, where it would be difficult 
 for even a necromancer of fate to find it. 
 
 2 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 But Uncle's sagacity had prevailed, for the mag- 
 nificent old river had left too many symbols in its 
 wake. And nothing undaunted, he fearlessly pre- 
 pared to disgregate its hidden treasures with pick 
 and shovel in the hands of his trusty men, and 
 blast the entrance to the golden cells with dyna- 
 mite. 
 
 Was he a robber ? No ! For the Arch Being 
 has placed His riches in such a manner that man 
 can become its possessor by the sweat of his brow. 
 
 Uncle had not coveted his neighbor's belongings, 
 neither was he avaricious, but he was well aware 
 that that lump of gold was a sinecure that would 
 help pave the avenues which would radiate a bene- 
 faction in the sunset of his life. 
 
 But how was he to keep this particular gold, 
 which he had liberated from mother earth, free from 
 blending with the contaminations to which its kind 
 was subject? In his loyalty to benevolence he 
 soliloquized as he still held it in his hand: 
 
 "My beauty, we must part. I cannot keep you. 
 My depleted exchequer compels me. It is best. 
 You have lain dormant for centuries, but now you 
 have a mission before you. Shall it be to con- 
 tribute to the morality of humanity, and help build 
 up a structure of love, peace, and universal brother- 
 hood, or shall you march in the footsteps of your 
 predecessors, into the shadow of darkness from 
 which every vestige of fellow-feeling is eliminated, 
 and flaunt the finger of scorn at every noble deed 
 
 3 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 performed, and gradually sink into the death-mire 
 of iniquity? 
 
 "How can I trust you to go unattended, who so 
 recently emerged from your cavernous home, where 
 all is quietude and rest, into the great arena of 
 surge, strife, and ostentatious usurpation? 
 
 "Must I be responsible for your manifestos? I 
 unearthed you from your hiding place; I must be. 
 Yet I know so few whom I can trust, to guard 
 and care for you with strict candor and faith." 
 
 Spellbound he stood as though dreaming, as a 
 soft, low, musical murmur reached his ear. 
 
 "Whence thy sadness, sire? Me thinks thou hast 
 met with great sorrow. I am Fate, and at your 
 service." 
 
 Turning, he met the glance of soft, brown, but 
 rather melancholy eyes, belonging to a most charm- 
 ing female, robed in soft folds with fluffy ruffles 
 of illusion. 
 
 Her voice was phantom-like, but not discordant. 
 It appealed to his present mental sensibility in a 
 most soothing manner, which was very pacifying. 
 
 Appearing not disturbed, but reluctant for digres- 
 sion, yet thankful, he answered : "Not sadness, my 
 fairy friend, but a dilemma is before me to decide 
 the future of this honestly acquired gold." 
 
 With a laugh that sounded more like a sylvan 
 echo rolled and swirled by monstrous ocean waves 
 from turreted castles back to lofty mountain heights 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 so sweet, so musical, yet so full of doom, Fate 
 answered : 
 
 "That is an easy matter. Place it in my charge. 
 The whole world is under my surveillance. For- 
 tunes are in my hands ; why not give me yours ?" 
 
 Wrinkling his brow in a reflective manner, Uncle 
 recalled that the result of Fate's watchfulness, which 
 vibrated through the very existence of man, had 
 been slack, slight, hit-or-miss remuneration. 
 
 With a look of disdain he responded: "Not for 
 worlds, for in you there is no choice between good 
 and evil." 
 
 With such a verdict, Fate vanished as noiselessly 
 as she had come. 
 
 Having determined that Fate should not control 
 its destiny, he decided to have it immediately minted, 
 and to take it himself to make sure that he received 
 coin from this same lump of gold, and not that which 
 might have come from some other place, and when 
 it was returned to him, looking brilliantly lustrous 
 beyond description, with the eagle reposing grace- 
 fully majestic on one side, bearing aloft the golden 
 crown set with the jeweled words, "In God we 
 Trust," he was highly gratified and reflected : "All 
 will be well, but it must have care." And he com- 
 prehended clearly that its value consisted in its 
 prerogative exchange for the necessities of man, 
 and being such, he again soliloquized: 
 
 "Your golden jeweled crown should be a protec- 
 tion to your magnificent beauty. It is an ornament 
 
 5 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 which ought to commend reverence and respect and 
 be a safeguard into every exalted walk of life. 
 
 "But you must be wary. Artifice, deception and 
 danger lurk by the wayside to whirl you into a vor- 
 tex so rapidly that it will wear away your crown, 
 and lose your jewels in the caldron of iniquity. 
 
 "The just do not always escape. Why they do 
 not is one of the mysteries not portrayed to man. I 
 must embark you in the current of life, but with 
 whom? That is the question." 
 
 Again he was startled by a calm, clear voice re- 
 peating the words : "Let us draw near with a true 
 heart in full assurance of faith." 
 
 Having been trained in orthodoxy unconsciously 
 asked "Why?" 
 
 "Because, Faith is the substance of the things 
 hoped for ; the evidence of things not seen," was the 
 calm rejoinder. 
 
 Rushing to her, he exclaimed : "Really, then, it is 
 faith I require in my emergency." 
 
 She answered : "It is, and I am Faith Fairchild." 
 
 Scanning her features, he beheld a maiden of 
 quiet, graceful demeanor, and gazing into the depths 
 of her mild blue eyes found truth, peace, love, har- 
 mony and trust, and being robed in spotless white 
 linen, signified purity. 
 
 Offering his hand said: "Faith, I welcome you 
 with a true heart and with the full assurance that 
 once having plighted your fidelity, as a standard of 
 your Christian name, Faith, I shall have met the 
 
 6 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 person for whom I have hungered. The maiden who 
 is of a generous, free-hearted, honest frankness, 
 without gush, guile or deceit, of whom I have heard 
 but have never seen." 
 
 Demurely she thanked him, and asked: "Gan I 
 be of any service to you?" 
 
 Showing her the lump of gold, now turned into 
 twenty-dollar pieces, he explained his desires, say- 
 ing: "I am compelled to give it into other hands, 
 for my obligations must be met and expenses paid. 
 In my younger years I have brought to light from 
 the earth quantities of gold, but it never cost me a 
 thought as to its fflture, whether it would merge 
 in vice or excel in merit." 
 
 Handing the gold to her, he said : "Here, Faith. 
 I give this into your custody. I know you will 
 guard it as though it had life, and prove worthy of 
 my reliance." 
 
 Again, in quiet, measured tones she repeated: 
 "Faith is being the substance of things hoped for, 
 and the evidence of things not seen is reliance, but 
 sometimes a deluge of the ungodly acts of human- 
 ity destroy the pathway in which Faith walks, ob- 
 scuring the confidences of her trust and truthfulness, 
 and overthrowing every endeavor or effort she may 
 have evinced for the prevailment of right." 
 
 Earnestly, Uncle bowed a responsive answer: 
 "That is very true my friend Faith. Evidently I 
 have the most profound confidence in your ability 
 to overcome those obstructions, and believe that you 
 
 7. 
 
v THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 will be triumphant in maintaining these golden 
 eagles for the betterment of mankind." 
 
 "Thank you, Uncle. But please explain more 
 fully. Do you present these coins for the cause of 
 humanity ?" 
 
 "Unfortunately, Miss Faith Fairchild, my cir- 
 cumstances are such I cannot. Its equivalent in 
 currency will answer every purpose for me, and I 
 will accompany you to some bank of strong finan- 
 cial character and make the exchange." 
 
 Arriving there, the banker carefully counted the 
 currency desired, and as Uncle took it, remarked : 
 "It will be much easier to stow away. A tailor can 
 have a good job placing it in the inside lining of 
 my coat, as road-agents infest many of the much- 
 traveled mountain roads, popping out at any mo- 
 ment, and relieve the traveler of their valuables." 
 
 Turning to Faith, and taking her hand, he said : 
 "Providence is all-wise, and I am grateful that you 
 were sent to me. I must hie back to the gravel 
 claims, for my boys, although trusty, are inexperi- 
 enced. So, craving your success, I now bid you 
 farewell." 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Dextrously, Faith with the help of the banker, 
 counted and privately marked the coins, which num- 
 bered two hundred twenty-dollar gold pieces, and 
 asked of him as a special favor to keep them intact 
 from other money. 
 
 8 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 She explained why it had been committed to her 
 special care and desired his assistance in disposing 
 of it in commendable ways, of which the banker 
 assured her as he piled the beautiful new golden 
 twenties in rows, and Faith gave them a most ad- 
 miring look as she took her departure. 
 
 Returning the next day they were still there in all 
 their glittering brilliancy, and for several consecutive 
 days. Then she asked: 
 
 "Why have you retained them?" Courteously he 
 answered: "I have had various opportunities, but 
 none satisfactory, Miss Fairchild, only in small quan- 
 tities. And you requested that it should be let in 
 one thousand sums as being easier to keep in tally." 
 
 "Surely," she responded, as he continued. "A 
 man came in today to borrow one thousand dollars 
 and when I asked for what purpose, he said, 'To 
 bet on a sure-win horse race.' Well, Miss Fair- 
 child, you see the coin is still here, and I really be- 
 lieve it was Mutt, that most notorious of all gamb- 
 lers." 
 
 Faith exclaimed : "Oh, I am so thankful you did 
 not let Uncle's coin go in such a cause." 
 
 Cleverly the banker said: "There has been a 
 dearth in business proclivities which certainly cannot 
 last, besides many have been out of town taking their 
 vacation, but the season is nearly over, Miss Fair- 
 child." 
 
 He had scarcely finished speaking when a silver- 
 haired old lady called and presented a check for one 
 
 9 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 thousand dollars, which she had received from her 
 children. 
 
 Smilingly the banker asked: "Do you want the 
 whole in cash?" 
 
 "It is not best," she said, "but I require five hun- 
 dred at present, "and her eyes filled with tears of 
 thankfulness as she received the beautiful coins bear- 
 ing the golden motto, "In God We Trust." 
 
 Faith, too, shed sympathizing but happy tears, for 
 this money surely would be spent only in the most 
 needy and sacred ways. It would be issued in the 
 buying of bread and sustenances required for daily 
 consumption, which would reach the man and beast, 
 even though it might be a small recompense for 
 their many hours of hard, tedious and sometimes op- 
 pressively toilsome labor. 
 
 Surely no harbinger or precursor of fate could 
 ask a better predestination. The little emoluments 
 dispensed in different courses might promote what 
 would be a successful career for the honest worker, 
 giving his children food, raiment, books and educa- 
 tional advantages, thus creating happiness, knowl- 
 edge and longevity. 
 
 Graft and cunning deceit, which are the pitfalls 
 of the ungodly, would have no time for their in- 
 triguing intrenchments. 
 
 The old lady dropped the money in her old-fash- 
 ioned reticule, and Faith, feeling truly grateful, said : 
 
 "You look very frail my dear Madam. Besides, 
 some of these thoroughfares are quite secluded, 
 
 10 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 therefore dangerous for you to traverse unattended." 
 
 "You are right," said the old lady, "but I am a 
 stranger here and know not whom to trust." 
 
 "I will call my sister, whose name is Truth, and 
 that signifies all that is pure and holy. Every sta- 
 tion of honor and sobriety receives its illumination 
 through the established principles and fixed laws of 
 truth." 
 
 Extending her hand as Truth approached, the old 
 lady said : "This must be one of the mysterious acts 
 of mercy that you, Miss Truth, are sent to me. It 
 is no fault of my children or my own that I am here 
 alone." 
 
 "How is that?" asked Truth, as she took hold of 
 the old lady's arm, the better to assist her. 
 
 She answered: "Convalescing from a severe ill- 
 ness, my physicians recommended that I should 
 travel. Accompanied by my daughter, with her two 
 little children, and my daughter-in-law, we started 
 to circle the globe at easy stages. In Italy, my 
 daughter's children were stricken with scarlet fever, 
 therefore, remained while we continued our jour- 
 ney." 
 
 "It was quite an undertaking," interposed Truth. 
 
 "Yes, Miss Truth, but all went well until after we 
 arrived here. Our voyage had been rather tem- 
 pestuous and I was weak and wearied, consequently 
 my daughter-in-law procured these very comfortable 
 quarters as you see, determining that I should have 
 a long period of rest." 
 
 11 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Which was very nice of her," said Truth, as she 
 seated the lady in her easy chair.. 
 
 "Yes, we were happy, Miss Truth, but a telegram 
 came informing us that my son had met with a 
 perilous accident and his life was despaired of." 
 
 "How sad," sympathized Truth. "Yes," tear- 
 fully said the old lady, "and I insisted that she 
 should go immediately to him, and on her arrival 
 she wrote the good tidings that he was out of dan- 
 ger and forwarded this check to me. And now, 
 Miss Truth, if you will remain as my companion 
 I shall deem it a great favor." 
 
 "No more a favor to you than me, for I love you 
 already. And sister Faith can have her wish ful- 
 filled : That I should look after Uncle's consecrated 
 gold," which explanation required an interpretation 
 to the old lady, who said: 
 
 "Well, Miss Truth, my daughter-in-law won my 
 motherly affection, and I know that she will be grat- 
 ified that I have such a desirable and loving com- 
 panion." 
 
 Laughingly, Truth replied: "Then you are not 
 one of the tabooed mothers-in-law?" 
 
 "No; why should I be? A mother's love is the 
 most sacred on earth, and the joys of her children 
 should be her joys, and not the usurper of their hap- 
 piness. Why, Miss Truth, it was ordained that our 
 children should be wedded to loving companions, 
 and together guide their offspring to the grand and 
 illustrious summit of life while yet they are gliding 
 
 12 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 down the inclining slope to the horizon, where the 
 last gleam of sunset emits the still glittering rays as 
 that having characterized their lives unequaled by 
 the lustrous brilliancy of the radiantly beautiful dia- 
 mond sunburst. Do you not call that happiness, 
 Miss Truth?" 
 
 " Certainly, but do you not feel lonely and for- 
 saken?" inquired Truth. 
 
 "Why, no, dear Truth, for then I have their united 
 affection and there is no room for jealousy. They 
 arise and call me 'blessed mother.' " 
 
 "Which must make you very happy, my dear 
 lady." 
 
 "It is more than happiness, Truth. It is bliss 
 and the joy we anticipate in heaven. Now, I will 
 assign you to the room occupied by my daughter-in- 
 law, next to' my own." 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Truth's constancy was magnetic. The old lady 
 seemed to grow vigorous and thrive under her 
 scrupulous care, industry and management. 
 
 But let us return to Faith and her perplexing 
 charge. She counted days before another came 
 which met the approbation of both the banker and 
 herself. 
 
 One man wanted to borrow one thousand dollars 
 with which to buy some town lots for speculation. 
 The banker considered it a good investment, but 
 
 13 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Faith viewed the matter as a sort of gamble, or mak- 
 ing a market under false pretenses. 
 
 The astonished banker said : "Why, it is per- 
 fectly legitimate. He expects the lots to rise in 
 value?" 
 
 "Well, as I understand it," said Faith. "In order 
 to boom the lots, certain prerogative privileges are 
 quoted as having been applied for, which in them- 
 selves might be very unfair, and to cover this de- 
 fect and raise enthusiasm much puffy literature is 
 given large circulation, which causes a big bubble 
 and bursts when the lots are disposed of at high 
 figures. 
 
 "Thus, surely the lots will depreciate and become 
 a drug on the market." 
 
 "But your money will not remain in the hands 
 of the man who borrowed it. It will have been paid 
 out and be in circulation," said he. 
 
 Forcefully she retaliated: "I know, and it would 
 go into the hands of the grabbers to pay for the 
 puffs. I believe that these rights of way and priv- 
 ileges are only imaginary to create a flurry and 
 flash in the market, and this man wants the money 
 to start the bubblesome boom." 
 
 "Well, it is considered legitimate," the banker re- 
 peated. 
 
 "Granting that," she returned, "many with lim- 
 ited means, desirous with their carefully hoarded 
 savings, of providing a home for their families, will 
 rush in and buy." 
 
 14 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Sullenly the banker replied: "He takes his 
 'chances with the rest." 
 
 "But he can ill afford to do so. When the bom- 
 bastic market is at the highest point, perhaps is the 
 time when he has bought, being eager to possess it 
 before the price should have risen beyond his re- 
 sources," retorted Faith. 
 
 "Then he would receive that for which he was 
 seeking a home place," the banker returned. 
 
 "Not very well said! A home place! It would 
 be a PLACE without a home. A shackle! For it 
 would fetter him from paying that much down and 
 the remainder in installments on a neat little cot- 
 tage near his work and close for the children to at- 
 tend school." 
 
 "In time that would come," argued the banker. 
 
 "Not to a certainty," expostulated Faith, "for 
 when the inflator derives his benefit from the bal- 
 loonish market he grandly and pompously marches 
 off to create another stir in a new district." 
 
 The banker debated the point no longer, but felt 
 that Faith was a little too scrupulous in the matter, 
 and was glad of a respite to attend a Bishop who 
 was reverenced by all who knew him, as his qual- 
 ifications were fully up to the sanctity of his re- 
 ligious duties. 
 
 The Bishop said: "My parishioners have en- 
 trusted to my care a check for one thousand dollars, 
 which I present to be cashed. They have conferred 
 and decided to furnish an apartment in the basement 
 
 15 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 of our church for the establishment of a resort for 
 young men who have their first outgoing from their 
 childhood's rustic home and paternal roof, under 
 which the love of humanity which was God's 
 greatest gift together with honesty, sobriety and 
 virtue were themes not only taught but practiced. 
 
 "It is to be a reading room and bible class formed 
 as well. As the room is very large the trustees 
 unanimously favored partitioning and putting in 
 all the apparatus and appertenances peculiar to 
 the meritorious benefit and entertainment of young 
 men after the completion of their daily pursuit." 
 
 Faith had been rather absorbed after her discus- 
 sion with the banker, yet listened and calmly weighed 
 the Bishop's problem in the balance of justice, there- 
 fore, smiled an approving glance as the banker 
 handed the money to him. But there was an in- 
 ward conception that even with that holy Bishop, 
 in whom she had perfect trust, there should be some 
 requirements as a safeguard against guile. 
 
 Quickly approaching him she said: "Oh, good 
 and noble Bishop those golden twenties have but re- 
 cently emerged from mother earth, and I am their 
 custodian as you are of those young men who are 
 entering the embryo of life. The excavator in- 
 structed me not to let them go where hazardous en- 
 vironments would encircle them." 
 
 The Bishop, rather awed by her zealousness, earn- 
 estly responded : "You may trust me young lady." 
 
 16 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Fervently she replied: "I do trust you wholly, 
 but sometimes fate intervenes, so that I can only 
 hope. Yes, hope, and I must have my sister Hope 
 go with you ; then I will have no apprehensions. 
 She will be an assistant to you, for she is like her 
 name Hope and that is the one thing in life 
 which urges and helps frail mankind to climb thy 
 ladder to surmount the odious, obstinate obstacles 
 which crowd the pathway to fame and everlasting 
 life." 
 
 Clasping her hand, the Bishop said : "I will take 
 your sister Hope into my family, and she shall be 
 cherished as a daughter." 
 
 Satisfied, Faith asked him to tarry while she 
 sought her sister Hope. Finding her in the dress- 
 ing room, Faith gave her a rapturous kiss, related 
 her interview with the Bishop, and said : 
 
 "Come, dear sister, he is waiting for you." 
 
 Never had Hope been more joyful. The antic- 
 ipation of abiding in a congenial atmosphere of 
 numerical young men, actively engaged in the study 
 of the Divinity and nature whose pastimes thus di- 
 verging from the rotating series of transgressions, 
 was hallowed indeed. A feeling of Spirituality in- 
 spired her with new and more courageous vigor. 
 
 She would not falter in her requirements, for 
 had not Faith, the best loved and sanctified of all 
 her sisters, invested her with the most superior 
 confidence which could be placed in women that 
 of undoubted virtuous trust? Her energies must 
 
 17 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 contribute doubly manifold, for this was a task 
 of affection, honor, and heavenly reliance. 
 
 Faith, had no misgivings as to the failure of her 
 devoted sister Hope, for she possessed that qual- 
 ity hope which never leaves the human race so 
 long as intellect remains and heart pulsates, and 
 which has been the salvation that has redeemed 
 many of the most abased criminals. 
 
 Remembering that two thousand dollars yet re- 
 mained to be disposed of, she knit her brow and 
 tacitly wished that she would be as fully gratified 
 with their assignment as of the other two. 
 
 "Ah," she soliloquized, "Faith should have no 
 repinings. Why make my name allegorical?" 
 
 The banker interrupted her studious attitude by 
 requesting her attention to another check for one 
 thousand dollars, which had been presented. 
 
 Said he: "I was dubious about paying it out of 
 your golden fund. The person offering it is a 
 young lady whose father reckons his wealth by the 
 millions. She is betrothed to marry a man of more 
 influence in the political world than its equivalent 
 in money. In fact, he requires cash to balance him 
 in his coming election." 
 
 Instead of answering the banker, Faith advanced 
 to the young lady and said: "I beg your pardon, 
 Miss. Please do not consider me harshly nor yet 
 deem me inquisitive or obtrusive, but there is a 
 motive and much depends upon your answer. I 
 ask : What use is to be made of this gold ?" 
 
 18 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Laughingly she answered : "Why, for my special 
 pin money. Mama gave me the check from her 
 own private account and said: 'It is a love offer- 
 ing from your mother to her only child and daugh- 
 ter, and the last while yet she is a virgin. It is a 
 grievous parting and this little amount will be a 
 souvenir remembrance to be used for your own spe- 
 cial wants during your wedding trip and honey- 
 moon.' " 
 
 "Then this is not to be a mercenary marriage?" 
 mentioned Faith. 
 
 "I scarcely comprehend the tendency of your 
 question?" curiously answered the young lady. 
 
 Noting her confusion, Faith kindly explained : 
 "What I mean by a mercenary marriage, is one in 
 which the consideration is for profit in a pecuniary 
 way, and used as a stepping stone to social ag- 
 grandizement." 
 
 "It is not the union of hearts cemented firmly by 
 love and adhesive affection, where the breathings 
 are of the most exhaustless devotion, unchange- 
 able as the sun, and lasting as the universe, no mat- 
 ter if age dims the sight and the silken hair be 
 turned into the finest threads of silver, and the cycle 
 of time changes the whole contour of the figure. 
 
 "But, on the contrary, the most flagrant dissen- 
 sions exist, and the very air seems lurid with stoical 
 feelings while the ear is palsied by the unharmon- 
 ious clashes of unsavory tumultuous turmoil." 
 
 "Oh, my dear Madam, I am affianced to a man 
 19 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 who makes me his idol, and is devotedly attached 
 to me. In fact, he worships me. Oh, I could 
 not, and would not marry without love. Why, 
 every glance of his eye reflects the deep well in 
 his heart, filled overflowing with love, true, holy 
 love." 
 
 Demurely, Faith questioned: "Are you sure? 
 Are you certain that it is not the undue love for 
 your wealth which he must possess you to get?'* 
 
 "O, yes. If I did not have a penny he would 
 adore me just the same," emphatically rejoined the 
 young lady. "And I love him with my whole heart, 
 and give him my entire devotion, also would trust 
 him with my very life. 
 
 "I am certain that nothing can come between us 
 to mar our happiness when we both love so deeply 
 and truly. 
 
 "Oh, he is so noble and generous. He cannot 
 do enough for me. You ought to know him, my 
 dear Madam, and must to convince you of his true 
 worth." 
 
 Faith's doubts were removed and filled with ad- 
 miration for the young lady with the glow of such 
 earnest love depicted on every feature of her face, 
 hastened to reply: 
 
 "We have not time for that, my dear young lady, 
 but I am thankful that you have experienced true 
 love, for it is the passport to heaven, and the key 
 which opens the door to every conceivable happi- 
 ness on earth. 
 
 20 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "What is it but 'Love,' for 'God is Love,' that 
 gives us this grand and beautiful world, so full of 
 luxuries to promote our wellbeing; and it is 'Love* 
 that rocks the craddle of the universe to inspire 
 man into wisdom's ways. 
 
 "But there are many snares to entrap love 
 Cupid's love and it often requires very heavy ran- 
 soms to rescue it. Alas ! sometimes none can be 
 given." 
 
 The banker, much interested in their colloquy, 
 perceiving Faith's conviction in the earnestly au- 
 thenticated explanation of the young lady, laid the 
 money in front of her, who placed it in her porte- 
 monnaic, thanked the banker, and turning to Faith, 
 said: "I am glad you have confidence in me, and 
 I will promise that I will strictly heed that not a 
 penny of this money shall be spent where I think 
 it will fall into the hands of profligacy." 
 
 "I am convinced of your honest intentions by 
 your unreserved candor. But, my dear young lady, 
 you will require a maid. If you have not already 
 selected one, I would suggest my sister, Love," said 
 Faith. 
 
 "How kind of you, and what a delightful name 
 Love. Cupid has been frisking around with his 
 bow and arrows and it must be she whom he is 
 hunting. Mama told me 'ere I returned to find 
 some trustworthy girl, and you have greatly re- 
 lieved me. Please may I see her?" 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Turning, Faith replied: "Certainly, I will ask 
 her to come in. Oh, here she comes," she exclaimed 
 as a young girl entered. 
 
 Faith continued as she placed her arm around her 
 sister: "This is my sacredly beautiful sister Love. 
 She is a member of the 'Order of Love/ the fra- 
 ternity which is the oldest in existence, having been 
 established in the Garden of Eden by Adam and 
 Eve." 
 
 "The edict that they should earn their bread by 
 the sweat of their brow did not destroy its pre- 
 eminence, and it has existed through the many in- 
 tervening centuries, although pursued, by venomous 
 enemies that have tried to extinguish it by the most 
 vile transgressions of the traducer." 
 
 Faith had an angelic look as she gave utterance 
 to these words, and joining their hands spoke: 
 
 "O, sister Love, entwine thyself in the bands 
 when it binds this young lady to her hero lover. 
 Cupid has been active with his arrow in coupling 
 her heart to that of one of creation's noblemen 
 believing that it will be cemented by consecrated 
 devotion and enrolled on eternity's volume, thus 
 making it enduring. 
 
 "And my precious sister, Uncle's spotless and in- 
 nocent gold has been given as a wedding offering, 
 and while you are guarding the sanctity of its 
 debut, I charge you be vigilant and not sanguine or 
 ready to yield to the professed devoutness of re- 
 ciprocal love purporting to come from a true heart. 
 
 22 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Surely, it would be blasphemy to invest you 
 with the guerdon of shame, while you wear purity's 
 emblem as a crown and wield the sceptor of your 
 order over millions of its devoted followers that 
 are seeking to rescue the sinful from the nefarious 
 highway to ruin. 
 
 "Your order teaches that true love is under- 
 valued by the use of fraudulent manifestations, 
 which are the falsehood of sordid characters to en- 
 snare you into the cobwebs of anguish and de- 
 spair. 
 
 "Adieu, my sister. That auriole encircling your 
 visage proclaims you a saint, but the holy cannot 
 a&vays achieve every blessing. Your duty lies be- 
 fore you, and do not hesitate to summon your sis- 
 ter Faith if unsurmountable barriers block your 
 way. 
 
 Love said: "I will be an earnest worker, dear 
 sister Faith, for the benefit of the ancestral Order 
 of Love. Farewell." 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Love paused a moment in the vestibule to greet 
 her sister Charity, who was just entering the bank. 
 She was loth to pass so hurriedly, for Charity was 
 the noblest of her sisters. 
 
 Her features were regular in lineament, but 
 fearless, strong and firm, yet with a diction of 
 pathos which appealed to the compassion and be- 
 
 23 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 nevolence of those who were successfully prosper- 
 ous or who were in want. 
 
 Goodness was the virtue of all her transactions. 
 She divested herself of many comforts which would 
 contribute aid or help to the needy, often sharing 
 with them the last mite, as did the widow in the 
 Bible. 
 
 The name Charity did her honor, as it covered 
 many benefactions, the least of which was the giv- 
 ing of money. She condoned the faults of the 
 youthful erring and conferred pity to the distressed 
 maiden believing not wisely in the constancy of 
 man, and appealed for mercy, when the wronged 
 one sought to shorten her span of life. 
 
 She demurred at shaking hands with the be- 
 trayer and ushering him into the social circles where 
 again he could exercise his delusive sophistry. 
 Never could Charity believe or convince herself 
 that the Omnipotent had been partial to the sex, as 
 evidenced by His ten commandments, and the mak- 
 ing of one heaven to receive purified souls. She 
 asked herself: What of the debaucher and de- 
 bauchee entering that place? On earth he is re- 
 ceived with debonair complacency, while she is rel- 
 egated to the quarters of the white slave. 
 
 Oftimes when alone she soliloquized: "I, Char- 
 ity, am a woman whose nature is to act liberally, be- 
 nevolently and favorably toward the moral ignor- 
 ance of the misguided of either sex, but this state 
 of affairs has my special condolence. 
 
 24 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "O, why cannot my own sex unite in building a 
 fortress to defend womanhood from this fate of 
 condemnation. 
 
 "Not alone does the white slave suffer ignominy 
 even though ostracized and consigned by the laws 
 to special street quarters, but the community at 
 large is permeated. 
 
 "Parents live in deathly fear that their innocently 
 bred and doted offsprings, just entering the bound- 
 ary of maturity, therefore, believing in their own 
 infallibility, may by the many enticing devices be 
 allured into the place of sin. 
 
 "Frequently mothers are at fault for allowing 
 their daughters from infancy to be clasped pro- 
 miscuously in the osculatory embrace of the oppo- 
 site sex that in its abnormal, selfish and uncon- 
 trolled state is woman's most dreaded antagonist 
 and fiercest foe. Ignorantly innocent through child- 
 hood days, into maturity the maiden assumes dis- 
 cordantly indiscreet judgment and ere the mother 
 is aware her adored daughter is installed in the 
 ranks of the white slave. 
 
 "Women are clamoring for suffrage. The time 
 may be far hence, but that need not deter them 
 from rallying around the flag of state the stan- 
 dard of which is held by their fathers, brothers, hus- 
 bands and sons and insist, yea, demand that the 
 white slave with her noxious obligated domicile 
 headquarters be abolished. 
 
 25 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 This really is the one unfortunate evil which 
 is so degrading to women and making of 
 them stigma serfs. No wonder they are re- 
 sorting to extravagant means to obtain suffrage, 
 and it should be theirs unless this terrible evil 
 be obliterated. Should they gain it, their higher 
 education should consist in striving for degrees of 
 the most elevated strength of character, making 
 virtue the absolute standard in support of that glor- 
 ious flag which waves not only for the freedom of 
 a few, but all. 
 
 "Decades of centuries the daughters of Eve have 
 lived in penance. Their fault is being condoned. 
 The state of lethargy is being lifted and by valiant 
 effort the brand can be removed and their escutcheon 
 made manifest with God's pleasure. 
 
 "Certainly, already He has lent His divine bless- 
 ing, else still woman as an entirety might be lurk- 
 ing in a dormant condition in the murky pool of 
 ignorance. Why, it is but a few short years since 
 they began to emerge from their dark obscurity and 
 their brains permitted to expand. But they have 
 battled their antagonisms and are keeping step by 
 step in college lore, literature, professions, the ave- 
 nues of toil and the independence of livelihood. Not 
 being satisfied they are reaching toward the 
 sciences, where myriads of the sterner sex of the 
 most lofty and superior minds only have dwelt. At 
 the present day those learned men strain their eyes 
 
 26 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 in wonder and surprise, and shake their heads in 
 prophecy at the heights their sisters might attain." 
 
 Charity, being a mentally born enthusiast waking 
 or sleeping, these rhapsodies were uppermost in her 
 mind, and they had been particularly profound on 
 this morning she had met her sister Love in the 
 corridor of the bank. 
 
 After her speedy greetings with Love, Charity 
 still continued her engrossing reflections and ap- 
 proached her sister Faith as she entered the bank. 
 
 "Dear sister, my spirits have been much exercised 
 with my life work. The upbuilding of Womanhood 
 and Humanity, and I find much in embryo. 
 
 *'A great work is before me and I am afraid that 
 I shall have passed through the gates into my ever- 
 lasting dwelling place without having accomplished 
 my imposed undertaking. Nevertheless, I shall per- 
 severe, like the school boy who starts his tiny snow- 
 ball, which at first makes very little development, 
 but as he continually keeps rolling and tumbling it 
 along, around posts, pillars and other various ob- 
 structions it attains mammoth proportions, which 
 require the aid of his whole class to keep in rotund 
 motion." 
 
 Said Faith: ''Earnest endeavors as are yours, 
 sister Charity, are certain of making successful 
 issues, and your life work now in embryo will 
 be an everlasting monument to your glory." 
 
 "Thank you, Faith. My errand here was to pre- 
 sent this check of one thousand dollars, which the 
 
 27 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Humane Society instructed me to use as alms for 
 the really destitute and indigent poor, not through 
 their indolent and extravagant profligacy, but by 
 uncontrollable adverse circumstances, and with no 
 near relative to sustain their wants. 
 
 Joyfully Faith responded : "Surely, this is a God- 
 send which will take the last of Uncle's purity 
 gold." 
 
 As Charity passed out Faith turned to the banker 
 and said: "Now I am at rest." 
 
 Little did she know, with her invincible individ- 
 uality that her greatest responsibilities had just com- 
 menced, for she must contribute her aid to the in- 
 exorable efforts which she had invested her sisters, 
 Love, Hope, Truth and Charity, to maintain the 
 integrity of "Uncle's Virgin Gold." 
 
 She was fully endued with faith but can faith 
 always acquire the reward of which she is in 
 quest ? 
 
 Again returning, Charity asked : "Will you come, 
 sister Faith, and assist me for a time, for I shall 
 require faith which is of your spirit in my efforts 
 to find honest poverty." 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Together the sisters, Faith and Charity, delved 
 through all the avenues, streets, and passages of 
 the great city for several weeks. The decidedly 
 
 28 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 poor was not by any means the minor quantity, but 
 the minor quality. 
 
 To a few of the number they were on the point 
 of delivering funds requisite to their needs, when 
 the sisters decided to probe yet a little deeper into 
 their poverty. And in every instance, so far, out- 
 side of those the societies had under their own spe- 
 cial charge, they found defective and unworthy ex- 
 postulations of indigence. 
 
 One woman whiningly announced that she had 
 not the means with which to buy food for herself 
 and family, declaring the crust of bread and rind 
 of bacon, which she displayed, was all they had in 
 their larder; that her children were without shoes 
 and the necessary clothing for winter, and there 
 was no one to provide or assist her. 
 
 Upon investigation, they found that this very wo- 
 man had a bank account, having been her deceased 
 husband's legacy but was miserly and avaricious, 
 and made the same plea to every offer of persons 
 charitably inclined. 
 
 Nevertheless, the sisters presevered, but found not 
 one satisfactory case, and had concluded to extend 
 their researches to some other locality or city. 
 
 On the eve of their departure, Faith went to the 
 postoffice and received a letter from Love, asking 
 her to come to Chicago with all possible speed, for 
 the bride's eyes were drenched with tears. She 
 wrote : 
 
 29 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "All had been happiness, affection, and love, 
 until one day in Chicago, a few weeks after their 
 indefinite location there, the husband being in a 
 quandry about raising some money, of which he 
 was in pressing need, came home, and in his per- 
 plexity thought to get the pin money of his wife. 
 At first he was persuasive, then plaintive, and after- 
 wards raved. Oh ! words cannot explain it. I am 
 so grieved. Oh ! come to me, my darling sister 
 Faith, for I am weary and alone. Come quickly. 
 Yours trusting sister LOVE." 
 
 Faith folded the letter in the envelope and, re- 
 tracing her footsteps, made a brisk walk back to 
 their living rooms. 
 
 Charity had made everything ready for their de- 
 parture and prepared a dainty evening repast. 
 
 As Faith entered arid noticed the preparations, 
 she repeated a Bible verse: "All things work to- 
 gether for good to those who love the Lord," for I 
 must eat and away. 
 
 "Here ; read this, meanwhile, which will explain," 
 handing Love's letter to her sister. 
 
 After reading, Charity said : "The Limited Ex- 
 press is due in one-half hour. You will have ample 
 time to catch it, if you do not tarry too long. 
 
 "Here are your gloves. I will assist you to carry 
 the suit case, and we can deliberate on the way as 
 to the best course for my work." 
 
 Said Faith: "My beloved sister Charity, Faith 
 can only say: 'Follow the dictates of your own 
 
 30 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 worthy and loyal conscience, which none but Charity 
 and the true-hearted can possess." 
 
 Charity clearly responded: "So be it, and when 
 shall we meet again?" 
 
 Faith replied: "Charity and Faith! There is 
 an adherence between them; there can be no real 
 separation. Though distance intervenes, a mental 
 telegraphy, which is the spontaneous reverberating 
 of the spiritual soul for soul, unites them in their 
 righteous cause. 
 
 "Here is the train, dear sister Charity. Though 
 our bodies are laid in the dust, you and I shall al- 
 ways live," and she clasped her sister Charity's 
 hand fervently for an instant, then boarded the 
 Limited Express, which bore her away with light- 
 ning dispatch. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Arriving in Chicago, as she stepped from the 
 train, Faith espied her sister Love standing in an 
 unobserved space, and noting her pale, careworn 
 look, hurriedly folded her to her bosom in an af- 
 fectionate embrace, exclaiming : "Love, my precious 
 sister Love, why this pallor?" 
 
 Love answered : "I cannot explain explicitly. My 
 heart is sore and grieved." 
 
 "But why are you alone? Why is not Cupid in 
 attendance? He should be here, for he is the god 
 of Love. Has he forsaken you?" rapidly inquired 
 Faith in undisguised concern. 
 
 31 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Faintly Love moved her lips and the soft, mellow 
 sound which issued forth was like the refrain from 
 the soughing gentle zephyrs as the orb of day sinks 
 to rest, dropping the evening shades, producing a 
 shadowy light, which discloses a dome studded with 
 millions of brilliantly lustrous and scintillating gems, 
 whose twinkling and dancing rays illumine the whole 
 nebulae of space and which astronomers call worlds 
 of vast proportions. Thus, love true love is de- 
 fined. 
 
 *'My darling and precious sister Faith of such 
 true fidelity and belief, I must answer you, that I 
 know not. He has disappeared without a mo- 
 ment's warning and my researches have all been 
 in vain." 
 
 And then Faith said: "But we must find him. 
 There is no happiness on earth for Love without 
 Cupid and his arrows. Rest here while I seek him." 
 
 "Nay, nay ! I cannot. I must go with you, Faith, 
 for he may have received a wound from one of his 
 arrows which only love can heal." 
 
 They boarded an auto, which glided rapidly with 
 no apparent effort, except the summoning forth of 
 a hissing sensation, much as a rattlesnake giving the 
 alarm, "Beware of me; my bite is death." 
 
 On, on they flew through the grand city, whose 
 structures meant accumulated wealth, until they had 
 reached the habitations of those who had amassed 
 the riches to construct such ponderous edifices. 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 They alighted before one of the most pretentious 
 of these residences, which the politician had leased, 
 as being adequate from a social point of view to 
 gain votes, which was ever his inward homily 
 meanwhile asserting profusely to his bride, that he 
 had provided this palatial home as befittting the 
 child of her father's millions, and his own devotion 
 and unalloyed love. 
 
 Timidly Love rang the doorbell, and was courte- 
 ously received by the servant, who smilingly recog- 
 nized Love, and said : "You are tired ?" 
 
 "Yes, I am very weary, but can I go to my lady. 
 My sister Faith is here with me." 
 
 The servant replied: "I shall go and see." 
 
 Returning, she said : "My mistress is ailing and 
 requests that you come up to her rooms." 
 
 Love said: "Thank you, I know she must need 
 me. Come Faith, it is folly for me to go alone. 
 Really, Sister, it is faith that her aching heart re- 
 quires and is its only panacea, for she has been de- 
 frauded by the love of man, and with Cupid gone, 
 it is doubtless if I can instill her with the power of 
 love, evermore." 
 
 Silently Faith followed her sister through the 
 many richly appointed and magnificently hung up- 
 holstered halls and rooms, containing unparalleled 
 paintings and priceless statuary. 
 
 Never before had Faith entered a home with such 
 elegant surroundings, yet she appreciated it as be- 
 ing the web, woof and workmanship which pro- 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 vided the necessities of life for the diligent poor. 
 She deemed horded money of no advantage, and 
 that it, within itself had no intrinsic value. Its im- 
 portance, being only real when requisite to pro- 
 cure the essential commodities efficient for the grat- 
 ification of the wants of mankind. 
 
 They ascended a flight of stairs and soon entered 
 a boudoir of exquisite silken hangings and estab- 
 lished order, where happiness should have ruled 
 supreme. 
 
 A lady was reclining in an easy chair with her 
 feet on the fender of the grate, trying by artificial 
 means to diffuse into them the warmth that had once 
 pulsated with every throb of her heart and ran 
 rioting through her veins, casting a ruddy glow over 
 the whole system, which by the throes of anguish 
 and despair was now frigidly numb. 
 
 Tearfully Love glided to her and threw her arms 
 affectionately around her neck, asking: "Oh, my 
 dear lady, did you miss me ? Your maid, Love." 
 
 Furiously she tore herself from the embrace, 
 arose and scornfully said: "Love! Miss Love? 
 No, emphatically no. Love is delusive." 
 
 "Surely, surely you are mistaken," said Love. 
 "The embodiment of our very being, it was intended 
 should be incorporated with love and was one of 
 Divine gift and blessing." 
 
 Thoughtfully the lady answered: "I once had a 
 very tender feeling which was like the sunbeam 
 
 34 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 gleaming on the dew drops that nourished a delicate 
 little tendril as it peeped from its embryo in the soil, 
 imparting to it a vitality which strengthened into 
 vigorous growth anad developed a flower which in 
 its purity was as spotless as the lily; but a tornado 
 from the snow-bound regions came and exhaled its 
 icy breath over its delicate, translucent, but firm and 
 lasting texture, congealing it so that no sunbeam 
 could restore it to its wonted grace, but cause it to 
 wither and droop, therefore turning it into an ob- 
 stacle of scorn which admits of no love/' 
 
 Again Love tried to approach her, but recoiled in 
 grief as she saw the despondent, dejected face of 
 her lady with savageness beaming from her eyes. 
 Yet she strove once more to comfort the agonized 
 soul. 
 
 "My dear lady, do not send me away or extrude 
 me Love who would be happy to restore your 
 own true love, which was the fountain of thy life. 
 
 "It is as the fragrance quaffed from that delicate 
 flower and can do much to alleviate your sufferings. 
 It is nurtured as by the gentle zephyrs that will 
 embrace and strengthen you, coming from a 
 heavenly clime, where there is no deceptive atmos- 
 phere, conjuring you to believe that the dew drops 
 which enveloped your lily white flower were those of 
 faithful love, when they were but the globules fall- 
 ing from an icicle, drop by drop, tempering them 
 into the mingling elements of love until the orb of 
 day passed its zenith and revolved to the horizon, 
 
 35 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 carrying its warmth into the shades of oblivion. 
 Then it was that your god of love was sacrificed on 
 the altar of ambition's greed. But my dear lady, 
 might not there be a root or even a seed left, which, 
 by affection's offering to your husband, might yet 
 be cultivated into a spontaneous growth that no 
 chilling blasts could cause to decay? Then the 
 warmth of love's devotion would be fanned by those 
 ardent zephyrs from the heavenly clime and engross 
 your souls with the raptures of love true love 
 which never chills the heart or agonizes the body." 
 
 Cheered by her compliant attitude, Love con- 
 tinued: "My sister Faith is with me, and will help 
 expunge all your wrongs and assuage your woes/' 
 
 A maniac's piercing cry and anguished raving 
 could not have been more excruciating or penetrat- 
 ing than was hers, as she shouted : 
 
 "Faith? I want naught of her. It was she who 
 exacted of me a promise to expurgate that money 
 and duped me in my simplicity and trustful love to 
 extol my matrimonial alliance with my idolatrous 
 god by guaranteeing that we were to sail by the ship 
 of love on the waters of a cloudless sea." 
 
 "Not duped, my dear lady. You misunderstood 
 her," said Love. "Faith, my sister, was responsible 
 for the expenditure of that money, and only wanted 
 you to use it judiciously for your own requirements. 
 She is inflicted with much mental pain that your 
 marriage should have terminated into sorrowful 
 anguish, and it is her endeavor to invest you with 
 
 36 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 the quietude and repose which comes from faith in 
 the Holy One as being your arbitrator." 
 
 Faith advanced, holding out her hand in greeting, 
 but the lady clasped hers behind her, laughing 
 hoarsely : 
 
 "Ha, ha, ha ! Why does she not calm the ocean's 
 waves ? Repose ! Do the demons in Hades have 
 repose? Faith! I tore faith from my escutcheon 
 when Cupid, the god of love, fled. And I want you, 
 Miss Love, no longer as my companion, for I have 
 another now, the demon's daughter, Hate, and 
 together we will march under the banner of Re- 
 venge." 
 
 Astonished beyond measure, they retreated toward 
 the door, and Faith's mind whisperings were: 
 "Can this transformation into a demon be the beauti- 
 ful young lady whose soulful eyes enlisted my 
 utmost confidence, and every feature, wish and will 
 was wrapped in the most holy fervency of sacri- 
 ficing loyalty to her affianced hero lover? What 
 had become of that devoted and heavenly look? It 
 was as the adoration of angels, and inspired awe 
 with celestial desires." 
 
 Faith could not comprehend it Had Cupid been 
 derelict in his duty? He was the god of love and 
 had sole dominion. He should have exemplified his 
 superiority and banished every intruder. 
 
 Again Faith said: "Please, dear lady, I do not 
 solicit or seek to obtain or intrude on your con- 
 - 37 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 fidence, but can you tell me why Cupid let enemies 
 penetrate his kingdom?" 
 
 Vindictively she answered: "Cupid is a fraud. 
 He was the messenger who conveyed the strategy 
 to get my money. I want naught of him. He is full 
 of deceit." 
 
 "But really, how can this be? And where is he?" 
 persistently inquired Faith. 
 
 With a malignant, fiendish laugh the lady shouted : 
 "Ask Cupid when you find him. I do not know 
 where he is." 
 
 Faith asked: "Will you grant us the privilege 
 of searching your premises for him?" 
 
 Reluctantly she nodded an assent. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Sorrowfully Faith and Love retired. Walking 
 down the long hall, Faith said : "It is my belief that 
 Cupid is not far away, but we will descend this stair- 
 way. Ah ! here is a cloak room at the foot ; let us 
 look in." 
 
 Sure enough, they were rewarded by finding 
 Cupid secreted in an obscure corner, being too crest- 
 fallen to hie far distant. He was no longer the 
 pompous, debonair or puffy god, but woe-begone 
 and disconsolate. The arrows which remained in 
 his quiver was in confused order. His wings were 
 drooped, and blood was oozing from a wound in 
 his side. 
 
 38 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 
 
 Love knelt beside him, crying : "Oh, Cupid ! 
 Why have you forsaken me? I am powerless with- 
 out you." 
 
 Sadly smiling-, he answered : "No, Love. I could 
 not do that, for we are irrevocably united by bonds 
 which cannot be severed. I stayed, thinking Peace 
 might lurk around and need me to aim my bow and 
 arrow to recapture the departed love as the rupture 
 was being healed, when in rushed Hate, with her 
 canting, corrupting, viperish virus and vitiated 
 purposes." 
 
 Faith interrupted. ''But you are bleeding, Cupid. 
 How did you receive your wound?" 
 
 Faintly he answered : "I had made the attempt to 
 retain the two hearts through which my arrow had 
 pierced. In one the seat of affection was void of 
 love and filled with mercenary profit, otherwise Hate 
 could not have come in and unstrung them. And in 
 the struggle she thrust me perniciously with the 
 point of the arrow as she released the deceitful 
 heart." 
 
 "Really, it is deplorable," said Faith. "But Love, 
 your queen, who can heal all wounds, is here waiting 
 for you and is the only balm you require. Fraud 
 and Love can be united no more than quicksilver 
 and water. But, Cupid, about the money, Uncle's 
 pure and inoffensive coins. Where are they? Can 
 you tell me about them?" 
 
 "I can," responded Cupid. "I was there and 
 heard the politician-husband caressingly ask his wife 
 
 39 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 for her one thousand dollars, to use as a beginning 
 in his election career. 
 
 "Placing her beautiful arms around his neck, and 
 caressingly, she said: 'Oh, my dear love, I cannot 
 let you have that. 
 
 " 'Why not?' he asked. 
 
 " 'Because, dear, mama said for me to keep it 
 for my own personal use, as it was her last gift to 
 me before I took another name. Then, too, I made 
 another promise,' and she sweetly told him of the 
 assurance she had made to you, Miss Faith. 
 
 "Very angrily he exclaimed : 'That is just like the 
 ninny you are, to make such a heathenish promises.' 
 
 "Her face grew scarlet, and she said : 'But I had 
 the right. It was my own money.' 
 
 "He retored: 'You are my wife now and prom- 
 ised to obey me, therefore I demand it.' 
 
 "Flaming at the insult, his wife reiterated: 'I 
 explained to you my promise to keep it intact by 
 using it for my own simple wants and of the gift out 
 of my mother's own dower to her virgin daughter, 
 and it is an unpardonable affront for you to ask it 
 of me and much greater offense to demand it. 
 Marrying you did not make me your slave, and by 
 the laws of God and man you have not the right of 
 exaction.' 
 
 "With a curse he responded : 'But what of your 
 vow to obey me?' 
 
 "Her wrath was furious as she proclaimed: 'I 
 vowed to obey your love, which you so profusely 
 
 40 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 and fervently declared, and not your tyranny. 
 Never will I yield to your abusive demands.' 
 
 "He interrupted her with base maledictions and 
 curses; denounced her father because he had in- 
 vested the daughter's marriage portion in interest- 
 bearing bonds, payable quarterly to her, and left 
 entirely to her discretion what disposition should be 
 made of it, thus denoting his admissibility of a mer- 
 cenary marriage. 
 
 "Stung by disappointment and chagrined beyond 
 measure that he could not command the money for 
 which he had planned and of which present circum- 
 stances required the immediate necessity, he lost 
 entire control of his emotions,, and like a madman 
 shouted : 
 
 " 'Your father thought to make me a member of 
 his serfdom, thus kneeling as a serf at your feet. 
 But thanks to the marriage bond you are mine. 
 
 Not yield to me, you say ? By you do not have 
 
 to concede, for you are mine. The law gives me 
 possession of you, and your money shall be mine, 
 too, and I will have it!' he shouted, as he made a 
 dash for the porte-monnaic in the the escritoire. 
 
 "She clutched him, screaming: 'But I did not 
 promise or vow "With all my worldly goods I thee 
 endow/' but you did vow to endow me with all thy 
 worldly goods.' 
 
 " 'Now where are the two thousand dollars you 
 had when we arrived here?' 
 
 41 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 ' 'Why do you take my pin-money when you have 
 that?' 
 
 "He yelled: 'None of your business, my fine 
 lady !' disengaging himself by hurling her to the 
 floor. 
 
 "Then it was/' said Cupid, "that I received my 
 stab, for Hate rapidly glided in, leaving the door 
 ajar, and I made my escape." 
 
 "But Cupid, did the politician get the money, 
 Uncle's sacred money?" anxiously inquired Faith. 
 
 "Yes," he answered. "As I was making my way 
 into the cloak-room I halted at the door as I heard 
 footsteps, and saw the politician pass with purse in 
 hand and rush through the hall into the street." 
 
 "Then," said Faith, "we must not linger here, 
 sister Love. We must hasten to its rescue before it 
 reaches its doom of condemnation of which Uncle 
 spoke. Come, sister. Cupid has found your love 
 an infallible remedy, so that he can follow at his 
 will." 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Entering the street, Love asked: "Faith, why 
 did the politician take his bride's wedding present 
 and pin-money when he had so much of his own 
 and really had vowed to endow it to her?" 
 
 "That is truly inconceivable," said Faith, "and we 
 must unravel the inducement, for Uncle's sacred 
 money is at stake." 
 
 42 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "But how are we to solve it in this great city, 
 with so many avenues of resources?" asked Love. 
 
 Faith, as though soliloquizing, answered : "Wor- 
 thy and true fidelity always receives its reward, 
 being guided by some unknown or invisible method 
 of instinctive power, which is another of the great 
 mysteries. 
 
 "Here, Love, let us board this auto, which will 
 the more rapidly bear us to the vicinity which is 
 principally the rendezvous of men." 
 
 They rode on and on. Love, somewhat restored, 
 sat viewing the great thoroughfares, crowded with 
 tumultuous people, marching hither and thither, 
 each marking a particular ambitious tendency, 
 whether it be for weal or woe. 
 
 Tremulously she asked of Faith : "How can you 
 know where to go?" 
 
 "I can only trust to the great guide of the 
 promptings of truth. We will ask the chauffeur to 
 pass the political headquarters and the principal 
 center of business transactions," said Faith. 
 
 It was not long ere they noticed but few women 
 among the passers by, so Faith said: "Let us 
 walk now ; possibly we may meet the politician." 
 
 It was difficult to make headway, the crowd be- 
 came so dense. "Look, Faith, at that stately build- 
 ing ; the throng seems to make that their intermedi- 
 ate point." 
 
 43 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "There will be no harm for us to look in, too," 
 said Faith, as they entered the big doors. Suddenly 
 a sound reached their ears. 
 
 "Oh, Love," said Faith, "does not that sound like 
 the shrieking of vultures as they tear their prey in 
 pieces ? There, there ! That screech, screech, clink, 
 clink. It must be eagles. Oh, sister, can it be pos- 
 sible that uncle's coins with their precious motto, 
 'In God we Trust,' are enlisted in such a hetero- 
 geneous tumult ? None but rapacious tyrants would 
 unconcionably usurp the ostensible purpose of that 
 holy ensign in their unmerciful strife for unright- 
 eous gain. 
 
 "Come, Love, come; follow me. Let us make 
 haste." 
 
 Moving forward, they entered the building and 
 turned into an ampitheater-like gallery, occupied 
 mostly by women, overlooking a pit of vast dimen- 
 sions, filled exclusively with men. 
 
 The clamoring was almost deafening. Faith had 
 read of the screechings of that emblematical bird, 
 the eagle, while seeking prey, and she could but 
 liken them to these human beings after their booty 
 of gold. 
 
 The vociferously repeated yells impregnated the 
 whole area with a hoarsely rasping shriek sending 
 it ringing and seething through the head, which 
 made the very brain turbulent as though it were the 
 riotous clashing of the ungodly weapons in warlike 
 strife. 
 
 44 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Faith felt baffled and contemplated. "Should I 
 Faith who so full of faith and fullness of promise 
 become frustrated, thus making me fallible? 
 
 "True faith never wavers but endures to the end, 
 even though it be bitter. My destiny is to seek and 
 give aid to the vacillating whose walk, leading to 
 the happier life, has been filled with quagmires and 
 burthensome loads, making a barrier almost im- 
 passable. 
 
 "When they are disheartened and about to aban- 
 don it, having arrived at the forks, they cast one 
 lingering, hesitating glance at the divergent roads 
 ahead and with exulting smile and hastening foot- 
 steps seek the broad and alluringly brilliant one, not 
 noting that it terminates in an awful abyss then it 
 is I, Faith, who gently leads them back to the nar- 
 row way, with one hand on their shoulder and the 
 other with index finger pointing straight ahead to 
 the emergency of the boundless, interminable and 
 glorious life of everlasting joy, telling them that 
 true faith can bestow fortitude to reach that spiritual 
 place. And now, have I, too, arrived at the forks 
 where lies the stumbling stone of destiny? Shall 
 my footsteps falter and belie my appointed state? 
 I answer no, a thousand times, for faith is one of 
 the benedictions given to the universal race. Alas ! 
 why do not they all accept it?" 
 
 Love briskly shook Faith's arm, which brought 
 her out of her reverie, and in an inaudible tone said : 
 
 45 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Look, look ! Faith. There is the politician stand- 
 ing in the gallery quite near us.'' 
 
 "Oh, dear Love, I am so thankful. Perhaps after 
 all that money is safe, as he does not seem inclined 
 to go down in that dreadful pit crowded with dis- 
 torted, struggling, writhing, perverted humanity 
 who seem to be in an uproar." 
 
 "See them bustling, pulling and crowding. It is 
 a perfect incarnation of a pandemonium.'' 
 
 Almost stupefied with pity, Love said: "Faith, 
 Faith> is there no remedy or panacea for those tor- 
 tured, suffering people?'' 
 
 "I am afraid not, Love, for they are afflicted by 
 the overwhelming desire to gain money, either by 
 fair means or foul. Immense fortunes are made or 
 forfeited in a few hours' time. Surely the poli- 
 tician, with an earnest desire to stand truly to his 
 platform and honestly serve the people who are to 
 cast their votes for his election, would not mingle 
 his manly qualities among those rapacious, grasping 
 men, much less invest his money without a shadow 
 of security. But, Love, this pit really is only a place 
 of tear, tell, and I will add, yell, for not a dollar is 
 brought to view in their transactions. Therefore 
 it would be a difficult matter to find uncle's marked 
 coins should an investment have been made." 
 
 Suddenly they became auditors of a conversation 
 between the politician and his companion, which 
 they were unable to avoid had they desired, for the 
 
 46 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 crush had become weighty and wedged the speakers 
 in juxtaposition with Faith and Love. 
 
 "I say, Langford, that was a pretty big deal you 
 had the other day, and just before your election 
 time, too." 
 
 "Well, not very. I only put in two thousand 
 dollars, but I required more money as my election 
 was at stake, so I thought I would risk it." 
 
 ''Did you get your wheat to fill all right?" 
 
 "No. It had all been grabbed before I arrived at 
 the warehouses. There was not a bushel left," said 
 Langford. 
 
 "Why, how was that? They said the warehouses 
 were abundantly filled. Yes, overflowing they 
 called it." 
 
 "Yes, that was what was said in the pit," replied 
 Langford ; "but the news came from India that there 
 was an entire failure in this season's wheat crop, and 
 thousands rushed to the warehouses and filled their 
 orders, therefore speeded their wheat on to India 
 as fast as electricity and ships could carry it. 
 
 "The excitement was exhilarating and contagious, 
 and, my urgent need for money being uppermost in 
 my mind, I, too, became enthused, especially as 
 wheat was so rapidly advancing in price, and just 
 dropped my two thousand in to double it or sell it 
 while yet on the rise, not expecting to call for the 
 wheat. 
 
 "But a sudden drop in the prices compelled me to 
 go after it, so I rushed to the warehouses as the 
 
 47 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 others had done, but there was none. It was all 
 gone." 
 
 "Well, well! did it not jar you?" asked his com- 
 panion. 
 
 "Yes, greatly, but I had no time for expostula- 
 tions, for the flurry had revived. Some of the in- 
 siders were in for a very large amount and were not 
 ready for the bears. So the bulls kept bellowing 
 until the price was marvelous. 
 
 "I danced for joy and did not sell, as many thou- 
 sands were added to my account already and the 
 excitement ran so high I thought the bears had no 
 show at all," explained the politician. 
 
 "Ho, ho! that's the reason you did not sell. But 
 how was you caught?" asked his companion. 
 
 "Well, you see, the bulls bellowed fiercely until 
 they had disposed of their very last lot." 
 
 "Had they the wheat to fill their orders?" 
 
 "Oh, no," responded the politician. "It was only 
 a myth, as was mine, but their money was in, don't 
 you see?" 
 
 "Ah, ha ! yes ; and they were on the inside of the 
 workings, while you were outside and knew nothing 
 of them?" 
 
 "That was just it. And the very next morning 
 a telegram was exhibited which had arrived the day 
 before, when a slight fluctuating fall in the prices 
 occurred, but the bulls wanted to unload at high 
 profits and have the sport of seeing the fall, so they 
 retained the message until the following day, when 
 
 48 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 they explained aloud that the Argentine Republic, 
 the great wheat mart of the world, had shipped her 
 wheat to India. 
 
 "Her crops had yielded an overabundance and she 
 had contracted with India to receive all her surplus, 
 consequently our wheat would be a drug on the 
 market there, which caused a great slump in the 
 prices. 
 
 "I had bought at the inflated prices, but could get 
 none to fill. Even the farmers held what they had 
 and threw none on the market. I thought it was 
 unprecedented, but afterwards knew it to be of 
 frequent occurrence." 
 
 "But was there no recourse for you to get your 
 money back?" 
 
 "Oh, no, no!" said the politician. "When you 
 place your money in the hands of the brokers for 
 investment, you pay your brokerage and are sup- 
 posed to stand your profits and losses." 
 
 "It was an unlucky deal, surely," sympathized his 
 companion. "But is there no way to get even?" 
 
 "I hope so. In order to retrieve my losses, I 
 placed one thousand dollars to-day in the hands of 
 my broker to help play me even. And I have just 
 been quietly looking on or standing aloof to let 
 them work the game," he replied. 
 
 Faith shuddered when she heard the last remark, 
 for it must be that those precious twenties had gone 
 into the hands of the unscrupulous wheat brokers. 
 
 49 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 She knew they were reckless, heartless and merci- 
 less and that their dealings were purely gambling. 
 
 Homes were wrecked, families ruptured, suicides 
 frequent, wage earners unable to procure bread for 
 their families when the bellowing bulls buoyed the 
 price of wheat beyond their limited purse and it 
 revealed to her the necessity of taking immediate 
 action. 
 
 Love had not been able to restrain her tears during 
 the conversation of the two men, for it was this 
 same money god that had wrought such havoc in 
 the home of her loved lady. 
 
 Faith soothingly put her arm around her sister, 
 and together they tusseled through the crowd and 
 sought a seat in a quiet corner, where they could 
 rest and collect their jaded thoughts. And Love 
 said: 
 
 "Faith, the old maxim, do you remember it, 
 'Money is the root of all evil'? has been fully demon- 
 strated to us to-day, and the politician's avowal fully 
 explains why Hate reigns as companion in his 
 household at the exclusion of Love where happi- 
 ness had completed a most charming circle." 
 
 "My precious Love," said Faith, drawing her 
 closer, until Love's head rested on Faith's shoulder, 
 "those falling tears as they roll glistening from your 
 eyes the eyes of love are like the unblemished, 
 priceless pearls which are heaved from the bosom of 
 the great mother ocean so dainty and delicate, and 
 denote purity of heart and purpose. 
 
 50 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Please do not blur their beauty by dropping 
 them on the altar of Hate, for Cupid still has many 
 arrows in his quiver and thy pearls should make a 
 circlet enchaining the hearts pierced by his gentle 
 missive weapons. 
 
 "Love, dear, we must not tarry here, for matters 
 of greater magnitude await us. We must rescue 
 those innocent golden coins from the clutches of 
 unworthy fate." 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Days, months and even years have rolled by since 
 Faith and Love's visit to the Chicago pit. Even 
 Truth with her magnetic charm had quietly pur- 
 sued her way, habitually making her abode with the 
 silver-haired old lady, taking an interest in and look- 
 ing after her belongings with the most considerate 
 kindness. 
 
 The golden twenties, too, especially received her 
 marked attention and strictest care as to their dis- 
 bursement. 
 
 With kindly tact she had ingratiated herself into 
 the old lady's confidence, and at the slightest indi- 
 cation of illness Truth was the first to detect it and 
 was ever on the alert to render assistance, soothe 
 and lull her to ease and rest. Thus Happiness, being 
 the associate, was the most efficacious sovereign in 
 the household and ruled it to the highest degree, 
 
 51 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 thus filling the declining years of the lonely old lady 
 with perfect peace and loving friendship. 
 
 Truth had written frequent consoling letters to 
 Faith, and often had waited for no reply, as she 
 knew that Faith was immersed in deep concern over 
 the sacred commission entrusted to her charge. Viva- 
 ciously she wrote, which cheered Faith to renewed 
 buoyancy in the researches of her disheartening task. 
 One day, having crooned a subdued lullaby which 
 acted as an anodyne to assuage restlessness and the 
 dear old lady had succumbed to sleep conducive to 
 health, Truth, as usual when exuberantly overflow- 
 ing with joyful delight and love for quietude, sought 
 her writing-desk and headed her tablet : 
 
 "My Dear Sister Faith: What felicity and 
 ecstasy is this life of ours? The vocabulary's 
 diction cannot answer the question or express the 
 rapture. It is not as the gayety of the butterfly, for 
 that is superficial, but as the very quiescence of 
 bliss." 
 
 Suddenly the tones of the piano greeted her ear. 
 "Ah, some one is playing," she said aloud, "I 
 wonder who it can be," laying her pen down to 
 listen. 
 
 "What is she playing? The touch, I should say, 
 is that of a woman and the irregularity of composi- 
 tion a fantasia, but there is no melody in those jerky, 
 jarring tones. Why, it is a perfect extravaganza ! 
 
 "My, oh, my! How can such discordant runs 
 originate from that grand piano forte which my 
 
 52 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 dear old lady had so perfectly tuned last week? 
 Well, I will not listen," and she wrote : 
 
 "You must forgive me if all my variant moods 
 are inscribed here. An infraction has entered and is 
 sounding the announcement from the keys of the 
 piano forte, which has deprived me of my equilib- 
 rium and made me restless. In fact, all my abilities 
 are disarranged. 
 
 "There was such peaceful satisfaction here with 
 no dissenting events to write to you, my dear sister, 
 to increase your anxiety. Oh, oh ! how can I write 
 when that playing fills every space and corner of 
 this room, turning every atom of tranquility into 
 turmoil?" 
 
 Throwing clown her pen, she said : "Well, I am 
 compelled to hearken." 
 
 "Compelled, did I say?" Is it possible to con- 
 ceive Truth as being subservient to vile demonstra- 
 tions and forced to yield her dominant courage to 
 the unsavory and unreasonable acts of incongruous 
 natures in a vacillating manner? 
 
 With determination she again wrote : "Oh, sister 
 Faith, the usurper of our sweet and quiet monotony 
 is making the piano ring with the most intense in- 
 harmonious and unmusical sounds which my ears 
 greet with repugnance. Nevertheless, Truth will 
 not be abased nor yet unstrung by its impetuous 
 vibrations, but will graphically chronicle the dis- 
 sonant sounds, even though it racks my soul, while I 
 cannot restrain my ears from hearing it. 
 
 53 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Still there is no cessation, and the diversity of 
 tones render the translation as being full of dis- 
 agreement, variance, dispute, quarrel and strife, 
 sharp and dissonant. Why, the very furies of utter 
 darkness must be dancing on those keys. 
 
 "And now a 'mezzo/ meaning sadness, is being 
 played, and the emanations from that exquisite 
 piano are capable of instilling me with pathetically 
 mournful awe and conveying my very being into the 
 land where in our dreams we wander among the 
 graves of our deceased loved ones, but instead they 
 are revolting and shock the nerves as being equiva- 
 lent to the sound of a lost soul in the infernal regions 
 where supposition teaches dwells the diabolical 
 spirits of the once incarnate who is hoarsely striv- 
 ing to gain breath for one more effort to ask for 
 deliverance, although ages had been spent in crying 
 for redemption. 
 
 "Ha! and now comes a 'pianissimo,' with inten- 
 tions of being extremely 'soft and soothing.' But 
 oh, horrors ! it is as the last exertion with a wheez- 
 ing sensation of that anguished soul, as he vainly 
 and agonizingly struggles to make one more plea 
 for mercy before reaching what is imparted to us 
 as being the place of inevitable condemnation to 
 everlasting punishment after the doom of death. 
 
 "And which, dear sister, can you believe is really 
 more terrible than is the retribution of a stricken 
 conscience which must be the soul that has luxuri- 
 ated in the excesses of infamy and crimes of the 
 
 54 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 deepest gore, adroitly setting aside with blasphemy 
 the commands of God and mandates of man, thus 
 ignoring justice while treating it as an object of 
 ridicule with the most exhaustless energy. Surely 
 at this moment, dear sister, I feel that I am being 
 overcome with agony, not that of a convicted con- 
 science but a relentless, infernal spirit conveyed by 
 the extravagant modulations of mockery from what 
 should be the dulcet tones of that piano. 
 
 "And now comes the 'cadenza !' Jam, rattle, 
 thrash, bang! I must close my letter and seek 
 peace of mind or madness will conquer my power 
 of volition. 
 
 "I wonder who can produce such sounds? No- 
 body but a virago surely. I have heard of persons 
 performing with such heartiness that their souls 
 appeared elevated to the heavenward precinct, but 
 these demoniacal expressions carry one reluctantly 
 into the depths of the Satanic regions. My nerves 
 are all in a quiver. I must bid you adieu, for Truth's 
 communings should be sacred and void of all that 
 is evil. Evidently our happy domicile is invaded, 
 but with no kindred spirit of clemency. 
 "Your loving sister, 
 
 "TRUTH FAIRCHILD." 
 
 "P. S. I will add that you may not suffer undue 
 anxiety. The dinner bell rang and I hurriedly ad- 
 justed my attire and hastened to my lady's room, 
 placed my filial kiss on her cheek, and, as she smil- 
 
 55 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 ingly looked at me, I said, 'As I am an orphan I love 
 you as a mother.' 
 
 "Completing her toilet, as usual I offered my arm 
 for support, when a lady came bustling in, and, 
 pushing me aside, said commandingly : 'This is my 
 aunt and / will take her in to dinner !' 
 
 "Dazed I stood, but not in awe. Truth accepts no 
 dread of contention which seeks to obliterate her 
 nor being furiously forced aside by pertly inter- 
 ference when valor is at stake. Therefore, I per- 
 tinaciously escorted my aged invalid to her accus- 
 tomed seat at the table. 
 
 "Kindly she introduced the newcomer, saying: 
 'My dear Truth, this is the daughter of my step- 
 sister. We call her Jeallo, as being an abbreviation 
 of the name Jealousy and easier to speak.' 
 
 "Scarcely acknowledging my presence, she quickly 
 responded : 'And I have come to live with you my 
 aunt, and see that you are well cared for.' 
 
 "Noticing the rebuff, the old lady responded 
 quietly : 'But I shall always keep Truth, too.' 
 
 "Darting me an acrimonious look, Jeallo, like a 
 base sycophant, in fawning tones, reminding me of 
 the discordant notes of the piano, said : 'But aunt, 
 you must love me best, and 7 will superintend your 
 affairs while she attends to her servant duties.' 
 
 "I must confess that it required all my force 
 of character to resist making a tart reply, and the 
 deep-drawn sigh from the old lady entered the seat 
 of my affection just in time to prevent my keen an- 
 
 56 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 swer to such an imperious and implacably officious 
 guest. 
 
 "Well, this has been a lengthy postscript. But 
 what a change can be produced in a few short hours ? 
 In my opening address in this letter my life was 
 redundant with the sunshine of love, and now I am 
 transposed and tempest-tossed. But truth is the 
 light which radiates the universe, being a benedic- 
 tion for the benefaction of its inhabitants ; therefore, 
 dear sister, I, Truth, must not falter or deviate from 
 the duty and trustful care of my lonely old lady. 
 
 "Bless her, she has a few hundred left of the 
 'sacred coin,' but with care will be adequate for a 
 good length of time. I know you will charge me 
 to be wary when I tell you that, my writing-desk 
 being near the door, which was open, I inadvertently 
 overheard Jealousy tattling to the maid, who was 
 tidying the room, that her aunt had fallen heir to an 
 immense fortune left by her bachelor brother, who 
 had recently died in distant parts, she being his only 
 relative. 
 
 "This explains Jealousy's sudden infatuation for 
 the lonely old lady, whose ears are now being filled 
 with her deceitful, honeyed words. 
 
 "Oh, sister Faith, another terrible sorrow has 
 come to us in connection with our holy sister Hope, 
 who could be guilty of no crime. Yet all the peri- 
 odicals are teeming with it, as you can see, therefore 
 I need not write. 
 
 57 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "For comfort's sake I would rush to her, but my 
 duty calls me not to jeopardize that dear old lady, 
 and, as you know, Hope always has truth as her 
 watchword, therefore right will certainly prevail. I 
 know not when I can write again, but always believe 
 me, as ever, 
 
 ''Lovingly your sister, 
 
 "TRUTH FAIRCHIUX" 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Faith had no ease of mind waking or sleeping 
 after she had heard the politician's denouement in 
 the Chicago pit. She spent her time assiduously the 
 next morning visiting the brokers among whom, she 
 presumed, the man in his crazed ambition for emi- 
 nence had cast that precious gold. Readily they 
 would manipulate it in speculations, no matter of 
 what kind or how many fortunes of others were in- 
 volved, providing the returns were maximum. 
 
 At last chance partially favored her. In the after- 
 noon, having visited many offices, entering one she 
 asked : 
 
 "Will you kindly inform me, as a matter of im- 
 portance, if Langford, the politician, has at recent 
 date deposited any money with you for investment ?" 
 
 Replying, the broker said: "Yes, a small 
 amount/' 
 
 "Please pardon ! I fancy some of the coins are 
 marked. Can I see them?" asked Faith. 
 
 58 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Going into his private office he took from the safe 
 a bag of money, saying: "My safe being strong 
 and business rushing, I have not as yet deposited 
 this in the bank, consequently we can inspect it." 
 
 They found ten marked twenties, which Faith 
 readily recognized as being "Uncle's sacred coins." 
 
 At that moment a messenger boy entered with a 
 note from the broker's wife, which he read, then 
 counted two hundred dollars and handed them to the 
 boy, remarking : "Money for my wife, who is much 
 interested in her domestic duties." 
 
 Quickly Faith exclaimed: "Sir, will you please 
 substitute these marked coins, which will then go 
 into legitimate trade ?" 
 
 Laughingly he acquiesced. Thanking him, she re- 
 tired to the street, well pleased, yet anxious over the 
 remaining amount. 
 
 Other offices in the jurisdiction were sought, even 
 the bank in which the politician had made former 
 deposits, but with no avail. Yet her faith did not 
 falter or fluctuate, for was not this the substance of 
 things not seen and month after month rotated in 
 ceaseless search. 
 
 Being satisfied that it remained no longer irr the 
 city's confines, she wended her way to New York, 
 where in Wall Street she had the reliance that she 
 would find it, as it is the great center and culminat- 
 ing point into which innumerable divarications with 
 less pretentious dealings are merged, thus control- 
 ling vast millions in the brokerage system. 
 
 69 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Perceiving the enormous mass from which to 
 liberate "uncle's unsophisticated gold," Faith re- 
 flected. It may be a life's undertaking, but the 
 shepherd, when he had lost a lamb from his flock of 
 ninety and nine, did not desist from his search in 
 the mountain gorges and glades until he had found 
 it. 
 
 As usual, having dropped into the Postoffice for 
 her morning's mail, she received Truth's disturbing 
 letter. Of late, having read only the newspaper 
 articles which might be a benefit to her cause, im- 
 mediately she bought some periodicals and found 
 the information for which she searched to be very 
 consternating and oppressive. 
 
 Her faculties seemed confounded that Hope, her 
 angel sister and the very embodiment of a saint, 
 was arrested and charged with murder. Faith, in 
 her first delirium of frenzy, felt that she must fly 
 to her relief. 
 
 "But," said she, ''that would be the mode of con- 
 firming my belief in her guilt. "Ah, I will send 
 Miss Joy, her close and most trusted friend, to keep 
 her company. They are soul of one soul and im- 
 part mirth, gladness, pleasure and blissful happi- 
 ness to the most afflicted, dejected and despondent 
 natures. 
 
 "Truth does not write with her usual vivacity. 
 She is overtaxed with care and her letter is per- 
 plexing, but I can render her no assistance. Besides, 
 my own affairs are pressing and require my earnest 
 
 60 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 attention, since I am convinced that no legal penalty 
 can be measured out to my adorable and guilelessly 
 conscientious sister Hope." 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 Miss Joy, having received Faith's letter, lost no 
 time in going to the Bishop's house, and, a maid 
 answering her ring, asked : "Will you kindly guide 
 me to Miss Hope's room?" 
 
 In surprise, the maid answered : "Miss Hope has 
 not been here since the murder." 
 
 "Murder?" exclaimed Miss Joy. 
 
 "Yes, the Bishop's murder. It was very sad, and 
 he is now lying in state in the parlor." 
 
 Finding the maid not very communicative, and 
 too stunned to ask more questions, Miss Joy de- 
 parted, wondering at the strange turn of affairs. 
 She had returned that morning from a lengthy visit 
 with friends in the mountains and had missed the 
 current news. 
 
 On her way to visit Hope her mind had been 
 absorbed in figuring out the comprehension of 
 Faith's enigmatical letter. Scarcely in a conscious 
 manner she had noted the newsboys' shouting yell, 
 "Extras, the Bishop's murder," not thinking that it 
 was the dear and reverened one with whom her 
 loved friend, Hope, lived. 
 
 Buying a paper, the immense type of bold head- 
 lines glared the announcement and startling declara- 
 
 61 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 tion that the Bishop had been shot by some one, 
 who had also committed an act of burglary. There 
 was a clue and the police were diligently on the 
 search. 
 
 Hearing the report of a pistol, the special police- 
 man had entered the house by means of his night- 
 key, turned on the electricity, rushed through the 
 hall into the library, where he found the Bishop lying 
 on the floor, weltering in pools of blood. 
 
 It was a bewildering spectacle, but the sound of 
 footsteps reached his ears, and he saw a figure 
 that of a woman with disheveled hair fleeting 
 through the room and out of a back door of the 
 library, shutting it after her, and heard the noise of 
 the street door as it mechanically closed with a bang. 
 
 He took cognizance that the safe door was open 
 and contents missing. Turing on the police alarm 
 brought them in haste, but no further clue was 
 found and the deputies, having been relegated to 
 every quarter of the city, met with no better success. 
 
 The wildest confusion reigned and everybody 
 was in anxious anticipation of having the horrible 
 problem solved. Why had Miss Hope Fairchild dis- 
 appeared? Could it be she that had committed so 
 dastardly a crime? was the oft-repeated question. 
 
 They were loth to suspect her, for she had won 
 the confidence, respect and affection of all who had 
 known her by exemplary habits, modest demeanor 
 and Christian fervency. 
 
 62 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Never had she been known to be aggressive or 
 encroach on the rights of others. As if by magic the 
 wants of her friends were anticipated and her loved 
 ones by adoption were legions. As that of her name 
 Hope she imbued them with a preconceived idea 
 and desire for good to come, with the full expecta- 
 tion of obtaining it, thereby allowing no dispiriting 
 and discouraging elements to enter their daily life. 
 
 With a will, they exerted every endeavor to ex- 
 onerate Miss Hope from the suspicion of having 
 committed the deed. The strength of the entire 
 police force, assisted by the citizens, worked with 
 zeal to unravel the lowering, mysterious aspect. 
 
 Undetermined as to the proper course to pursue, 
 after reading the account of the terrible tragedy, 
 which acted as a dearth to her mirthful nature, Joy 
 telegraphed to Faith for instructions, and received 
 the answer: 
 
 "Go to her, Miss Joy. You are the stamen and 
 support of Hope, and in this hour of her distress it 
 is only you that can furnish her the aid to maintain 
 her habitual striving with joyful expectations for 
 priceless happiness. 
 
 "Every lineament and attitude of her existence 
 portrays her spiritual, hopeful and heavenly long- 
 ings. She my doubly blessed sister Hope has 
 vanished, but I know not unworthily, though under 
 the blemish of murderous guilt. Therefore you will 
 find her, for Joy and Hope cannot be disjoined." 
 
 63 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Reading Faith's dispatch, Joy said : "Well Hope 
 as her name signifies is not mystical but distin- 
 guishingly characteristic and limitless. I will await 
 his pleasure." 
 
 The Bishop's funeral was attended by an immense 
 concourse of people, forming an imposing and sol- 
 emn procession. Tears of real sorrowing dropped 
 from numerous eyes when his spiritless body was 
 lowered in the receptacle of solitude, where, after 
 mouldering decay, mother earth would again claim 
 her son. 
 
 Many were the conjectures as to the inhuman 
 wretch that had stilled the heart of that righteous 
 man and sanguinely desired a full penalty for the 
 deed. 
 
 Though buried the Bishop ceased not to live in 
 the hearts of his followers, who anxiously desired 
 the capture of the guilty and egregious miscreant, 
 whoever it might be. 
 
 Uneventful weeks revolved and now nothing was 
 added to mark their course. With the alertness of 
 so many, surely the evasion of arrest was miracu- 
 lous. 
 
 Among the multitude Miss Joy's was the only face 
 that was not doleful, and displayed gladness of 
 heart. 
 
 She had no credence that Hope depicted as 
 being beautiful and sanctified could condescend or 
 
 64 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 stoop to plunder, much less deprive a human being 
 of life. She had lapsed into quietude ; but as heaven 
 eventually would reveal the faithful so would 
 Hope make known her motive. 
 
 One day the special policeman who had been first 
 at the scene of tragedy was meditatively sauntering 
 by the Bishop's residence when he looked up and 
 met the glance of a young lady with sparkling eyes 
 and exquisitely moulded form, which he knew only 
 too well and recognized as being Miss Hope, hold- 
 ing a package in her hand. 
 
 The recognition being mutual, smilingly she ex- 
 claimed: "O, Mr. Policeman, see. I have it 
 Uncle's 'Sacred Money' the golden twenties that 
 read 'In God We Trust,' which sister Faith gave in 
 my charge." 
 
 Truly the policeman was astonished by such au- 
 dacity and unexpected meeting. In tones of exas- 
 peration he asked: 
 
 "Where did you get it ? And how came it in your 
 possession?" 
 
 Calmly she replied: "Why, the robber chieftain 
 gave it to me." 
 
 "The robber chieftain?" said the policeman. 
 "Where is he?" 
 
 Candidly she answered: "Why, Mr. Policeman, 
 he asked me not to tell, but I did not promise." 
 
 Authoritatively he demanded: "But you must 
 inform me." 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Truly, Mr. Policeman, I believe I had better 
 not," slowly she responded. 
 
 Her matter-of-fact opposition nonplussed him, 
 and believing it only a hoax to shield herself said, 
 "Come with me, Miss, and we will settle this busi- 
 ness at once," and gaily she tripped by his side as 
 though going to a circus. 
 
 Arriving at the head office the Chief ordered he\ 
 placed in jail, and when attempting to take the 
 parcel she tightened her grip, saying: 
 
 "No, no; do not take it away. This is Uncle'.? 
 beautifully bright money and is sacred, for he but 
 recently brought it into light from mother earth." 
 
 "What hocus-pocus game is she trying to play 
 us? She is pretty sly," mentioned the special. 
 
 Emphatically the Chief said : "I demand you to 
 deliver that parcel to the care of Justice until your 
 fate is settled." 
 
 "Justice." Ah, that would satisfy sister Faith and 
 be a gratification to Uncle, for his virgin gold was 
 to pass into the hands of Justice, which, as having a 
 due sense of benefits, would carefully invest it to 
 comply with the rightful demands of the industrious 
 and toilsome laborer," answered Hope, as she gra- 
 ciously handed to him the package. 
 
 "Miss Hope's actions are really incredible and 
 mysterious," remarked the special to the chief, as 
 he turned to escort her to jail. 
 
 The news of her imprisonment spread like wild- 
 fire and very soon the streets were redounding the 
 
 66 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 shrill echo of the voices of the news-boys calling, 
 "Extra ! The Bishop's murderer has been captured 
 and placed behind the bars. Miss Hope was the 
 guilty one. She took his life to rob him, for she 
 was caught with the tell-tale money in her posses- 
 sion." 
 
 Hearing the cry of the urchins, Miss Joy hastened 
 to the jail and was smilingly greeted by her loved 
 friend Hope, as though no shadow of guilty sus- 
 picion was hanging over her. 
 
 With ardor Miss Joy clasped the hand extended 
 through the bars and pressed it to her lips, and 
 said: "Truly, this is Hope, whose face reflects net 
 pain of mind or regretful sorrows, but happiness of 
 the Holy Spirit, lovely and consecrated." 
 
 "Joy Joy !" exclaimed Hope, "I knew you would 
 come, for you are life of my life and never infest- 
 ing." 
 
 "Ha, ha ! Hope, my dearest of friends, these iron 
 bars are no infringement to your look of hope that 
 apprehends and delves in the Holy of Holies, and 
 are no barrier spiritually between us, nor yet de- 
 frauding to our happiness, and I will confirm it by 
 giving you this letter written, if I mistake not, by 
 your sister Faith." 
 
 "Yes, and I will read it aloud to share my pleas- 
 ure with you, dear Joy." 
 
 " 'My dear Sister Hope : 
 
 " 'Your sister Faith is communing with you in 
 spirit and believes not in the possibility of your 
 
 67 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 having committed the horrible crimes ascribed to 
 you ; otherwise she would forsake all else and hasten 
 to your side. Miss Joy, your boon companion, tel- 
 egraphed that she would go. Her vivacity will add 
 strengthening vitality to your seemingly hopeless 
 situation far more than the sympathizing words of 
 your sisters Faith, Love, Truth and Charity, whose 
 offices oscillate in the apartments of the discouraged 
 and disconsolate, the sick, the dying, bereaved and 
 mourning ones, and on the battle field flitting here 
 and there among the groaning soldiers, feelingly 
 bandaging their wounds and administering the balm 
 of sympathy as an anodyne to soothe the pain, while 
 they articulate a last message to mother, father, sis- 
 ters and another a sweetheart whose image is in- 
 delibly impressed on the tablet of memory, asking, 
 as the final moment of life draws near, to impart 
 word for word their most affectionate adieus to 
 their loved ones, then lowering the ear to catch their 
 last whispering sigh, "And tell them farewell, and 
 oh, tell them to meet me in that more blissful place/' 
 ''Thus it is better that Miss Joy, who lives not 
 under the auspices of the knell of death but the 
 hearthstone of ecstacy and abode of delight, be 
 your blithesome companion while your sisters will 
 rest assured that your loyalty to hope will be the 
 emblem of your deliverance. 
 
 " 'Affectionately your sister, 
 
 " 'FAITH FAIRCHILD; " 
 
 68 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The Bishop had been too closely allied in the 
 affections of his people for them to idly rest and 
 permit justice to dally too long before arraigning 
 the guilty one, and loudly the multitude denounced 
 Miss Hope as being the criminal. 
 
 The fact was decided, that in seeking to cheat 
 justice by the artifice of boldly returning, she had 
 but acknowledged herself as being the perpetrator. 
 Obviously she was the female figure the special saw 
 fleeting through the library. No other person be- 
 side the Bishop knew the combination of the safe 
 locks. He had taught her before taking his vaca- 
 tion in Europe, and had said: "Often the emerg- 
 encies of travel terminate in unforseen occurrences, 
 and it might be necessary to have the contents of 
 this safe in case of my death to be administered 
 upon, and I know that I can trust you." 
 
 Solemnly she had answered: "Surely you can, 
 dear Bishop, but please do not entertain such a 
 thought. My prayers will ever be with you, asking 
 that you be restored to us again safe and well/' 
 
 That was a long time ago. The Bishop had 
 completed his voyage and renewed his labors with 
 increased vigor, in the midst of which he had been 
 murdered and Miss Hope arrested, with convincing 
 proof and convicting circumstances as being the 
 culprit. 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 It required reinforced police regulations to quell 
 the excitement that raged almost to lynch law and 
 made it apparent that proximate proceedings should 
 be put into operation to enforce the trial. 
 
 But there were certain conformities of the law 
 to be adhered to, and the ever-ready innumerable 
 and inordinate technicalities that are noxiously re- 
 sorted to only to asperse or befogg the law and 
 retard justice, to contend with. 
 
 Then, again, it would not be equitable to espouse 
 the cause too soon, for the prisoner should always 
 have the benefit of a doubt and delay that a jury 
 might be drawn from a not over-excited populace, 
 for in the balance might hang a life or a life term 
 imprisonment. 
 
 Evidently the legal lights of the law were cool 
 and calculating when such a character as Miss Hope 
 was in the scales, yet the good Bishop's life must be 
 duly avenged, therefore, their act of judgment must 
 be calm deliberate and with understanding. 
 
 But they were not adequate to solve the problem 
 why Miss Hope retained such a passive demeanor 
 and expression of the most unaffected and 
 unalloyed happiness, while yet so inexorable in her 
 delusive explanation of gaining possession of what 
 she calls, "Uncle's Sacred Money." They indulged 
 the question: "Is she guilty and resorts to this 
 method as a manner of bluff or subterfuge?" 
 
 It had not occurred to them that she was the 
 embodiment of her name, "Hope," which is im- 
 
 70 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 mortal and receives its light from the infinite, thus 
 conceding a glorious spiritual longing that trans- 
 ports one into the realms of ecstacy pertaining to 
 the eternal heavenly life that can solely be entered 
 by the pre-eminently good. 
 
 And Miss Joy's presence was still more puzzling, 
 for she contributed constantly of the abundance of 
 her nature until they were overflowing with mirth- 
 fulness. 
 
 Time vanished in rapid succession; then Hope's 
 sister, Love, joined their circle. Then, truly, they 
 basked in the beatitude which surpasseth all under- 
 standing. No combined force of the ungodly could 
 render them destruction, for hope, love, joy, are 
 the ruling powers that guard the labyrinths which 
 leads to jeopardy. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 With more than usual enthusiasm, Joy greeted 
 Love upon her arrival, and said : "O, Love, I can- 
 not express my happiness that you have come, for 
 you can confirm the veracity of Hope's version of 
 "Uncle's Sacred Money," Jor which they will try 
 to prove that she murdered the Bishop to pro- 
 cure." 
 
 "No, Joy," said Love, "I am sure I cannot. 
 Faith told me of it, and also of the golden twenties 
 which may lady had at the time of her marriage to 
 the politician, but none of which I had seen." 
 
 71 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 However, Joy being satisfied that Love could be 
 of estimable value in the emergency of freeing her 
 sister Hope from the terrible dilemma, stepped to 
 the telephone and asked Attorney Goodman to come 
 and interview with Hope's sister Love, who had 
 just arrived. 
 
 The attorney hastened over and had a long talk 
 with Love, and as he was taking his departure Joy 
 intercepted him, and asked: 
 
 "Mr. Goodman, will not Love's testimony that 
 Hope had never from infancy been a wrong- 
 doer do much in clearing her of this guilt ques- 
 tion?" 
 
 "I am afraid not, Miss Joy. Candidly, I will say 
 that the evidence being clearly against her, this 
 declaration will be of little value. The peculiar 
 manner in which Miss Hope returned with what 
 she called 'Uncle's Sacred Money' in her hand after 
 being invisible for a lengthy period will disavow 
 her innocence and proclaim her story a fabrication 
 in the estimation of a jury. And unless we can 
 establish a more strenuous method we cannot save 
 her." 
 
 "Save her! Attorney Goodman, save her ? What 
 do you mean?" questioned Joy. 
 
 "Unless you insist, I had rather not answer just 
 yet, as I want to make sure of my grounds first, 
 and not disturb Miss Hope's peace of mind, and 
 that of her friends, with undue anxiety and care," 
 he answered. 
 
 72 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "But 1 do insist, Attorney Goodman. It is bet- 
 ter that we be prepared for the worst." 
 
 "Well, Miss Joy insanity, or at least a mono- 
 maniac which I really believe to be true." 
 
 Joy said no more, but bade him goodbye, and im- 
 mediately repaired to the grated window where 
 Love was talking to Hope, as they were not per- 
 mitted to visit on the inside of the cell, she having 
 been incarcerated under the criminal charge of 
 murder. 
 
 "Dear Hope," said Joy, "how ludicrous. Attor- 
 ney Goodman informs me that, in his opinion, the 
 only defense he can make in your favor to save you 
 is the plea of insanity, which he believes to be 
 true." 
 
 Noting Love's concerned look, Hope cheerfully 
 rejoined : "My dear sister and friend, let not your 
 hearts be troubled or filled with misgivings. Love, 
 Joy and Hope being in trio can surmount every 
 obstacle and triumph over evil. And now, Love, 
 tell us of yourself. Sister Faith wrote that you were 
 much cast down and discouraged." 
 
 Sweet, delicate and dainty Love was no stoic, 
 but always ready to supply abundantly her sym- 
 pathetic qualities to those who were afflicted or 
 sought her good will, replied: 
 
 "I thought to save you from hearing the terminal 
 of that harrowing episode of the politician and his 
 wife. 
 
 73 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "It is perfectly accordant that you should tell 
 us, dear Love. I was much troubled, but lost not 
 'hope' when I heard of your misfortune and their 
 pitiable strife," said Hope, and Joy added: "Yes, 
 please tell us, Love." 
 
 "Well," said Love, "Faith wrote to you the way 
 'Uncle's Sacred Money' was combatively contended 
 between husband and wife, which was caused by 
 true love not being responsive. 
 
 "Some months after Faith and I had visited their 
 abode with such momentuous conclusion, I went 
 again to make another effort to bring accord in 
 the household. The lady had won my esteem by 
 the earnest affection she had given to her husband 
 in their early married life and the kindly considera- 
 tion bestowed upon me in fact, she was gentle to 
 every one, and I grieved that she excluded me from 
 her presence. 
 
 "As before, I was shown to her boudoir, where 
 I found her alone. She did not rise to meet me, 
 nor was I saluted with the kindliest of greetings, 
 neither did she graciously invite me to be seated. 
 Nevertheless, I sat down, and for the want of 
 something to say, I asked : 'Are you alone ?' 
 
 "She vouchsafed the answer: 'No, not quite. 
 My companion Hate is always close, who at my 
 call will appear.' 
 
 "My dear girls, don't you see? I found my lady 
 in no happier mood than when Faith and I were 
 there. In fact, I doubt if she had ever enjoyed 
 
 74 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 one moment in the companionship of Happiness 
 since. We then believed that my lady had reached 
 the climax of extreme change in manner and ap- 
 pearance, but were mistaken. 
 
 ''Her face was now of a chalky pallor, wrinkled 
 and drawn, and presented a weird look as a result of 
 constant indulgence in intemperate derision, while 
 her eyes, which were formerly of the mildest blue, 
 gleamed from sunkerf sockets with dark rings under- 
 neath. And do not be shocked when I say that, 
 if her compressed lips were to have lengthened to 
 a smile it would have been but the mockery of a 
 corpse. 
 
 "Oh, girls, does it not weary you to listen. It 
 really gives me the heartache to think of it." 
 
 "Then please do not live it over again for our 
 sakes," said Joy. 
 
 But Hope responded: "Yes, you have suffered 
 too much already, but sometimes, sharing an over- 
 loaded care-stricken mind with conscientiously in- 
 clined loved ones, will infuse inherent power and 
 vigor to a depressed spirit." 
 
 "You are right, dear sister, and I have wanted 
 you to know the circumstances and the accurate 
 account, that you might understand that Love is 
 blameless, and it will relieve me greatly to con- 
 clude their story." 
 
 Hope said: "Love is blameless. True love can- 
 not be otherwise. That iis why our Heavenly 
 Father sent His son from His kingdom to earth. 
 
 75 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 He loved us His people and wished to redeem us 
 from sin. Therefore, love is omnipotent. At your 
 pleasure, we are ready to listen." 
 
 "Well," continued Love. "My lady was in the 
 state of which should have been called holy mother- 
 hood, but a more unholy conditioa of affairs could 
 not be supposed. 
 
 "She cursed both God and man. God, as invest- 
 ing her with devotional love until it had been quite 
 idolatrous ; and man, as being the covetous poltroon, 
 who had won her love with the greatest professions 
 of endurement only to gratify his evil propensity of 
 preferment, power and lecherous animal instinct." 
 
 Hope calmly interrupted : "Truly! A woman 
 whose love is trampled upon becomes a demon, un- 
 less that love be in invfeible unity with the sagacious- 
 ness of Wisdom, which uplifts it into the most 
 zealous devotion of Godliness." 
 
 "Yes," continued Love, "had my lady remem- 
 bered that 'God is love/ she might have been con- 
 soled, but her devotion was all of earth. I thought 
 to vanquish the effluence of her reviling language 
 by calling her attention to the near approach of her 
 maternity, which should be the joyful culmination 
 of matrimonial bliss. 
 
 "She hissed in my ears: 'I scorn to become the 
 mother of his child. He, who not only culpably 
 and wrongfully wooed me into his loveless mar- 
 riage, but traduces me to his friends, and entertains 
 me, when here, with the harshest of language. Dur- 
 
 76 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 ing my gestation, my whole soul craves for the 
 kindliest treatment and affectionate words. 
 
 "Why, since his election, for days he leaves trie 
 alone with my companion Hate, whom he installed 
 here, while he visits the haunts that the laws of 
 this great American Republic sanctions and pro- 
 vides for its dissolute men, which causes the demon 
 to run riot through every pulsation of my arteries, 
 setting my blood on fire, and Hate with her 
 everlasting harping, heaps the fuel on the kindlings 
 of the already scorching flames." 
 
 Asked Hope: "Steer Love, why did not you 
 speak of the Great Eternal Being who could give 
 balm to her wounded soul, which He is always 
 ready to impart to the despairing ones?" 
 
 "Her mind, Hope, was too overwrought and 
 gave no opportunity, but compelled me to be the 
 listener and she said: 'Why, Miss Love, here is 
 an article in this morning's paper, which I will read 
 to you verbatim : * "A dissolute woman arrested 
 for alienating the affections of a married man. 
 While the woman is legally accused of being a 
 vagrant, the cause that led to her arrest is, that 
 she persisted for some time past in alienating the 
 affections of a married man from his family. The 
 man's wife a few days ago appeared in court and 
 tearfully told the story to the judge. She was ad- 
 vised to secure a warrant for the arrest of the wo- 
 man, but refused to do so because she feared dis- 
 grace. The officers then took a hand in the matter 
 
 77 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 and motified the woman that unless she left town 
 she would be jailed. Yesterday the woman was 
 still in town and a warrant was served on her and 
 trial set." 
 
 " 'Now, Miss Love/ said my lady, 'who is the 
 villain? Why did they not arrest the husband, 
 too? He was the one who did the wrong by being 
 unfaithful to his wife and forswearing his mar- 
 riage vows, which are the foundation of every 
 fundamental principle to keep the purity and virtue 
 of our homes intact. 
 
 " 'Men are supposed to occupy the exalted posi- 
 tion as being the protector and defender of wo- 
 man's honor. He is denominated as being the 
 stronger sex she the weaker, or frail. 
 
 " 'Miss Love, will you kindly inform me who but 
 man by his feigned love and egotistical promises 
 places woman in the ungodly ranks that are so un- 
 savory to society which relegates them to the strictly 
 located quarters of the "white slave" in the domains 
 of the cities while he boldly strides as being the 
 beguiled one, enticed by the woman's sweet smiles, 
 seductive eyes and alluring ways, and whom he se- 
 cretly continues to visit as the one being on earth 
 to him, but has not manhood enough to redeem 
 from the haunts of unsanctified virtue. 
 
 " 'Miss Love," she continued, 'it is this unrighte- 
 ousness which is uprooting the sanctity of our 
 homes, blasting its happiness by divorces and caus- 
 ing race suicide.' 
 
 78 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "That virtuous wife feared disgrace because of 
 her husband's perfidy. That vagrant woman had 
 not entered their home, was it justice to his wife 
 that he should permit himself to be waylayed or 
 seek companionship with the profligate woman, or 
 might we call her, affinity, who well understood his 
 frailty usually ascribed as only belonging to the 
 gentler sex that of undignified disregard of his 
 manhood's honor. 
 
 " 'Ah, Miss Love, it is but the proving of his 
 overrated strength of character, while the integrity 
 of his manly courage has fallen to the unit limit, 
 yes, and below par, and his name is registered on 
 the great book of life under the head of guilty 
 shame. 
 
 " 'Then, again, Miss Love, why is it that the 
 man of millions may put away his wife who had 
 been his helpmate and lead a pure and stainless 
 life from below the first rung of the ladder to 
 marry some beautiful, accomplished young girl, 
 possibly one that is far above the average with 
 gifted professional qualities and ambitious aspira- 
 tions, whom he seeks as his affinity, as having sup- 
 planted the wife of his youth and mother of his 
 childern, who, by his own immoral acts, cannot 
 arise and call him blessed father, but fill the air 
 with curses of the day they were born of his blood, 
 to brand them thus with marks contrary to the di- 
 vine law?' 
 
 79 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 " 'My lady, do you imagine the girl can love him 
 as her husband?' I asked. 
 
 " 'You ask me that question, Miss Love? Why 
 she was lured by the marvelous gorgeousness of 
 the wealth he promised to lay at her feet when 
 she should have become an old man's darling. Win- 
 ter frosts and spring flowers are not kindred. After 
 she has gained his riches there is no congeniality 
 and the affection she bestows no matter how else 
 she may strive is sphinx-like, while in her heart 
 she truly despises him as he lavishly dispenses his 
 gold for her every desire and worships at her shrine 
 as that of a goddess, calling her 'my beautiful angel 
 love/ Love, why he had none to give. He had out- 
 grown it! Love belonged to his youth, pride now 
 being his ruling passion, which might have been 
 bestowed on an enchantingly beautiful Arabian 
 steed. 
 
 " 'Ah, Miss Love, it is gross pride and self-esteem 
 which he lays on the altar of the young, inexperi- 
 enced girl's life. Even affection's garb could not be 
 there, as he was bereft of that quality when he gave 
 up his children, and when he untied the knot which 
 bound him to the bride of his youth, love forsook 
 him. 
 
 " 'Oh, Love, Love, Love ! My politician husband 
 wanted not that/ in agony my lady cried, as she 
 paced the floor and wrung her hands. 'He seemed 
 superior to all other men and was vehemently ardent 
 in his wooing. 
 
 so 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 " 'I deemed him most worthy, but found him a 
 sham. He pierced my heart with a poisoned arrow 
 from Cupid's bow, which I trusted as being time- 
 honored. 
 
 " 'After he had taken the marriage vows and left 
 the sacred edifice, his abruptness was made most 
 manifest as we entered the auto to bear us to our 
 reception, which caused a chill to run through my 
 heart where his warmest love had been paramount. 
 
 " 'But you know all, Miss Love. And now I am 
 to become the mother of his child. It is revolting 
 to my very being and my soul seems incarcerated. 
 I scorned to seek a divorce, for it is vile. Oh, I had 
 longed for a child of love, but this, my child and 
 his, can be but a demon. Why, yes, it will be ; for 
 this is Hades !' she shouted in a delirium of rage. 
 
 "Shocked beyond endurance, I made my exit, and 
 I scarcely believe she knew when I left the room, as 
 I could hear her still wailing and talking as I re- 
 treated to the door, nor do I think she was con- 
 scious all through her conversation that she had a 
 listener, for the words came as though oft repeated. 
 
 "Sorrowfully I returned home and sought sister 
 Faith, and repeated the result of my mission. She 
 was deeply affected over it, and said : 
 
 " 'I pity the politician's wife. She has been stung 
 to the very depths of her soul, which has stupefied or 
 rather stultified her better nature. The politician 
 would have won my compassion had he have been 
 the duped, but she alone now is the object of my 
 
 81 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 commiseration. If tire dear little life which is in- 
 spired by her has no occult power to lead her back 
 to noble womanhood, I fear there is nothing can 
 rescue her from the doom of contrition, while yet 
 the sin was not hers/ 
 
 "I asked Faith who ought to be condemned for 
 this state of affairs. Her answer was : 'My judg- 
 ment has no real substance, value or importance and 
 is destitute of force or efficiency, but, whosoever be 
 the wronged person, there is One who is All Pow- 
 erful that will deal full justice to the malefactor 
 if not now, in time to come/ 
 
 "I also asked Faith, as I could not apprehend it, 
 why my lady should have such contempt for the 
 beautiful and sanctified as well as blessed mother- 
 hood, and she answered : 
 
 " 'Why, sister Love, she the wife does not 
 understand, or perhaps will not, that in tradition 
 maternity is the culmination which places her on the 
 highest pinnacle of glory and power. Woman's 
 dominion is not simply to be a companion and help- 
 mate of man. Hers is a greater mission. It is the 
 governing power which dominates every station in 
 life and has sovereignly over all mankind, be it for 
 good or evil. To her belongs that paternal and pre- 
 natal potency which rules the character and condi- 
 tion of the life that has been given to her care to 
 foster, which consists not only with the providing of 
 food but nourishment to the mind with Divine grace 
 which means belonging to or proceeding from 
 
 82 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 God that shall rule the disposition and guide its 
 future destiny. 
 
 " 'Who has been more exalted than "Mary," the 
 mother of the Best Man that ever was born, and 
 who led the most devotional life to His Father in 
 heaven, while yet the humblest, as His dwelling 
 place was among the lowly? Although impover- 
 ished in raiment, His intellectual faculties which 
 were always Divinely Spiritual, pure and holy 
 were the nucleus which has mobilized the momentum 
 of man into chosen ways designated as civilization. 
 Yet this was not the extent of His magnitude of 
 greatness, for He excelled in distinguishing it when 
 He suffered the martyrdom death, that the proud 
 sinner might be saved by redemption.' 
 
 ''And, I said, 'There are many people, Faith, who 
 doubt the divinity of that good and Holy Man, 
 Christ.' 
 
 ' 'Be that as it may, Love,' she answered, 'none 
 can gainsay that He has not been the Savior that 
 during His life on earth gave and instituted the 
 nucleus of religious faith to reclaim the world from 
 wickedness, and His spirit still exists with increas- 
 ing expansion. 
 
 " 'And Mary, His mother, even though Her throes 
 were in a stable and attended by those of lowly birth, 
 prenatally imbued Him with her modesty, humility 
 and life of deep devotion and meek consecration and 
 reverence for the Great Father who had been His 
 transmitter. 
 
 83 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 " 'Notwithstanding this, dear sister Love/ Faith 
 continued, 'the tendency of the old barbaric exhibi- 
 tions of cruelty remains in many constitutional dis- 
 positions that have not accepted the instructions of 
 that Good Man, as demonstrated by the politician 
 and his wife/ " 
 
 "Well, Love," interrupted Joy, "I do not wonder 
 that you were filled with consterntion and sorrow." 
 
 "Assuredly it was indeed grievous to me," an- 
 swered Love, ''and as Faith had thought best to 
 continue her search and go to New York, I could 
 not content myself without making another effort 
 to reinstate love in my lady's household, but con- 
 cluded to let time make its softening influence with 
 the mother-love for her little one and the politician 
 cling to his child with a fatherly affection which 
 might reinstate Cupid in the family circle. There- 
 fore, three years had transpired before I again be- 
 took myself to their domicile. 
 
 "As before, I asked the maid to give my name to 
 her mistress. 
 
 " 'My mistress is out/ she replied. 
 
 " 'Then can I see the little boy?' 
 
 " 'Why, no. He is at the children's hospital. He 
 was suffering from bronchitis, so the nurse took him 
 there/ she said. 
 
 " 'Children's hospital ?' I exclaimed in astonish- 
 ment, 'then probably my lady, or rather his mother, 
 is with him ?' 
 
 84 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 ' 'Indeed, she is not/ quickly rejoined the maid. 
 'Madam scarcely ever sees the child, and lets nurse 
 have entire care and attention of him/ 
 
 "Oh, girls, my heart was sad, my love dormant 
 and my good intentions frustrated so that my speech 
 forsook me, unless it was to say something ungainly. 
 Therefore I took my leave, merely nodding a good- 
 by." 
 
 "How could a mother possibly send her little child 
 to a hospital, to be cared for by entire strangers?'* 
 asked Hope. 
 
 "It seemed unmotherly and incredible to me; 
 therefore I went to the hospital, and found it only 
 too true. Then I inquired if the father came often 
 to visit his child. 
 
 " 'Well, no,' they said, 'his office demands his 
 time. Besides, he must keep public spirit enthused, 
 that he might again be renominated, and could 
 scarcely take his rest on the pillow at night.' 
 
 "I retired from the hospital with this illustration 
 in my mind : The heart which had rebelled against 
 motherhood had not been reprieved by the little one, 
 whose soft, clinging fingers ought to have brought 
 the dew drops of love back into her heart. 
 
 "I was persistent and went again, but only saw 
 the nurse, as the child was asleep, and she fully 
 explained that the loathing which dwelt in the 
 mother's heart before the child's birth was indelibly 
 instilled into his life, therefore had no love for his 
 mother." 
 
 85 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Ah! ah! ah!" mirthfully exclaimed Joy. "I am 
 thankful that my mother instilled me with the dis- 
 position to laugh. Even when seeing crape on the 
 door knob I smile, for some sweet spirit has departed 
 through the portals of death and reached the realms 
 where there is no jar, but all are singing happily 
 sweet anthems of praise. 
 
 "My father often said, 'We named you Joy and 
 knew that you would be an illustration of your name, 
 for your mother was a living example of constant, 
 merry happiness, and not a cloud of inharmonious 
 ill-nature overshadowed her pathway.' ' : 
 
 "Then your father, too, must have been a most 
 dutiful husband, for the reflection of his own con- 
 genial spirit was mirrored in the soul of your 
 mother, who transferred it to you," said Love. 
 "And, sister Hope, we will go now, as the turnkey 
 is ready to close for the evening." 
 
 "Well, dear Love, you can tell us the sequel to- 
 morrow. I have been much interested and sym- 
 pathetic that the time has passed very rapidly," said 
 Hope. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 On the morrow, when Love and Joy had returned 
 to the prison, they found Hope in readiness to re- 
 ceive them, looking as brightly cheerful as though 
 waiting in the grated cell to accept a munificent 
 recompense, instead of a trial for the inhuman act of 
 killing a human being. 
 
 86 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 She greeted them gayly, saying: "I am anxious 
 to hear the remainder of the details of the politician's 
 family, if Love is not too wearied in mind and 
 body.'" 
 
 "No, sister, Love is not so easily jaded, else she 
 would have collapsed entirely when the circum- 
 stances were so trying/' answered Love, "and I 
 never went to see them again. 
 
 "But they were so widely known I frequently 
 heard of their numerous dissensions, also of the 
 great popularity of the politician, whose society was 
 sought at innumerable functions, as facilitating the 
 advancement of the general political schemes which 
 influenced their party, which was considered con- 
 ducive to the business traffic of the country. 
 
 "But this was principally among men and his wife 
 had no part in it, consequently was left to her own 
 resources. He was too much interested in his pur- 
 suit for predominance and gain to know of her re- 
 sorts or companions had he been so inclined or to 
 concern himself about his invalid child. 
 
 "He had never recovered from the vexation of not 
 being able to freely handle his wife's money, and 
 the income from it was not adequate for his desires, 
 neither was his office and position lucrative enough 
 for his expenditures, which were prodigal. 
 
 "His wife marveled as time rolled on where her 
 husband received the wherewithal to meet his very 
 extravagant disbursements, which certainly involved 
 many thousands of dollars more than his income. 
 
 87 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "The people had not interested themselves in the 
 matter, knowing the extreme wealth of his wife, and, 
 as being their leader, were unanimously conservative 
 constituents to his party, giving no thought as to the 
 consequences. 
 
 "But she his wife knew that eventually the 
 climax would be reached, and, had she been so dis- 
 posed, it would have been impossible for her to give 
 him financial means to aid him to elucidate his enor- 
 mous disbursements and relieve his embarrassment, 
 for her father, by his usual sagacity, had prepared 
 for this precipitous state of affairs as if by premoni- 
 tion, thus placing her in charge only of the income. 
 
 "She had confided to a friend : 'Had not my hus- 
 band torn from my heart every branch, root and 
 trace of love, I would willingly have shared a de 
 ficiency of resources with him, even to the last slice 
 of bread. 
 
 " 'But now I am like unto the grand old oak tree 
 that thrived luxuriantly, extending its branches to 
 protect the delicate little violet and its surrounding 
 verdure from the 'scorching rays of the zenith sun 
 with a most affectionate nature, then dropping its 
 foliage to still further succor the little blossom by 
 screening its roots from the wintry blast. Then a 
 fire raged through and consumed th'e munificent 
 offering, penetrating even to the root of the tree, 
 where it continued to burn until it reached the trunk 
 of that forest queen, nor did the conflagration cease 
 until the heart of the tree had been devoured. 
 
 88 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Nevertheless, it still stood majestically among 
 its kind, yearly resuming its verdant adornment 
 without kaving had its brilliant hue effaced; yet 
 when the great vitality that had been sustained by 
 the sap issuing from the porous heart's center, 
 which had sent it seeping through its immense ma- 
 terial substance even into the smallest twig, had 
 been robbed of its succulence by the drying qualities 
 of the air being inhaled through the heart's passage, 
 its doom became apparent and in time resulted in 
 the withering of that staunch royalty of the forest. 
 
 *' 'But not as that queen will I languish and pass 
 away, for I still have the fire of mistaken will-o'-the- 
 wisp love burning within me, which breeds ven- 
 geance/ 
 
 "Quietly she kept in touch with the unrestrained 
 lavishness of her husband's daily consuming of 
 finances, and was sure that disaster could not be far 
 distant. 
 
 "Believing the time had arrived to seek revenge, 
 she placed detectives to puzzle over the questionable 
 outlay. Very cautiously they began proceedings. 
 The politician had become less prudent in his 
 manipulations, as there had been no interrogations. 
 Then, being more confident, he boldly plunged into 
 the wildest speculations, consequently the sleuths 
 had an open field and soon uncovered the fact that 
 he had been guilty of gross malfeasance of office, 
 which without doubt would land him in the State 
 
 89 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 prison, where he would be entertained as a guest at 
 Uncle Sam's functions. 
 
 "The populace that had doted upon him were 
 highly enraged, and urged that every wheel of the 
 law be put in motion to settle him with as much 
 speed as possible in the government's very secluded 
 and exclusive hostelry as none can become resi- 
 dents without the saction of the highest tribunals 
 of the country. 
 
 "But this was not the building for which the 
 politician had craved and aspired. The White 
 House had been his goal, but when he had appro- 
 priated his wife's money and gallingly upbraided her, 
 he had soldered the first link so that the hinges of 
 that building would be consumed by rust without 
 having responded to his opening touch, thus show- 
 ing that his conscience had been captured by his 
 transgressions." 
 
 4 'How shocking." said Hope, but Joy, who was 
 more interested as to the future of the wife, asked : 
 
 "What became of his wife?" 
 
 "Well," said Love, "his wife was not idle, yet she 
 did not indulge in dissolute way or disreputable com- 
 panionship. In her youth she had been reared in a 
 plain manner and nurtured with extreme care and 
 simple fashions, utterly regardless of the ostenta- 
 tions usually the result of wealth. 
 
 "Her father began life as a shepherd and had ex- 
 ercised humane, watchful attention to his flock, often 
 feeding the delicate little lambs warm milk and 
 
 90 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 cuddling them in a cozy corner by his own chimney 
 fire. 
 
 "This compassionate disposition evinced the noble- 
 ness of his character, which followed him through 
 life. He invested his earnings in lands of the 
 Western States, and by the time he was twenty-fivt 
 years of age he had accumulated many acreages, 
 which rapidly increased to thousands. 
 
 "At that age he married a modest village maiden, 
 who had received her education at the academy of 
 her native town. He sold homesteads to the influx 
 of settlers. Railroads diversified his land, inter- 
 spersing great cities and towns here and there. 
 Wealth rolled in, filling his chests overflowing with 
 wealth until it was reckoned by the millions, the fact 
 of which he really was at a loss to know the number. 
 Their little daughter had never known the life of 
 dissentient discord. Discontent could not exist in 
 their affectionate and harmonious lives. Conse- 
 quently the deluding marriage, which dethroned the 
 happy young girl of her idolatrous love, quite un- 
 hinged her mind, turning her into a maniac demon, 
 which, with the aid of her companion, Hate, eradi- 
 cated every atom of affection that might have re- 
 mained and lived only to underplot a retaliating 
 revenge. 
 
 "Her parents were grief-stricken at her insane 
 tact. They begged for the custody of the feeble 
 little child, that it might not be wielded to the entire 
 care of strangers, but with her mania for the pur- 
 
 91 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 suance of aversion to the delicate boy, their persua- 
 sion and advice was at variance. Yet they secretly 
 gave it their watchful care, for well they knew their 
 little grandchild could never grow up to years of 
 discretion." 
 
 "Is it still living?" asked Hope. 
 
 "No," said Love, "while the father's case was be- 
 ing tried it died and was quietly buried, which acted 
 more as an emolient to my lady's overburdened mind 
 and feelings than anything else had done. 
 
 "The hard and determinedly vicious look forsook 
 her face and softened considerably into the charm of 
 her girlhood. The distraught and wild passion 
 which had distorted her sweet nature subsided into 
 subdued and passive melancholy, which was per- 
 plexing to her parents. 
 
 "The courts had granted her a decree of divorce, 
 she not having to appear, as her husband was a 
 convicted felon and awaiting some technical decision 
 before being established in his permanent head- 
 quarters. 
 
 "Her mother became her constant attendant, thus 
 depriving my lady of the odious company of Hate. 
 And, thinking to arouse her from her dejected and 
 lethargic state, her parents opened their doors to 
 conventional society as they never had done before, 
 and it was not long before they noted a change in 
 her demeanor, but were much grieved as she slowly 
 recuperated that she still retained the ambitious 
 spirit of revenge which had seemed cancelled. 
 
 92 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Cold-bloodedly and without mirth she entered 
 into the scenes of the most strenuous gayeties. Be- 
 ing a daughter of wealth, her hand was frequently 
 sought in marriage, to which her only answer was a 
 scornful laugh of derision. And if they accom- 
 panied their suit with a declaration of love, her 
 sarcasm knew no limit of language. 
 
 "At last a prince came a- wooing. Together they 
 attended the seclusive amusements which the leaders 
 of the 400 provided for them and were the cynosure 
 of all eyes. 
 
 "To obtain material to satisfy her vengeful spirit 
 she had resorted to coquetry and conquest, but first 
 she had used every endeavor to regain, by healthful, 
 open-air, disciplining exercise, the sprightly, elastic 
 step and robust constitution of former years, and it 
 came, bringing a roseate hue to her complexion and 
 a frolicsome brilliancy to the eyes, which now were 
 only lacking the soulful look, which was replaced by 
 contempt. 
 
 "The problem of marriage she had obliterated en- 
 tirely from her mode of procedure, but when the 
 prince came and candidly confessed that it was not 
 love he sought but wanted a princess who was pos- 
 sessed of great wealth to restore his depleted castles 
 to their former splendor and wonted glory, she 
 was nonplused. 
 
 "His undisguised, rare and remarkable candor 
 won her as nothing else could, and with fairness 
 related her own life to him. And he expressed his 
 
 93 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 sympathy by asking her hand in marriage, saying 
 that, although wealth was his objective point, her 
 radiant beauty had captured his sensibilities and only 
 lacked her consent to pay her homage as his princess. 
 
 ''She had considered herself as adamant, but 
 with softened tones she referred him to her father, 
 but with a caution to say that love had no part in 
 the matter of marirage. 
 
 "It had not been her father's ambition to have 
 royal honors bestowed upon his daughter and only 
 child, but the sad consequences of her former mar- 
 riage made him more passive, and, in consultation, 
 coincided with her mother's views, which might 
 prove to be a blessing after all, for she (their 
 daughter) would be surrounded by environments 
 which would be an entire change. 
 
 "My lady made one request. The wedding 
 should not be celebrated on an elaborate scale, but 
 quiet and simple. 
 
 Thus it was that on the very day her politician 
 husband was incarcerated in his penitentiary home 
 and donned his apparel of stripes for penal servitude, 
 she was robed in wedding garments and became a 
 princess." 
 
 Hope said : "What a terrible termination of what 
 should or ought to have been the most loving and 
 conjugal happiness." 
 
 Joy, with spirit, said: "Surely she considered her 
 revenge complete. But I cannot see where happiness 
 is triumphant when she has really married for a title, 
 
 94 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 just to have the high-sounding word of princess pre- 
 fixed to her name." 
 
 "Yes," said Love, "I cannot account for it, but it 
 does seem strange that our beautiful and prosperous 
 'America, the land of the free,' has become so popu- 
 lar as an incubator brooded by her fabulous wealth 
 for turning out her young, lovely and talented 
 daughters, whose only requisite is the laurel crown 
 to make them regal, to again resume the weighty 
 ones worn by titled monarchs from which our fore- 
 fathers gallantly fought and bled, and the slain con- 
 signed to early graves to absolve them from." 
 
 Hope, with luminous features, said : "But, my 
 dear ones, while absorbed gravely in this matter, do 
 not forget that there is a more superior one than 
 any mentioned which is the crown of righteousness 
 that adorns the God-head, the splendor of which can- 
 not be surpassed. 
 
 "It is embellished with stones, which represent 
 every good and worthy act performed on the jour- 
 ney of life, and duplicated to us when the approval 
 of our past record shall have been established. We 
 can wear it in our old age to our honor and will 
 grace us as we lie down to rest in the sleep of 
 death." 
 
 With tears in her eyes, Love said : "Truly, truly, 
 sister Hope, that must be the coronet which has sus- 
 tained you through your unfortunate tribulations. 
 Oh, if my lady could have been gifted with such a 
 diadem she might not have experienced such deep 
 
 95 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 grief nor have had it arrested from her by the 
 machinations which originate from Satan. Never- 
 theless, her trials were as nothing compared with 
 yours, therefore the approval from on high must 
 have been found wanting that she did not gain that 
 glorious crown." 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 The conversation of the previous day had left a 
 deep impression in the mind of Miss Joy, and the 
 following morning, when she joined "the sisters at 
 the jail, she asked : 
 
 "Do you believe, Hope, that it is man's nature to 
 transgress the laws of God?" 
 
 "Sister Faith and I have discussed that question, 
 Joy, and decided that they were created divinely 
 pure," said Hope, "but as a matter of fact a terrible 
 blight may have been impressed on their dispositions 
 as a result of prenatal ignorance thus shaping vari- 
 ous forms of character. Improper training in child- 
 hood, which warps the mind, thus making it an easy 
 prey to adopt the unfit laws which have reversed the 
 old Golden Rule, 'Do unto others as you would that 
 they should do unto you,' too, may have its evil 
 effects." 
 
 "It is no wonder," said Love, "that my poor little 
 Cupid, who is the god of love and the quintessence 
 of that rule and dominant spirit of true earthly hap- 
 piness, cannot be the hero and occupy the highest 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 seat royally in humanity's realm, environed by the 
 staunch devotees of true worth, instead of revolting, 
 deceptive and fawning love in all its misleading 
 forms which are the insignia that leads the soul into 
 corruption or Hades." 
 
 "But I cannot understand/' said Joy, "why should 
 they suffer the pangs of that place as though brim- 
 stone fire was burning their souls as did my lady 
 while in this life. It is possible that they may have 
 escaped punishment entirely, but the scourge will be 
 doubly great should they also suffer the everlasting 
 condemnation beyond the grave." 
 
 "It is my belief, my sweet Joy," said Hope, "that 
 it is not the wisdom of God that punishment should 
 be duly meted out. In His great love and generosity 
 man was created after His own image, but giving 
 unto him a will to exercise his own pleasure, with 
 the expectation that he would engross the prescribed 
 ways and laws of the holy commandments. But man 
 accepted, rather, a tumultuous life, filled with un- 
 restrained behavior, thus creating not the love of 
 God for His benefactions but originating his own 
 volition of downfall by making laws which are pol- 
 luting to the ancestral race. 
 
 "Especially will I speak of the law-sanctioned 
 allowance of sensual, seductive virtue, which is per- 
 mitted to run riot seditiously at will, leaving its virus 
 to be inoculated in the future destiny of what 
 should be our enlightened race. 
 
 97 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "The enumeration of the established usages of 
 false doctrine would be interminable. But, girls, 
 there is one that is particularly heinous and revolt- 
 ing. Nothing could be more defamatory than that 
 men should luxuriously live and prosper by the 
 profits derived from the white slave. 
 
 "There are legions of these demons of Hades, and 
 they gather myriads of our gallant men and youths 
 and initiate them to their doom among the gilded 
 satellites of Satan. Why, in barbarism such licen- 
 tiousness is not tolerated. Often the female is stoned 
 or put to death, while their brave is boycotted or 
 meets a like fate; which destiny, surely, can be no 
 worse than is our capital punishment which is 
 murder coolly sanctioned or our war, that is 
 wholesale slaughter.'' 
 
 "My dear sister Hope," cautioned Joy, "do not 
 let your mind dwell on this subject, lest you lose 
 hope. 'And the hope of the righteous shall be glad- 
 ness, but the expectations of the wicked shall per- 
 ish/ " 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 When Attorney Goodman had solicited her con- 
 fidence, he said: "Miss Hope, you may talk to no 
 one but me, but I want and must have your full 
 confession." 
 
 She had answered, "Well, attorney, it is not 
 necessary, as I rescued the 'sacred money' and 
 brought it back safely." 
 
 98 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "But Miss Hope," he asserted, "the community is 
 ready to vouch for your distinguishing qualities, 
 estimate of character, reputation and habitual 
 veracity prior to the tragic event of the Bishop's 
 death, but not for this strange version, which has 
 the appearance of random. It would be inexplicable 
 and have no weight with the jury, and I do not 
 wish to discourage you, but deem it best that you 
 should understand that I fear the worst. 
 
 "I believe if you still remain obdurate that my 
 only alternative will be to place you in the witness- 
 chair, which truly is a very unusual course. By that 
 method we could reveal the truth or determine your 
 sanity, but even then I am afraid the result will be 
 hazardous." 
 
 Hope, smiling tranquilly, replied: "Thank you, 
 Attorney Goodman. My only anguish is that you 
 are worried unnecessarily, therefore I will comply 
 to your request to the degree requisite. My vindica- 
 tion rests with the court of heaven, the decision of 
 which is always with the Holy of Holies. I have no 
 reverential awe, for it is the guilty that have painful 
 emotions excited by the expectation of evil." 
 
 It is needless to say that Attorney Goodman con- 
 scientiously believed her insane. When he had re- 
 ceived the telephone message from Miss Joy to re- 
 pair to the jail to confer with Miss Hope, he had 
 expected to find her in tears and spiritless, therefore 
 stood in amazement when she wore not gloom, which 
 is the cloud from where the tear drops issue, but 
 
 99 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 greeted him cheerfully, while her face was encircled 
 by the radiant grandeur of a smile, which was the 
 emblem bow of promise for celestial honors. 
 
 Attorney Goodman, being a Christian man who 
 practiced the precepts which he frequently an- 
 nounced as being the foundation of fair dealing with 
 others and guidance to success in special need, was 
 heartily sympathetic with this extraordinary here 
 he was at a loss what word to use, as he could not 
 satisfy his mind to call it tact not yet diplomacy, but 
 might he analyze it as angelic? no that would not 
 do, for angels do not rob or murder. Criminal oh, 
 not that either, for who could look at her, so full 
 of trustful hope beautiful, luminous hope and be- 
 lieve it? Yes, I have it now dementia which de- 
 notes loss of mental power. Therefore, he bowed 
 his head for a moment and communed to the In- 
 visible, All-Powerful Judge to vouchsafe His aid in 
 liberating this seemingly spiritual young lady and 
 make it manifest that she had no complicity or 
 understanding in the deed of murdering the holy 
 Bishop. 
 
 As he lifted his head with a glance at Hope, he 
 thought "How can she with that look of adoration 
 be classed as being the criminal ? And it is only He 
 the Almightly God that can overthrow the pre- 
 ponderence of evidence against her. 
 
 "But how?" was the question which continually 
 invaded his mind long after he had written down at 
 her diction an almost incredible statement as to 
 100 
 
THE LUMP OE GOLD 
 
 the robber chieftain giving her the money and the 
 directions where to find him, which said to follow 
 one of the many cattle trails beyond the city to the 
 extreme limit, which he considered a hallucination. 
 
 He placed a copy of his statement in the hands 
 of his own special detective, instructing him to use 
 his utmost ability to find the rendezvous of the rob- 
 bers' chieftain, which would do much to render 
 her guiltless. 
 
 "But a jury would ask point blank "why she 
 had been there?" said the special attorney, and 
 said he, "At any rate, capture the robber chieftain 
 if possible at all hazards, which the populace 
 believes to be a myth." 
 
 "Huh, sir, I will do my best," said the detec- 
 tive, as he hastened to depart. Explicitly following 
 the written directions, he went up this street and 
 down that, through intricate alleys and by-streets, 
 until he reached what might have been an obscure 
 part of the city. 
 
 "Huh! Surely these instructions seem intention- 
 ally misleading, but the young madamoiselle shall 
 not abash me." 
 
 Reaching the extreme suburbs, which reflected 
 poverty, nevertheless, had never been known as be- 
 ing lawless, the scattering shacks had more the ap- 
 pearance of being sleeping places after the day's 
 labor was completed rather than abiding homes. 
 
 He continued to the limits, where he was at a 
 loss to designate the trail mentioned, but choosing 
 101 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 the one most frequented he ventured on, presum- 
 ing that stock from the dairymen's stalls had trav- 
 ersed it, for soon it diverged into various ways 
 among the picturesque little hills abounding. He 
 followed several until they became only faint out- 
 lines, each time having to retrace his footsteps. 
 Good naturedly, he said : "Huh ! These byways 
 were made by the domesticated cows honestly 
 searching for food whereby they may serve lacteous 
 fluid to the city's inhabitants. 
 
 "Well, here is one more," and he kept in its 
 course, when suddenly he was aware that it came 
 to an abrupt terminal at the edge of a deep water- 
 washed gully. 
 
 "Huh ! I won't be abashed," said he. "I'll look 
 at the writing: 'Follow the cattle trails beyond 
 the city to the extreme limit/ " he read aloud. 
 "Huh," said he, "haven't I followed them all, and 
 they migrated into nothing, excepting this one, 
 which has turned out to be a buncoe. Huh ! and 
 that is what Miss Hope has clone buncoed Attor- 
 ney Goodman." 
 
 Filled with disappointment, he inferred that his 
 quest was at an end and with chagrin said : "Huh ! 
 Jehu, the pesky robbers made an exit somewhere, 
 and I'll be blamed if I go back and not accomplish 
 my purpose. Huh! I'll just rack my brain a little 
 more over this difficult situation. Huh! That 
 ditch is pretty deep. Huh ! Jehu ! If this trail 
 don't keep right on down the side in sort of an 
 102 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 incline fashion to the very bottom unless my eyes 
 are deceiving me." 
 
 "Jehu! Huh! I'll take a run down the track 
 and see where it leads. There is no grass there, so 
 the cattle did not make it, that is certain. Huh! 
 But I am in for it now and will follow to the ex- 
 treme limit, and sure as I live more than one has 
 trampled here, and many times, too. Huh! And 
 her little feet could not have made such a showing, 
 and the tracks still keep .-square down the old 
 water run. 
 
 "Huh! What does it mean? Well, Jehu, my 
 curiosity is ahead of me now, and I hope the end 
 will not be bitter." 
 
 On and on he went, perhaps for miles,, and 
 worn with fatigue he felt that he must give up. 
 Still, the singularity of this trail urged him on, but 
 ahead he saw a hill that turned the course, which 
 he felt that he must inspect, for it might reveal 
 a clue to what he sought. 
 
 "It is queer Miss Hope did not definitely describe 
 this unusual and delusive trail if she passed over 
 it," he murmured, as he sat down to rest and par- 
 took bountifully of his abundant supply of re- 
 freshments. 
 
 "Huh ! Jehu ! Heh !" he exclaimed as he arose. 
 "This nourishment to my body gives added strength 
 and increased vigor so that I now can explore this 
 ditch to the end. It must have been one of Nature's 
 freaks, for it shows that, perhaps for ages, the 
 103 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 storms have sent a generous supply of water 
 coursing its way through this, which at first must 
 have been a very small crevice." 
 
 Nothing daunted, he resumed his journey. "After 
 I reach the hill," he reflected, "if nothing more of 
 consequence comes to view, I will retrace my steps, 
 that I may arrive at Attorney Goodman's office be- 
 fore night comes on. But, huh! Jehu! I cannot 
 understand this much trodden trail, and the chan- 
 nel here is widening as it turns to the left. Huh! 
 I must go ahead and see if there is anything very 
 confounding at the terminus of this wonderful old 
 gully. 
 
 "Huh ! Jehu ! I can understand the gully, but 
 not this astonishing trail. Huh! I see now! It 
 empties in that gulch at the intersection of those 
 two hills, one of which this depth had excluded 
 from my view. 
 
 "Jehu ! Huh ! I cannot return now, for the foot- 
 pads continue through this gulch, so there must be 
 some kind of a Jehu of a junket in these quarters 
 somewhere, and if Miss Hope had the audacity to 
 ransack such a thoroughfare as this she had a reason 
 for doing so, and I am going to investigate it to 
 the very core. Huh ! Jehu ! I am, you know." 
 
 He had walked briskly as his absorbed mind ex- 
 pressed itself with interspersed ejaculations, and 
 soon he was rewarded by a change of scene as he 
 passed from between the two hills. 
 104 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Huh ! Jehu ! Huh ! If this course had not 
 have made a complete turn it would have swamped 
 that pretty little knoll over there, you may call me 
 by some other name besides Detective Jere Davis, 
 so help me Jehu. 
 
 "Je-mima ! Huh ! This trail leaves this particu- 
 lar gulch and begins to climb up toward that knoll, 
 so I will out of this, too ! Well, Jehu ! Huh ! I 
 wonder who is distraught now?" he exclaimed as 
 he stooped down and picked up a lady's slipper at 
 the top where the trail made its exit from the deep 
 gulch. "Could it be that Miss Hope had lost it? 
 
 "Yes ! Jehu ! Huh ! I remember now that the 
 special policeman mentioned that she wore a mis- 
 mated slipper on her return. Some way, I am 
 sorry I found it. But, huh ! Jehu ! I can't stop 
 now to think or inquire into the whys and where- 
 fores of it, now that I have a decided clue. 
 
 "But je-mima! Huh! Jehu! What do I per- 
 ceive there, on the very top of that knoll? A cot- 
 tage, as I live ! Jehu ! Huh ! With in a fine clus- 
 ter of shade trees, too? 
 
 "I will precisely ascend ; perhaps a still greater 
 surprise awaits me. Huh! 
 
 "Huh ! Je-mima ! Jehu ! It is a little, old-fash- 
 ioned cottage almost hidden from view by the un- 
 restrained luxurious growth of shrubbery which 
 quite envelops it. Huh! If tenanted, it shows 
 they must have been mighty shiftless. Huh ! Jehu ! 
 105 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Originally it was painted white with green win- 
 dow blinds. And here is a dilapidated, quaint old 
 picket fence, which looks as though it would 
 tumble down at the least provocation. Huh ! 
 
 "Jehu ! This gate swings all right. It has one 
 good hinge, but the other has been substituted by 
 a piece of leather of recent application, as the nails 
 are yet bright and not rusty. Huh !" 
 
 Every thought of weariness had vanished at this 
 discovery, and with agility he proceeded to look 
 over the premises. Passing up the walk he noticed 
 that the grass was worn by late date footsteps. 
 Arriving at the door he raised the voluminous old 
 knocker and as it fell the sound echoed loudly in 
 clanging tones, reverberating the accents from un- 
 hung walls, drapeless windows and uncovered 
 floors. 
 
 Patiently he listened for approaching footsteps, 
 but at the sound of none he again gave the knocker 
 a more forceful strike, saying: 
 
 "Huh! That ought to fetch them if near, or 
 awaken if sleeping. This must be the place where 
 the robbers roosted, and they do their work at 
 night and close their eyes by day. Huh ! 
 
 "But, huh ! Jehu ! They must have flitted when 
 they sent her back with that money and warned her 
 not to tell. Huh !" 
 
 Meditating thus, he turned to survey the sur- 
 roundings, which increased his enthusiasm as his 
 eyes took in the remarkable little landscape. There 
 106 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 were two or three acres of most fertile and tillable 
 soil with a brook gliding through the plot while it 
 coquettishly trickled a goo-goo, gurgling sound as 
 it briskly wended its way toward the beautiful hills 
 and stealthily crept at the base between the two 
 higher ones. 
 
 "Huh ! Jehu ! A prettier little nook could not 
 be found/' he exclaimed, as he tried the door, which 
 responded to his touch. 
 
 "Huh! The key is in the lock on the inside, 
 showing a hasty retreat by the residers, or possibly 
 carelessness, or expecting a speedy return, which 
 they have failed to do. Huh ! 
 
 "Well, jehu! Huh! At any rate, I will press 
 my investigations and in the meantime keep a 
 sharp lookout for any liable intruder that might be 
 lurking around while I reconnoiter." 
 
 Sauntering through a small hall and into the 
 other rooms, he said: "Huh! Four rooms and 
 a hall. It has been a nice little cottage, all right. 
 Huh ! Here is a door. I suppose, another bed- 
 room, and Huh! Jehu ! If I do not find more in 
 this one than the trampings of dirty feet, and where 
 mice have held their revelrous fandangoes there will 
 not be much to let my language flow over. 
 
 "Well, je-mima ! Jehu ! It is not often one finds 
 a pile of clean, bright straw heaped up as though 
 for a bed, easily throwing blankets over for cover- 
 ings. 
 
 107 
 
THE LUMP OK GOLD 
 
 "Huh! And this looks like housekeeping, with 
 this old barrel turned upside down, with a news- 
 paper for a table cloth and a rickety old chair be- 
 side it. Huh ! Jehu ! They had things to eat, 
 too, for here are the remnants of a delicate and 
 appetizing lunch. Sardines, quail on toast, and 
 cocoa, which must be stale, having stood in that 
 tin cup so long. Huh! Not a bad meal, though, 
 and denotes being prepared for a lady of refinement, 
 as a masculine would have gulped it all down at 
 a morsel, and not nibbled and sipped at it in that 
 dainty fashion. Huh! 
 
 "Well ! Jehu ! Huh ! Queer things do happen 
 in this world, which look surprising and suspicious 
 as well. But, huh! I am glad there is no one 
 around to hear me say so, as I did set a mighty 
 store by that girl Miss Hope. Her conscience 
 must have pricked her, for she had not much of 
 an appetite, and I reckon her mind was absorbed in 
 inventing a plan to clear her actions. Huh ! Jehu ! 
 What is that on the straw? A hairpin, so bless 
 me ! Huh ! Je-mima ! Jehu ! A hairpin to put 
 with the slippers ! Huh ! I wonder what next ? 
 Can she really be guilty?'' he asked, as a shudder 
 passed over him. 
 
 "Huh ! Jehu ! I should heartily regret to find 
 her so, she having been such a beautiful and Chris- 
 tian young lady. 
 
 "Well, well! Huh! Jehu! Huh! One can 
 never tell what deviltry is in the heart while the 
 108 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 angel looks through the eyes, and she was a mighty 
 sweet angel, too. Huh! 
 
 "Jehu! If I am moonstruck like this my under- 
 pinning will give out, too, so I will haste away and 
 see if there is anything else. Huh ! Yes, there is," 
 he exclaimed, as he espied behind the chair a little 
 white handkerchief, and with scarlet face and 
 bulging eyes he clutched the dainty fabric and held 
 it up by the two corners with both hands. 
 
 "Huh! Jehu! Great Scott! Jemima! Here is 
 the initial "H" for Hope I wish I had not found 
 it, or any of these other articles. Huh ! I attended 
 the Bishop's church and frequently his reunions, 
 and saw her there, and always as one of the pro- 
 moters. Huh! Surely since she is guilty, I have 
 lost faith in all women. 
 
 "And Jehu! Jemima! Attorney Goodman can- 
 not save her now by proving her crazy. Huh! 
 Jehu! I am tempted to hide this in my pocket. 
 Huh ! Jehu ! What would the knowing ones say 
 if they knew that I Jere Davis, the detective of 
 felonies,whose heart should be strong had moist- 
 ened eyes as he twirled this tiny bit of linen be- 
 tween the fore finger and thumbs of his two big 
 hands. 
 
 "Huh! The jury shall not convict her with this 
 trifle. And, Jehu ! Bless me, I will make way 
 with all these other little death-dealing tell-tales, 
 too. Huh ! Well, I can eat the lunch and toss the 
 
 109 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 straw up in the corner as though it had lain there 
 for years in this dry and pure atmosphere. 
 
 "Huh ! Then, as for the barrel, that is easily 
 rolled down the slope, while the chair is sent flying 
 through that window into the old shed. Huh ! No 
 one will be the wiser and then Miss Hope will have 
 no convincing and inevitable proofs to establish 
 her guilt. 
 
 "Huh! Why, Jehu! What am I talking about? 
 Surely, too, then I would be a criminal ! Jere 
 Davis, the time-honored and always responsible em- 
 ployee of trust, become an abettor to crime ? Jehu ! 
 Huh ! No, that won't do. 
 
 "But, huh! That saintly face of Miss Hope's 
 comes in between me and my duty. Huh ! What 
 if she is innocent, and I should take these rattle- 
 traps and condemn her ? Huh ! I wonder what 
 that good and religiously wise old Bishop would 
 have advised me to do? 
 
 "He used to repeat the 14th verse of the XXXIV 
 Chapter of Psalms frequently to us as a sort of 
 maxim, he said, to guide us through life, in our 
 principles. Huh! So I will just say it over now 
 as my regulator at this very moment: 'Depart 
 from evil and do good ; seek peace and pursue it.' 
 Huh ! I am more confounded than ever. 
 
 "Huh! If I knew which road evil took, Jehu! 
 I would take the other, which would be sure to be 
 the one Miss Hope had chosen, and hunt up peace, 
 to help that young lady to pursue it. 
 110 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "But, huh! Jemima! If I ran after her with 
 these blamed, pesky little articles in my possession 
 they would appropriate them Huh ! and hang her 
 sure. Huh ! Blessed if I know what to do. 
 
 "Huh ! The good Bishop would quote more 
 scripture and abide by it. But he had the Bible 
 on the end of his tongue, but mine is too thick 
 to spit it out, even if I had it there. Huh! But 
 I will have to get at it in some manner to find out 
 what to do in this unusual case. 
 
 "Huh! Let me think. Yes, I am certain that 
 the Bishop gave us the IV chapter of Psalms, or 
 where it said : 'Offer the sacrifices of righteous- 
 ness and put your trust in the Lord/ 
 
 "Huh! Jemima! And that is JUST what I will 
 do. These little sacrifices I will turn over to Attor- 
 ney Goodman and then drop the rest to the Lord." 
 
 Thereupon, having settled the intricate question 
 satisfactorily in his mind he continued his investiga- 
 tions. Unlatching the kitchen door he stepped out 
 on a small porch and said, as he looked over the 
 banister : 
 
 "Huh ! Jehu ! Huh ! This is not quite perpen- 
 dicular, but a more abruptly oblique view of this 
 knoll than the gentle slope in front. Huh ! There 
 is a path. There are so many with such astonish- 
 ing terminals I will take a turn down this one, too. 
 Huh! Here is a fine spring. One always clashes 
 upon the unexpected without a moment's warning. 
 Jehu! Come to think of it I ought to have known 
 111 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 there was a fountain at the head to supply that 
 little brooklet with swift running water to wash 
 the feet of those t\vo modest and unassuming hills. 
 
 "Huh ! No one but the Bishop's God would have 
 thought of making this enchanting knoll into such 
 an excellent canopy to shelter the enormous reser- 
 voir which must supply that spring with its crystal 
 water." 
 
 Dreamily he sat down and gazed into the depths 
 of Nature's fluid, which had been walled with stones 
 in circular form. 
 
 "Huh! This is entrancing to watch that crysta- 
 line fluid as it comes gushing, gurgling and forcing 
 its twinkling bubbles through that small aperture 
 in the earth seeking the light of day, as though be- 
 ing tired of its restraining quarters and ambitious 
 for activity. 
 
 "Huh ! And there is no other beverage more de- 
 licious to quaff," he continued to soliloquize, as he 
 stooped and drank copiously from an old tin cup. 
 "Huh! And bestow such energy through every 
 nerve of the system. 
 
 "Huh! This is a nice, mossy rock on which to 
 recline, therefore, I will rest, as I cannot reach 
 home tonight, besides, this place has sort of a 
 charming, sanctified attraction to me. 
 
 "My calling being that of a detective plunges 
 
 me in a vortex of transgressions, filled from the 
 
 slums where exists the sluggard and indulgencies 
 
 in the most nefarious of crimes. Therefore huh ! 
 
 112 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 it seems quite like a manner of salvation to repose 
 quietly in this hallowed place. 
 
 "Huh! That pearly water issuing forth from its 
 receptacle in purity like mankind born free from 
 sin wends its way and glides over Nature's diver- 
 siform, uniting with a rill here, a brooklet there, 
 then merging into a river yonder, gathering quan- 
 tities of the most murky slime from the abominable 
 pestilential sources, becomes contaminated to the 
 highest degree. Huh! And an ample draught, as 
 I have just drank, would inflict a morbid condition 
 to the body and engender the most dangerous of 
 diseases. 
 
 "But it is not beyond redemption, for it glides 
 into the arms of a river which hurriedly rushes it 
 to its parent Ocean, who receives it in her mighty 
 motherly embrace and rocks and rolls in the trans- 
 parent, absolving and most purifying of her fluids 
 until not a vestige of its diseased state is apparent. 
 
 "Then the awe of resurrection is made manifest 
 the fleecy, filmy cloud flits from the rising atmos- 
 pheric fluid resembling the diaphanous covering of 
 a veil, and again floats off in ardent aspiration for 
 virtual valor." 
 
 Thus he sat philosophizing and communing with 
 nature until shadowy evening drew near and Luna's 
 full, beaming face appeared straining her eyes 
 eagerly to catch a peep at Old Sol, who had ungal- 
 lantly dodged behind the horizon. 
 
 "Huh! Old Sol is a foxy old gent. Huh! Per- 
 113 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 haps not more than I, for the longer I dilly-dally 
 with these trinkets which they will style corrobor- 
 ating proof will extend the time for Miss Hope to 
 face that horrible trial. 
 
 "Huh ! Jemima ! I suppose it will always re- 
 main a mystery why she left this sylvan retreat to 
 return to what she must have known to be a prison 
 cell, merrily bringing 'Uncle's Sacred Money,' with 
 not a mark of anxiety or perverse moral principle 
 on her placid angelic features. 
 
 "Huh! Jemima! Why did she not stay? Huh! 
 After all, her stay was quite lengthy, and it was 
 a miracle that she escaped or was allowed to get her 
 liberty. Huh ! Nobody but Miss Hope, with her 
 saintly ways, could have accomplished it, let alone 
 procuring that money from that dare-devil robber 
 chieftain. 
 
 "Huh ! Jehu ! I will turn in now and tomor- 
 row I will deliver all these sacrifices to Attorney 
 Goodman as I agreed. Huh ! The Bishop, in his 
 life, would have patted my shoulder, saying: 'Well 
 done, my good and faithful servant.' " 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 "So, ho! Hidalgo. Is it thus you obey the com- 
 mands of your chieftain ? Unhand thy victim !" 
 
 "I beg your pardon, my noble chief, but this 'son 
 of a gun' was on the point of wiping out my career 
 by depriving me of my vital bearings, and if I 
 114 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 loosen my grip he will put that iron of his in mo- 
 tion. Then, 'la-chunk' tumbles over Hidalgo kiss- 
 ing this confounded alkali." 
 
 "For shame! You pledged your word and that 
 implies your honor that you would not again de- 
 luge your blade with human blood. I charged you 
 that if you valued me as your chieftain not to do 
 so, and here I find you with your dagger raised. 
 Had I not arrived at this opportune moment it 
 would ere this have been driven into the heart of 
 this man who has been no enemy of thine." 
 
 "Thy censure is worthy of you, Chief Rudolph, 
 but this wretch pressed me into service." 
 
 "Nay, nay, Hidalgo. If I foresee rightly this 
 man's caravan was quietly and peacefully travers- 
 ing this 'Death Valley.' " 
 
 "I submit with alacrity, noble chief, to make my 
 assurance good of not wantonly taking the life of 
 any man, but believe me, my own apparatus was 
 in immediate danger." 
 
 "I know, I know, Hidalgo, and I trusted you, for 
 I believed that there was honor among our robber 
 band, and I classed you, not with the supposed law- 
 abiding municipal corporations that are often full 
 of corruption, with no dignity of reputation, integ- 
 rity or honorable intent." 
 
 "My worthy chief, I thank you, and I would lay 
 my life at your feet rather than betray your cred- 
 ence. Your word has been my law since the day 
 you rescued me from drowning in those black, 
 115 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 turbulent waters, at the risk of your own life, where 
 I had dashed to break the trail of my pursuers, who, 
 had they have caught me, would have thrust me 
 behind prison bars, where I would have lain lan- 
 guishing for months awaiting trial for ditching a 
 train, for which I was not the guilty party, although 
 I saw it done. The perpetrators making good their 
 escape over the precipice, I had stopped a moment 
 in case that I could render assistance, but an officer 
 tapped me, saying: 
 
 " 'Ah ! Here is the train smasher. We have 
 him corraled now.' 
 
 " 'Not if I know it,' said I, as my feet cast their 
 echoing, shadowy footsteps behind me. Nor did I 
 stop until I reached the stream and took the plunge, 
 as business had been stagnant of late and money 
 was tight for bail security. You remember it, don't 
 you?" 
 
 "Yes ; very well, but Hidalgo, will you arise ?" 
 
 "I am at your service, chief, and humble myself 
 before you, although I am employed at this mo- 
 ment sitting on this man, 'Shorty Porpoise/ pin- 
 ning him to this potash earth." 
 
 Shorty, making a vigorous effort to get up, 
 shouted : 
 
 "Let me up, you black imp!" 
 
 "No, you don't get up, Mr. Shorty Porpoise. No, 
 sir. I've just squatavoused on you for a little rec- 
 reation, but with no intention of steeling you with 
 my knife, unless compelled." 
 116 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "When my deputies informed me that you were 
 nearing Death Valley sands, I put my calculations 
 in motion, to trot you off to our quiet retreat to be 
 entertained where my home has been since my 
 chief pulled me back from going over the brink into 
 eternity by fishing me out of the depths, where I 
 had sunk, gurgling, gurgling, the second time from 
 downright exhaustion and hold you for a ransom, 
 just as my chief tells me a body politic and the city 
 demagogues unite in holding up the inhabitants for 
 plunder and high-flyingly call it graft, and the ex- 
 ample has met with quite an universal following. 
 So, so, my noble chief," he continued, as he gazed 
 with an admiring look at his superior, "still they 
 are not considered outlaws, therefore, no judgment 
 can be secured." 
 
 "That may be, Hidalgo, but you have no ap- 
 parent duty in shedding blood. Place your steel 
 in its scabbard, that you might not in an uncon- 
 scious passion prick the veins of " The sentence 
 was never finished, for there were two ringing re- 
 ports from a pistol and the animal that the chief 
 was riding sank groaning to the earth, and he 
 exclaimed: "My God, my horse is shot." 
 
 Unconsciously, while conversing with Rudolph, 
 Hidalgo had relaxed his iron grip on Shorty's 
 wrists, and the quivering aim from the pistol, which 
 he had managed to grasp, went astray from its mark 
 and shot the horse. 
 
 117 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Hi! Yi!" fiendishly yelled Hidalgo, the Greek, 
 as he placed his hand on the hilt of his dagger. 
 "Shoot, will you? Shoot your deliverer from 
 death, inhuman barbarian, that you are," and 
 like a maniac, again he raised his dagger, which 
 Rudolph saw and said : "No, no, Hidalgo, there 
 is blood enough flowing already. Down ! I say, 
 down ! and shield that dagger, and hasten to my as- 
 sistance ; perhaps we can save this noble animal." 
 
 "Ey, ey ! my master. This blood-thirsty savage is 
 at your mercy, not mine." Saying which, he drew 
 a sinew from his pocket and continued : "But I 
 must bind this driveling, dragoon sort of a monster 
 Shorty Porpoise with these deer thongs so tight 
 I will venture my life that he cannot get another 
 grab at that self-cocker, and to make sure 'his feet 
 shall be sinewed, too." 
 
 "Here, Jeff Johnson. Look after this sea mon- 
 ster that would like to make rivers of blood flow 
 in this desert land. See ! It is coming in torrents 
 from that wounded horse." And turning to Ru- 
 dolph, who sat stroking the mane, said : "That 
 bloodhound of a monster ! Only for the love of 
 you, my generous chieftain, I had it in my heart 
 to run him through. Why you, too, are bleeding." 
 
 "That is nothing, my loyal Hidalgo, for I would 
 sacrifice my very existence to save that of my horse. 
 Oh, how he suffers ! See his vital life-blood gush- 
 ing from the injury. It is an ugly torn looking rent. 
 Have I nothing with which to close it? 
 118 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Ah ! Here is the handkerchief that Miss Hope 
 bound on my finger the day I cut it with my knife, 
 and still retains the spots of blood which I will 
 unite with that of yours, my faithful horse, in this, 
 what might be the last throes of death. 
 
 "If your life, my beautiful steed, is severed 
 after having quenched that crimson flood with this 
 little morsel of linen, kept in token of the pre- 
 ponderate love that imperceptibly entered my heart 
 for that holy young lady there will remain only 
 that love an oasis in my memory learned at the 
 knoll cottage. 
 
 "Wherein, too, I was taught that the purity of 
 the all-absorbing love of a virgin should not be 
 more than that of man, and the defilement of which 
 was to sacrifice their lives to perpetual doom. 
 
 "Ah, my noble warrior, that little love token 
 stanches the flow but does not stay your life, which 
 is fast ebbing away. 
 
 "My warrior, my warrior, I would bear your 
 pain, but am powerless to do more than give you 
 my heartfelt caresses to soothe your agony" 
 
 "Chief, my honored chief," cried Hidalgo, "let 
 me close your wound. Please listen to me, oh, 
 chief ! Chief ! oh, chief, listen ! Chief, for the love 
 of that God Miss Hope's God you called Him 
 whom you asked us to reverence above everything 
 else and worship truthfully and sincerely, as did 
 she with every throb of the heart. Listen, oh, 
 119 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 listen ! and take heed that Hidalgo is overwrought 
 with grief and wants to dress your wound." 
 
 "I am attentive to you, my Hidalgo, and appre- 
 ciative. But my wound is nothing to that of my 
 noble animal, my warrior, my horse. Here, 
 Hidalgo, lie his head upon my lap ! Ah, that is 
 better. Now, my suffering steed, whose dam was 
 Princess Diana, one of Arabia's purest blood, and 
 sired by Ormand, the god of America's ambitious 
 heights, can you see Rudolph, your devoted master, 
 who is talking to you and whose heart is rent in 
 anguish as your kindly eyes seem to look into his 
 pleadingly, with the assurance that he now can 
 restore your waning faculties as he formerly 
 relieved your wants." 
 
 Again Hidalgo, who could restrain his grief no 
 longer, tried to arouse his chief. 
 
 "Chief, Chief Rudolph, you, too, are bleeding 
 profusely and growing paler. Here is a sinew, let 
 me bandage your arm to check the flow. My God, 
 chief, it is broken !" 
 
 Raising a whistle to his lips he blew a shrill, 
 startling note, which brought one of the trusties 
 hastily to him. 
 
 "Jim, mount the swiftest horse belonging to the 
 band and ride for your life to the nearest surgeon, 
 no matter where, and bring him hither. Tell him 
 the life of a human being depends on his rapidity 
 and accelerating speed to relieve the profusion of 
 blood and set the bones of a broken arm. And Jim, 
 120 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 when you reach the forks blindfold and give him a 
 few swift turns in a circle, and we will carry our 
 fainting chief on a stretcher and meet you at the 
 retreat." 
 
 Hidalgo, having dispatched the trusty, again re- 
 sumed his seat at the side of the chief, who was still 
 stroking his horse and uttering sorrowing words, as 
 though the animal had the intellectual endowment to 
 understand. 
 
 "My warrior, oh, my warrior. Look at me, your 
 master, once more, to whom you were so devoted 
 and by your superior strength and volition lent your 
 utmost speed over plains, deserts, hills and moun- 
 tains, often leaping precipices and other obstructions 
 to prevent the degredation of his being arrested and 
 arraigned as a robber chieftain. No practitioner of 
 the law ever worked with more zeal for his client 
 than you labored for me. 
 
 "Yes, my warrior, and I am lavishing my fondest 
 endearments upon you, my best beloved excepting 
 one you know her, Hope, my angel on earth. 
 And I must tell you that your master, too, is dying 
 and the tears he is raining upon you are but the 
 dewdrops of death from his own brow, and together, 
 my warrior, oh, my warrior, our spirits will take 
 flight and our bodies will find their final rest in this 
 remote region and sandy depths, where our good 
 angel will seek and hover over us not through 
 fear, but with the hope of our spiritual welfare and 
 
 salvation. * 
 
 121 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Ah, my trusty steed, how depressed is your 
 breath. Truly the woe of death is upon you, which 
 convinces me that my own waning vitality is near, 
 but I cannot, oh, I cannot, repose quietly and watch 
 you first to pass into eternity's door. 
 
 "Here, Hidalgo, give him a sip of water from 
 your canteen, to revive and aid him in his efforts to 
 prolong his diminishing breath. How lucky that we 
 taught him to drink. And Hidalgo, I am growing 
 weak. Promise that you will dig a grave, both wide 
 and deep, that I may lie by my warrior's side in 
 death." 
 
 "Here is my hand, chieftain, that your faithful 
 horse shall be buried in the depths of this alkali 
 dust so deep that birds of prey cannot feast on his 
 flesh nor his bones lie bleaching in the sun." Ad- 
 dressing the remainder of the gang, which had 
 drawn near, "Shall it not be so, my cronies?" 
 
 "Yi, yi," was mournfully sounded, and Rudolph, 
 wearily looking at them, responded : 
 
 "Thank you, my comrades, for so heartily joining 
 with my good Hidalgo here in this errand of mercy. 
 My broken arm does not necessarily mean death, 
 but this liberal flow of blood possibly comes from 
 the tapping of an artery. 
 
 "My strength does not seem lasting, and ere it 
 gives way I desire to express my gratitude for your 
 indulgence with true fidelity of my every wish ; also 
 your trustworthy devotion, which I feel that I have 
 won not through coercion but confidence and affec- 
 122 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 tionate regard. And it is my sincere belief, although 
 you are dubbed outlaws, that you have not more to 
 repent than do those who secretly undermine the 
 good name and character of their intimate, law- 
 abiding and sincerely God-worshiping friends and 
 unmercifully take advantage of destitute knowledge, 
 docility and innocence to confidingly acquire their 
 possessions, then absorb with abandonment all to 
 their own interest. 
 
 "I have proven you to be merciful, tender and 
 humane, for which I say 'Bravo, my comrades/ 
 which is the approving counsel of your chief, who 
 also admonishes you to bend you knee and bow 
 your head in honest supplication and unfeigned 
 reverence to God the same God which Miss Hope 
 worshiped. Then you will ever abhor the appro- 
 priating of others' belongings and the steel which 
 spills the blood, even in self-defense or of one of 
 your kind. 
 
 "And proudly does your chieftain with almost 
 his last breath again thank you for the magnanimity 
 of your promise to bury this noble animal, who 
 could not talk but had the instinct of soulful man. 
 His spirit has departed and my soul is going with 
 him and I bid you all " 
 
 "Here, you - - vagabond pirate! Come here, 
 quick, before your chieftain dies, while you are 
 blubbering around as useless as a snail," hoarsely 
 yelled Shorty. "I have strained my throat to its 
 utmost and inhaled enough of this infernal deadly 
 123 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 atmospheric gas to inflate a balloon, that I might 
 emit sound enough to reach those dumbfounded 
 and blasted black ears of yours." 
 
 Still Hidalgo heeded not, so wrapped was he 
 in trying to restore his master by giving him water 
 from the canteen. 
 
 Again roared Shorty, "If you do not want your 
 chieftain to die, hasten here. He must not die! 
 He shall not die ! That lead was not meant for him 
 or his horse, but for you, son of a gun and con- 
 temptuous vagrant of vagabondary." 
 
 The draught of water somewhat restored the 
 chief's waning strength, and Hidalgo, after again 
 tightening the sinew above the bleeding vein, turned 
 his attention to Shorty. 
 
 "What now ? Out with it mighty swift, Porpoise, 
 and stop that screeching rumpus or my chief will 
 imagine he is entering Hades." 
 
 "Imp of those regions, had it not been for your 
 chieftain you would have sent me to the crossing of 
 the Phleg-e-thon river, which they say leads into 
 the burning pit of Hades and runs fire instead of 
 water, where I would send you in a jiffy if my 
 hands were not pinioned, but by the eternal jiminies 
 I do not want him to tackle it. Unbind my hands !" 
 
 "Not yet, porpoise Shorty. It is time that you 
 had learned who is who. My chieftain's last mo- 
 ments shall not be disturbed by such heathenish 
 calliope clamor, if I have to stuff your guzzle with 
 124 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 this valley sif tings of Death/' raged Hidalgo, as he 
 turned to go. 
 
 "Stop, imp of Satan. Your chief must not die. 
 I heard your order for a surgeon. You knew that 
 he could not arrive in time to prevent your chief 
 from entering your own infernal regions. Has your 
 jockey gone?" 
 
 "No, he is mounting. The horses were tethered 
 far distant, that they might not discover us to your 
 caravan by their neighing." 
 
 "Deuce to your twaddle," interrupted Shorty. 
 "There is no time to lose. Countermand your order, 
 you brute, and I will order my doctor immediately. 
 I crossed these diabolical regions once without one, 
 and my lucky star was in the ascendant or my check 
 would have been issued free gratis down the Phleg- 
 e-thon without my consent, passing on to the in- 
 fernal regions, which must be in close proximity to 
 this diabolical, scorching Death Valley. Twice the 
 mercy of your chief has saved my life at the mo- 
 ment you would have robbed me of it, and I swear 
 the earth shall be made to whizz on its axis a thou- 
 sand deals faster than it does now to keep life in his 
 body to dutifully maintain his heart beatings, and 
 the sooner you expedite matters the better." 
 
 "Well, here I am, Shorty Porpoise. There might 
 be some good in you after all, although you look 
 fishy and might yet prove to be a scaly traitor, in 
 which case I warn you that you would land in that 
 scalding river with a mighty sharp and speedy turn, 
 125 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 without even waiting to find the regular crossing. 
 But where is the doctor, that I may hasten his pres- 
 ence here?" 
 
 " Unmistakably you are an imp of the utter dark- 
 ness. Unloosen my hands, that I can use my cipher 
 to bring him here." 
 
 "Not by the eternal vengeance will I let you 
 practice that fraud, Shorty Porpoise." 
 
 "Then, imp, take that red book from my pocket, 
 or rather I will dictate while you write, or can you 
 write?" 
 
 "Yes, old Porpoise. My father sent me to school 
 when he first landed in America and kept me there." 
 
 "Pity he had not sent you back to your black 
 infernal regions and kept you there, imp of Hades." 
 
 "Halt your palaver, Mr. Shorty Porpoise, or my 
 blessed chief will be fainting again," argued 
 Hidalgo. 
 
 "Well, then, imp, write the words I give from 
 memory. George, James, Tom, Jack, Ben " 
 
 Hidalgo wrote no more, but raged. "By the 
 Jerico-whill-i-mi-cuss, do you know who is who 
 and what is what, Mr. Shorty Porpoise? You for- 
 get, or did you know that I am Hidalgo, the lawless 
 terror of terrors, and not a baboon? That cipher 
 might call all your vagabond men here to cut our 
 throats. 
 
 "Only for my dying chieftain there I would try 
 the edges of my dagger on you this very minute and 
 spoil your puffy figure. Come, sir; Mr. Porpoise, 
 ' 126 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 out with your order in plain American English, or 
 there will be other bones to repair besides my 
 master's." 
 
 "Well, imp of Hades, write then: 
 
 "Grimes, accompany Doc. and follow bearer of 
 this note in haste to set the bones of a broken arm 
 of the preserver of my life and stanch the great 
 flow of blood. Sylvester Arnold. Oro." 
 
 "Mr. Porpoise, why do you place Oro after your 
 name? I want none of your sly tricks." 
 
 "Only cowards are tricky," retorted Shorty, "the 
 nature of which imps ought to be posted. To guard 
 against them I attach 'Oro' meaning gold and our 
 password otherwise my men would believe it a 
 counterfeit or a decoy for their carcasses." 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 After their attack by the highwaymen the caravan 
 moved forward a couple of miles, and as their cap- 
 tain Sylvester Arnold still remained behind, 
 halted to await his coming. 
 
 "Doc./ 1 said Grimes, as he stroked his bay mare 
 Bessie before putting on the saddle, "I think it high 
 time for Cap. to heave in sight. It is a chance if he 
 has not been waylaid by some of those buzzy bee 
 looters that swarm in this Death Valley as a resort 
 from the mounted police. What do you say? I'll 
 bet my old bay Bessie on it." 
 
 127 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "You can keep your courting, Bessie Grimes. 
 Certainly there is something wrong." 
 
 "Jinks Jo! you bet I'll keep her, and she knows 
 when I comb her mane, brush out the dandruff and 
 polish her down that I want to put her at her best. 
 When I went to see Rosa Bell I always took her, 
 because she could take an onward move far ahead 
 of the other chaps. But a city chap appeared with 
 his automobile and took Rosa Bell in, and gayly 
 passed me like a streak of greased lightning on their 
 way to the church to get spliced. Doc., by hooky, 
 some one is coming this way, riding like the wind, 
 which old Bessie is champing to do, for she knowns 
 when a storm is brewing. Our captain must be in 
 some born-busted tangle. What, a message from 
 captain?" said Grimes, and read the note the trusty 
 gave him, then handed it, saying: 
 
 "Here, Doc., scan it over while I saddle the mule. 
 Then you vault courting Bessie and give her full 
 rein, then I will keep Sambo in her tracks." And 
 together with the messenger they rode swiftly to 
 the scene of the late skirmish, where the captain, 
 still bound, anxiously awaited their appearance. 
 
 Doc. leaped from the saddle and drew his knife 
 to sever the cords, saying: 
 
 "Why, Captain Arnold, how came you here?" 
 
 "I can't tell you now, Doc. No, no, let the cords 
 alone. Do you see that man lying besides his dead 
 horse?" 
 
 128 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Yes, yes, but captain, are you hurt ? Let me cut 
 those bandages, which are cutting into your flesh." 
 
 "By the eternal jiminies, no. There is no time to 
 lose. Unearth all the medical knowledge you ever 
 knew and save or rather put life into that man. 
 Only for his timely aid my own soul would now be 
 wrestling with the damned. And all the vast 
 quantities of gold in our mysterious mine could not 
 give tranquility to my mind if that rare yeoman 
 should succumb from my missent bullet and find 
 his sepulchre in this God- forsaken Death Valley. 
 Doc., use your best skill, preserve his life, which is 
 almost extinct, even though he be a bandit chieftain, 
 and your fortune is made. Rush, Doc., rush to 
 him!" 
 
 Doc. found Hidalgo kneeling beside the chieftain, 
 bathing his brow and dropping water between the 
 pallid lips, murmuring: "My chief, my chief, oh, 
 my chief, wake up. You must have fallen asleep 
 from weakness. Surely you are not dead. Hidalgo 
 wants to confess that he is to blame. Had^he have 
 hearkened to you those death-dealing missies would 
 not have let out this life-blood, which is the cir- 
 culating fluid that keeps your heart in motion. I 
 wonder if it is beating? You look as inanimate as 
 does your lifeless horse. 
 
 "Ah, there is a faint throbbing, but unless Shorty 
 Porpoise's doctor comes very soon it will have 
 ceased entirely." 
 
 "Here I am, sir, at your service." 
 129 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "I am grateful, doctor. My chief is in your 
 hands," graciously said Hidalgo. 
 
 Doc. proceeded to administer restoratives to pro- 
 duce animation and placed the broken limb in a 
 plaster cast, where he bound it firmly to a strong 
 support. 
 
 Faithfully and without flagging he worked with 
 the unconscious man, and his efficiency soon was 
 rewarded by feeble signs of returning vitality. 
 Then, turning to Hidalgo, said: 
 
 "It would be well to improvise a stretcher, for it 
 is my judgment that your chieftain should be re- 
 moved to permanent quarters with all possible 
 haste." 
 
 "Well, doctor," said Hidalgo, "I foresaw the 
 necessity of your order, therefore with the assist- 
 ance of our band have rudely constructed a frame 
 of two long, -strong pole handles that have sharp, 
 hooked knives at the end that we use to pluck the 
 prickly pear fruit from the top of the immense cacti 
 which grows and abounds spontaneously, then, too, 
 in case of extreme thirst to sever or slit the trunks 
 to obtain water, and fastened to them a blanket, 
 using deer sinews for thread." 
 
 When Hidalgo saw his beloved chieftain quietly 
 and comfortably resting on the stretcher, he felt an 
 exultant joy and assumed his customary bullying 
 disposition. 
 
 "Well, Shorty Porpoise, my chief is calmly re- 
 posing, and T presume to assume your importance 
 130 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 in the affair, thus proving your life valueless, you 
 want your thongs cut, but I can see by the gleam 
 of your eyes that you would like to make my heels 
 fly from under me at the click of that little popgun 
 of yours, so I can't unwind your hands for a while 
 nor let your doctor depart until all danger for my 
 chief is past. Therefore, you can at once order 
 your caravan and equipments and accompany us to 
 our retreat. I will not exact a red cent or a glit- 
 tering dollar which I had expected to have added to 
 our exchequer plucked from the dividends of those 
 marvelously rich gold mines of yours as an equiva- 
 lent for your carcass while yet propelled by the 
 power of breath." 
 
 Hidalgo, not being able to restrain his vengeful 
 feelings at the loss of the ransom for which he had 
 been planning for months, vindictively called : 
 "Here, boys, boost him over; boost him over, over 
 again. Give Shorty Porpoise a few turns, so that 
 he will the more fully understand the methods of 
 this Valley of Death." 
 
 Shorty Porpoise as Hidalgo had dubbed him on 
 account of his short and thick dimensions, and the 
 band declaring it not a misnomer had suddenly 
 sprung into notoriety from ocean to ocean by his 
 extravagant disbursement of money. 
 
 United to high living, flashy dressing and expen- 
 sive turnouts, he had chartered a train to cross the 
 continent on lightning speed record. 
 
 131 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 And when he had drawn his checks to a limit by 
 his prodigality, he chose a picked company and re- 
 paired to the Death Valley vicinity, where the public 
 was given to understand he owned fabulously rich 
 mines of gold with which to replenish his safes. 
 
 Reading the publication of these profuse boasts 
 fired the brain of Hidalgo, consequently, unknown 
 to his chieftain, had for months put his emissaries 
 on the outlook to report the vain Croesus' entrance 
 into Death Valley. 
 
 No one knew better than Sylvester Arnold (or 
 Shorty Porpoise) the dangers attending this trip, 
 which he really took as a subterfuge. He knew the 
 windings in and out without having to penetrate the 
 interior. Very few persons make the attempt, for 
 there is no exhilarating atmosphere and no living 
 thing can exist except reptiles like the horned toad 
 and deadly rattlesnake. Nevertheless, his equip- 
 ments were made as though for a through passage 
 of that Valley of Death, which is far below the level 
 of the sea, with no vegetation excepting the cacti, 
 and that only on the outskirts, as though protecting 
 man and beasts from entering the deadly precincts 
 of the interior, which is void of all growth. 
 
 Much of the cacti contains water which, like the 
 maple, requires niches cut to drain it, but the hand- 
 ling of the cacti is very difficult, as there are 
 thousands of long, needle-like stickers that jab the 
 hands and millions of tiny prickers every quarter 
 inch of the shrub, which at the slightest touch pierce 
 132 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 the flesh and, being almost imperceptible to the eye, 
 there is no limit to judge the extreme anguish felt. 
 
 Unfortunately many travelers, not knowing of 
 the edible fruit and of the thirst-quenching fluid, 
 often traverse .weary miles until, worn from fatigue 
 and famished, succumb at last to the inevitable while 
 yet in the prime of life, and whose ambition had 
 decoyed them there in the researches of science or 
 mineral wealth, and their bones remain in a state of 
 non-decay for years on the alkali sands. 
 
 In order to vouchsafe his craftiness and give 
 credulity to his asserted gold deposit, it was neces- 
 sary to cross a certain portion of this hazardous 
 valley route. Therefore, they were just entering the 
 borders when the caravan was intercepted by the 
 brigands which had been ambushed, who, having 
 used their cacti sabers to clear a passage, duly sur- 
 prised them. 
 
 Naturally the small party with mining intent, 
 concluding that these desert rovers and freebooters 
 meant plunder, with no objection to commit murder, 
 summoned all their resistance at command, which 
 consisted more in the abundance of up-to-date 
 weapons and ammunition than in numbers to use 
 them. 
 
 Shorty, not caring to divulge the mystery of his 
 replenishments, chose only a trusted few to accom- 
 pany him. Grimes, unsophisticated and unsuspect- 
 ing, therefore a true and easy tool; Doc., the sur- 
 geon, and Jo, cook and roustabout, completed the 
 133 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 number, and their appearance was as questionable 
 as was the whereabouts they procured their vast 
 amount of gold. 
 
 With determined efforts they rushed pell-mell into 
 the melee without thought or restraint. And Shorty 
 assailed the tall, muscular Greek, Hidalgo, with the 
 same audacious courage and unhesitating conse- 
 quences that had always marked his career. And 
 Hidalgo, quick as a cat makes a victim of a mouse, 
 caught the hand which held the revolver that was 
 to send a bullet to follow the aim of the eye which 
 rested without variance in the center of his own, 
 and like a flash encircled him with a bear-like hug 
 and bore him to the earth. 
 
 Then he drew from the scabbard his stiletto, and 
 as he raised it aloft gave the bonanza king his new 
 cognomen : 
 
 "Ah, ha ! Mr. Shorty Porpoise, your block popper 
 missed its mark for once, but this blade is a surer 
 warning, so if you ever learned any prayers dig 
 into them right now, for you have no moments to 
 lose," and with tigerish venom he whirled the in- 
 strument tauntingly in the air, and had not his 
 chieftain arrived at this opportune occasion and 
 commandingly calling his demand, "Unhand thy 
 victim, Hidalgo!" the loss of another soul would 
 have been recorded on his already overburdened 
 conscience. 
 
 134 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 "Good morning, darling aunt. Did you rest well 
 last night?" 
 
 "Not quite as usual, Jeallo, as I did not have my 
 accustomed outing yesterday. My cough being 
 convulsive and the weather unfavorable, the doctor 
 recommended my remaining indoors. As a conse- 
 quence, sleep with its restful presence did not visit 
 my sanctuary until a very late hour and then in 
 fitful moods/' 
 
 "Don't you think it was vile of the doctor? No 
 one can sleep without having had plenty of fresh 
 air. Where was your maid, Truth, that she did not 
 take you any how ? But there ! how could we ex- 
 pect it, when she is only too anxious for you to 
 die? Why, it is very plain that she is angling to 
 get your money. She never leaves your side a 
 moment when I am around, as though you would 
 give it to me. But where is she now ? Unless I am 
 here she neglects you, and I am really out of 
 patience," snarled Jeallo. 
 
 "Truth is taking her breakfast, Jeallo. She did 
 not seek her couch last night, but kept vigil by me. 
 I insisted that she take a light repast before retiring 
 for her much-needed rest. Are you not up unusually 
 early this morning, Jeallo?'' 
 
 "Yes, aunt, I am going motoring with Mr. Pea- 
 body. I should collapse if I did not take the re- 
 freshing morning air. And that hateful Truth 
 135 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 ought to take you out, too, but she is figuring on 
 motoring you to the graveyard, the mean thing." 
 
 Not noticing the ill-tempered remark, her aunt 
 asked: "Have you known Mr. Peabody long, 
 Jeallo?" Then an attack of convulsive coughing 
 seized her, but Jeallo, not waiting its cessation, 
 hastened to answer: 
 
 "Why, yes, aunt. Just after I came here a friend 
 introduced us on the street, and he is perfectly 
 splendid. Why, aunt, Mr. Peabody is a-w-f-u-1 
 rich, having recently arrived from Alaska, where he 
 has a-w-f-u-1 rich gold mines. And, aunt, he says 
 that every particle of gold taken from his mines is 
 perfectly pure. Just think of it, aunt, as being pure 
 and unadulterated, and he is daily expecting his 
 ship to arrive loaded with it. Aunt, I will confide 
 to you a little secret. He is dead in love with me/' 
 
 The old lady, quite exhausted, feebly said: "I 
 dare say he is, Jeallo." 
 
 "Why, yes, aunt, he says he can't help it, because 
 I am so sweet. And oh, I must tell you that he has 
 such great big diamonds, too," rattled on Jeallo, 
 "and when we return from our auto trip I am to 
 have a big glittering one on my engagement finger." 
 
 "Are you going far?" ventured the old lady, 
 thinking it necessary to say something. 
 
 "Only to the races, aunt, then take a short turn 
 
 to see if we can sight his ship coming in. You 
 
 must not worry, aunt. I will tell Truth to look well 
 
 after your comforts while I am gone. Mr. Pea- 
 
 136 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 body promised not to keep me away too long, as I 
 told him that I was your sole relative and protector 
 since your severe illness now that your children 
 could not be with you. So you may be sure we will 
 be back by 6 p. M. dinner, which he will enjoy so 
 much, especially if he and I can have it tete-a-tete. 
 
 "I know, aunt, you would not want to have one 
 of your disgusting coughing spells before him, even 
 though you were able to sit at the table, and I 
 should think that Truth, being a servant here, ought 
 to know that her presence would be an intrusion 
 and detrop. 
 
 "Why, aunt, she ought to be ashamed to come, 
 since she is mixed up in that disgraceful killing 
 affair and her sister in jail waiting to be tried for 
 murdering that nice Bishop. It is perfectly igno- 
 minious, and Truth does not appear one bit abashed. 
 Dear me, I should not be able to hold up my head, 
 let alone looking any one straight in the eyes as she 
 does. 
 
 "That good Bishop was too lovely for anything. 
 Why, aunt, he asked me to refrain from sinful 
 pleasures, to obey God by keeping His holy com- 
 mandments, and join the next confirmation class 
 that I might receive religious instructions and unite 
 with the church. 
 
 "I thought that would be grand, so I went that 
 
 very day to select a confirmation gown, for I would 
 
 want the handsomest in the class. I found one, a 
 
 beautiful creation that could not have suited me 
 
 137 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 better. The French model lady said if the fit was 
 not perfect she could have it changed to my liking, 
 and I told her that we would arrange the matter 
 later on. 
 
 "My ! I wish you could have seen it, aunt. Being 
 of the daintiest white silk voil and all fluffy with 
 trimmings of beautiful lace, it was most exquisite. 
 I met the Bishop on the street and told him that I 
 would be at the class room at their next meeting. 
 
 "I was afraid another purchaser might be ahead 
 of me, so I hurried home, not even stopping to look 
 at the new-shaped hats just from Paris displayed in 
 the shop windows. I wanted to get that two hun- 
 dred dollars which I saw Truth put away in the 
 china closet. I knew that you would say, 'Yes, 
 Jeallo, certainly you can have it.' Therefore, Miss 
 Truth had no say in the affair, for it was not hers. 
 I determined that I would not disturb you, as I had 
 peeped in your bedroom and saw you sleeping so 
 sweetly. 
 
 "But, aunt, I found Truth in the dining-room 
 the vixen, she is always where she is not wanted 
 and I made bold to ask her for it, as it was near 
 time for closing the store. I took great pains to 
 piously tell her that I was going to join the Bishop's 
 church and desired the money to purchase a con- 
 firmation gown. 
 
 "The termagant ! What do you believe, aunt, she 
 answered? Well, I will tell you. 
 138 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 ' 'Indeed, Jeallo, you cannot have that two hun- 
 dred dollars. Being uncle's sacred coin, it must be 
 used especially for my dear old lady's needs/ 
 'D-e-a-r old lady.' She did not mean it. It looks 
 as though you were very d-e-a-r and she much in 
 love with you when she goes off to bed leaving you 
 here alone, when you might be seized with that 
 terrible coughing as you had just now and result in 
 your death. Was it not lucky I came in when I 
 did? 
 
 "As I was saying, I would not be confirmed with- 
 out that dress and could not get it without the 
 money. I knew it was mine by right, don't you see, 
 aunt, as I am to be heiress to a goodly share of 
 your fortune some day anyhow? 
 
 ''And that stingy old maid Truth need not have 
 been so discourteous, for it was none of her affairs 
 and I was determined that she should not interfere 
 with my being confirmed, so I watched my oppor- 
 tunity and procured the ten twenties and rapidly 
 made my way to the store. But I arrived a moment 
 too late, for the clerk had just closed for the night. 
 And aunt, was it not a shame? No amount of per- 
 suasion of mine could induce him to open it, but 
 told me to be on hand early the next morning. 
 
 "Then, aunt, was it not too bad? That nice old 
 Bishop was murdered the very same night. 
 
 'If you will take my advice, aunt, it would be well 
 to keep an eye on Truth, too. She is very sly and 
 no more to be depended on than was her sister 
 139 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Hope, who killed the nice old Bishop that so 
 graciously asked me to be confirmed. It made me 
 really ill when the next morning Mr. Peabody 
 phoned the news. The first thought that struck me 
 was 'I cannot buy that handsome gown now, as 
 there will be no confirmation.' Then it occurred 
 that I ought to return the money so as to save the 
 occasion of Truth being clamorous. But in this 
 state of perplexity Mr. Peabody again called me to 
 the phone and appeared to be much excited and 
 said the city as a whole was in a violent rage against 
 Miss Hope and that it would be a miracle should 
 they find her if she was not lynched." 
 
 "Surely, Jeallo, their conscience could not have let 
 them commit such a terrible act. But you did right 
 in putting the money back in the china closet," said 
 the old lady, striving to control her exhausting 
 cough. 
 
 "And he urged me to go motoring to subdue my 
 disappointment about the dress. And, aunt, his 
 commiseration was so great that he took me to 
 every conceivable resort that could be deemed a 
 refuge or hiding place for the girl who murdered 
 the nice old Bishop that was going to confirm me in 
 his church. And now, aunt, don't get nervous when 
 I tell you that some of the places were the most vile, 
 outlandish and barbarous looking haunts and would 
 strike terror to the strongest of nerves, no matter 
 how robust the individual. 
 
 140 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Mr. Peabody, noticing my pallor, asked, 'Are 
 you sick?' Shivering from fright I answered, 'No, 
 but cold/ and thought we had better return. 
 
 "He did not dream that my chill originated from 
 the fear of footpads, for I had those twenties con- 
 cealed about my person. I had thought to display 
 them to Mr. Peabody, who being short of funds 
 until his ship should have arrived might want to 
 borrow them. Then, too, that dress was still in my 
 mind, for there were other churches besides the 
 Bishop's. 
 
 "My, but Mr. Peabody brought me home at a 
 scorching rate, which unstrung my nerves still more. 
 I remonstrated, but he said: 'Why, dearie, it will 
 be all right if we are arrested for speeding, as those 
 diamonds will foot up for a good round sum/ 
 Entering the house, I put my arms around Truth's 
 neck and explained how sorry I was that the Bishop 
 had been murdered, but she made no answer, not 
 even showing a sign of grief, and stood quiet and 
 heartless as though she were a statue. She knows, 
 of course, that her sister Hope is guilty, and was 
 afraid that we would find her. 
 
 "You must have thought strange that I did not 
 come in to see you, aunt, but Mr. Peabody took me 
 day after day racing here, there and everywhere to 
 obtain clue of that girl murderess; therefore I 
 slipped quietly out that you might not be disturbed. 
 
 "It was really kind of Mr. Peabody to take so 
 much interest in the affair. He said 'I would have 
 141 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 looked most charming in that lovely dress,' and Miss 
 Hope should be made to endure the extreme penalty 
 of the law as a consequence for his disappointment 
 in not seeing me robed in that confirmation attire so 
 suited to my maidenly reserve and simplicity. Was 
 it not sweet of him? 
 
 "And now, aunt, is it not outrageous? Truth's 
 sister Hope has returned scandalously and brazenly 
 by herself. Why, she was as gleeful as though 
 coming from an unusually attractive matinee 
 comedy, in the meantime ostentatiously exhibiting 
 the money which belonged to the murdered Bishop 
 calling it 'uncle's sacred money' to make people be- 
 lieve her crazy." 
 
 "Uncle's sacred money, Jeallo? Uncle's sacred 
 money, did you say, Jeallo?" asked the old lady in a 
 faint, agitated voice. 
 
 "Yes, aunt, and the papers are all teeming with 
 the news. I knew that you were too ill to read the 
 account and that Truth would not fully explain the 
 facts, being so closely allied, therefore I thought I 
 would run in just a moment and give you the whole 
 particulars. 
 
 "I knew that you would sympathize with me for 
 having been so basely treated about that money when 
 I wanted it for such a holy cause, of buying my 
 confirmation dress. 
 
 "Truth did not miss it, though, for I put it back 
 in the china closet, thinking she might plan a rupture 
 142 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 between Mr. Peabody and me, but he adores and 
 keeps me constantly to himself. 
 
 %< He says the people are anxious for the trial of 
 Hope and is sure of a conviction, therefore I thought 
 best that you should understand what kind of a 
 maid you are harboring. I do hope they will hang 
 her sister Hope who murdered the nice Bishop, and 
 I keep repeating it over and over, thinking it might 
 have some judicial effect. 
 
 "I ought to be going, aunt, for Mr. Peabody 
 invited me to motor with him to sight the ships, 
 which surely would enter the habor this afternoon. 
 
 "You must take good care of yourself. I knew 
 it would do you a world of good to see me and I 
 am glad I came and would stay longer but Mr. 
 Peabody is so exacting. I wonder why that lofty- 
 minded Truth don't come? Her satisfactory esti- 
 mation of herself is so abundant that she believes 
 you can make as good progress to health while she 
 is indulging in the luxury of slumber as when she 
 your maid is by your side. And it is very likely 
 the truth, for certainly you are much weaker than 
 I ever saw you before. I must impress upon her 
 the necessity of being more vigilant, also more 
 faithful in administering your cough elixir, for Mr. 
 Peabody is very anxious to see you, as he is aware 
 how much I adore you. By-bye, aunt." 
 
 Going into the hall instead of proceeding to the 
 main stairway, she made a sharp turn through a 
 door opening into a long balcony at the end of which 
 143 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 were a flight of stairs that descended into the street. 
 About midway of the balcony she met one of the 
 maids. 
 
 "Juliette," said Jeallo, "where is Truth? Is she 
 sleeping still?" 
 
 "Yes, Miss Jeallo. She lingered over her coffee 
 quite a length of time, as she was very weary." 
 
 "Gee ! when she is so negligent she cannot expect 
 to be a beneficiary to aunt's money after she dies. 
 I say, Juliette, did the doctor tell Truth yesterday 
 that aunt had the consumption?" 
 
 "Not exactly, Miss Jeallo." 
 
 "Well, what did he say, Juliette?" 
 
 "He said that unless the cough be restricted he 
 could not vouch that consumption would not be a 
 result, Miss Jeallo," sorrowfully said Juliette, for 
 she was much attached to her mistress. 
 
 "Oh, dear, oh, dear, and consumptive patients 
 sometimes last for years, and I am dying to get 
 away. Only for Mr. Peabody I am sure I could 
 not stand it. Why, Juliette, the length of time I 
 have been here seems incredibly long, and when I 
 first saw aunt, so frail and delicate, I was certain 
 she was near the end. But now I suppose she will 
 have the consumption, and if that odius old maid 
 Truth was not so habitually attentive that cough 
 would have ceased long ago, which now as a fact 
 will keep aunt lingering until doomsday. 
 
 144 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Juliette, I do hope Mr. Peabody will put the 
 diamond engagement ring on my finger to-day. He 
 is a-w-f-u-1 rich. Then I can just snap my fingers 
 and not wait for aunt's money." 
 
 "Certainly not, Miss Jeallo." 
 
 "My, wouldn't I be happy then? Really, Juliette, 
 he is a-w-f-u-1 proud that I am so very devoted to 
 aunt, and believes she will leave me a great share of 
 her large fortune." 
 
 "Is that so, Miss Jeallo?" 
 
 "Yes, and, Juliette, while taking the measure of 
 my finger he mentioned that it would not be best to 
 marry without the knowledge of my aunt which I 
 had proposed as jolly fun as being inconsiderate of 
 her feelings, consequently leave me out of her will. 
 
 " 'Assuredly/ I said, 'Mr. Peabody, she could not ! 
 Why. I am her niece who has been so very kind to 
 her.' And, Juliette, she would not dare to, for I 
 have taken great pains to impress her that I am to 
 be one of the co-heirs with her children. And as for 
 Truth, the Jade, my determination is that not a cent 
 outside of a servant's salary shall she receive." 
 
 "O, Miss Jeallo !" 
 
 "Why, of course, Juliette, by rights it is mine, 
 and have endeavored to prove it to Mr. Peabody. 
 But he continually urges and insists that aunt should 
 personally, in writing, arrange a marriage dot, be- 
 fore the ceremony is performed" adding mischiev- 
 ously, with twinkling eyes "no matter whom you 
 marry, which he need not have indicated as being 
 X45 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 a joke, for his love for me is very potent, and would 
 be a strenuous risk for another to claim it." 
 
 "Surely, Miss Jeallo?" 
 
 "Certainly, Juliette. And he convinced me that 
 it would be the proper thing, don't you see, to have 
 a dot settled on me, then I could be independent. 
 That is why I came in to see aunt so early this 
 morning', and was happy to find that Truth was 
 not with her." 
 
 "But after all, we did not have the matter fixed, 
 as I was so enthusiastic in illustrating the exqui- 
 sitely beautiful gown for my confirmation, which 
 that girl Hope was mean enough to upset by mur- 
 dering that nice Bishop, that I did not mention my 
 errand. And being nearly noon I was afraid Truth 
 who is my abhorrence would pop in before the set- 
 tlement could be adjusted satisfactorily." 
 
 "Then you are going to marry Mr. Peabody, Miss 
 Jeallo?" ' 
 
 "You ask that question, Juliette ? Why, he would 
 die of grief if I was to refuse him so there is no 
 other way out of it. I will tell him that I had a 
 long interview and confidential conversation with 
 aunt and he will take it for granted that I am well 
 provided for. Here comes Mr. Peabody in the 
 auto: Good-bye, Juliette." 
 
 Had not Jeallo been so intent with her own selfish 
 
 and deceitful aims she would have discovered that 
 
 they were conversing by a large window which 
 
 opened onto the balcony from the bedroom at the 
 
 146 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 head of the old lady's sleeping couch, that Truth 
 had raised to its utmost capacity to let the fresh air 
 circulate freely through the room, as the high and 
 wide old-fashioned head-board protected her patient 
 from the direct draught. 
 
 And that dear old lady whose years numbered 
 three score and ten, and always had affiliated with 
 onlv the strictly honest and pure in heart, as she 
 lay there in her helplessness could not escape hear- 
 ing all those tortuous words. 
 
 Each one was a revelation, which penetrated her 
 brain and quickened the pulsations of her heart 
 until she felt it was bursting with pain. 
 
 Never had she entertained the remotest thought 
 that Jeallo could be so wicked. 
 
 She had believed her giddy and thoughtless, but 
 attributed it to her youth, which in more mature 
 years would pass away. 
 
 When the conversation had ceased, she mur- 
 mured, "Jeallo, Jeallo, how can you seemingly be 
 so kind and loving, while yet in your heart, soul, 
 and brain, you are entertaining meditations and di- 
 recting your mind, to the working to me an injury 
 and desiring my death?" 
 
 In grief, the tears that had formed gushed from 
 her eyes, and in trickling streams rolled down the 
 deep furrows of her aged cheeks, where she ab- 
 sorbed them with the cob-web of a handkerchief, 
 which she had specially requested Truth to hand 
 her on that morning being the anniversary of her 
 147 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 own plighted love. The lover had said, "Take this 
 little kerchief as a souvenir of our betrothal kiss, 
 to bind our hearts until I can place on your finger 
 the jeweled circlet meaning that our love will be 
 without end." 
 
 Faintly between her sobs she lisped, "Lover of 
 my youth, and husband of my maturity, little did 
 we dream in our most fanciful imaginings that this 
 little token of remembrance of our lifetime vow, 
 would be drenched with the scalding and bitter tears 
 which flow from the fountain of my crushed spirit !" 
 
 "Now that you are no more in this life, my old 
 age yearns for true fidelity and trustful sympathy." 
 Her strength almost failed, yet with more stress she 
 exclaimed in anguish : 
 
 "O jealousy, with all thy rancorous sting, 
 Thou canst with honor victory bring!" 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 Truth, after having breakfasted, repaired to her 
 own apartment for a thorough rest, knowing her 
 services required her to be on hand in the dead of 
 the night, when the strenuous efforts of throwing 
 off the irritating matter from the lungs was at its 
 highest degree, also the doctor had cautioned her 
 to be on the alert to administer antidotes. 
 
 For some unaccountable reason, though, she 
 could not obtain the repose she sought. Her mind 
 would not desist from the freedom of disturbing 
 148 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 thoughts. There was a continuous reluctance to 
 sink into quietude, for the racking cough seemed 
 to echo in her ears, and her eyelids refused to close 
 from sight the helpless, gray-haired old lady. 
 
 Arising, she closed the blinds, drew the curtains 
 and arranged the drapery that midnight darkness 
 might prevail thus inducing Morpheus to appear 
 but he shunned her very presence, but not without 
 invading her mind with the vainest imaginings why 
 he loitered. Her patience forsook her and she 
 abandoned the enticing hope of summoning him. 
 
 Dressing, she entered the sick room, and was not 
 surprised to find the old lady in a very languid con- 
 dition. "Ah," she thought, "mental telegraphy re- 
 strained Morpheus from being manifest. But why 
 that care-worn, weary look and reddened eyes, as 
 though inflamed by weeping? Evidently something 
 unfortunate had occurred to produce so sudden and 
 unfavorable a change." 
 
 Immediately Truth endeavored to relieve the old 
 lady's failing strength by massage treatment and 
 kind words, then softly hummed a lullaby, and felt 
 compensated when she saw her charge lying quietly, 
 as though in peaceful slumber. 
 
 Judge of her consternation when, a moment later, 
 the old lady, with unclosed eyes, addressed her: 
 "Truth, I desire you to go and telegraph to my son 
 and daughter that I am rapidly failing in health, of 
 which heretofore I deemed it best not to inform 
 them ; but I long to see them before I die." 
 149 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Before returning, Truth, go to the office of 
 Attorney Goodman and say that, if at leisure, I re- 
 quest him to come to see me on important business. 
 
 "Afterwards, you must really go to visit your 
 sister Hope, who is in such dire distress, where your 
 sacred duty calls you, which, forsooth, in your devo- 
 tional and genuine forbearance you have granted 
 to me. While it is gratifying, I feel that I have 
 accrued a debt that cannot be cancelled." 
 
 Kneeling, Truth said : "No, no, dearest one ; it 
 is I who am your debtor, for bestowing on me your 
 filial affection, for which I have hungered since the 
 death of my own dear mother in my early youth, 
 and craved to fulfill the part of a dutiful daughter 
 in your last years of longevity." 
 
 "But 1 should not consider myself so if I left you 
 alone in your present weaken condition." And she 
 placed a kiss of affection on the brow which she 
 had been soothing with the palm of her hand. 
 
 A loving smile flitted over the face of the invalid 
 as she softly answered : 
 
 "Truly, you have been a blessing to me. Even 
 your name Truth indicates your worth and reli- 
 ance, and I assure you that your deep affection is 
 reciprocated, but, dear Truth, something urges me 
 that it is best to attend to my business affairs, so I 
 insist that you go." 
 
 Silently, and with eyes clouded by tears, Truth 
 poured a teaspoonful of nerve tonic in a small glass 
 of water, raised the old lady, and affectionately 
 150 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 placing one arm around her, impressed another kiss 
 on her cheek as she drained the last drop, then, with 
 the old lady's assent for the maids to keep vigil with 
 her, she withdrew. 
 
 Truth had not derived the least intuitive knowl- 
 edge of the part Jeallo's scope of action had played 
 to make such a rapid change in the vitality of the 
 venerable lady, consequently thought Juliette's an- 
 swer rather singular when she asked: 
 
 "Will you, Juliette, carefully take charge of the 
 sick room while I am away?'' 
 
 "Yes, Miss Truth; but I hope Miss Jeallo will 
 not come in," said Juliette. "In fact, I wish she 
 would go away altogether." She spoke with such 
 asperity that Truth questioningly asked : 
 
 "Why so, Juliette?" 
 
 "Because, Miss Truth, Miss Jeallo frequently 
 visits my lady's room the hour of her reposing, 
 noting the time, too, that you have retired for rest 
 or are absent. Cautiously she enters, as though she 
 would not disturb her aunt's slumbering, and on 
 tiptoe wanders around, slyly peeping into every- 
 thing even the dressing-case drawers, removing 
 them and carefully scrutinizing every detail of 
 architecture as though hunting for a secret spring, 
 receptacle, or false panel, also the escritoire, and 
 the little black trunk by my lady's bedside has not 
 escaped her. 
 
 "Sometimes. Miss Truth, Miss Jeallo goes out 
 before my lady awakens, carelessly remarking, 
 151 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 'Aunt being very systematic, I was looking for 
 something to tidy/ But if she does arouse or awakes 
 Miss Jeallo glides to her side and salutes her : 'Good 
 morning, dear aunt,' adjusts the covering, smoothes 
 the pillow, saying, M am very glad to find you so 
 well. I came in for a little chat, for I know you 
 must be lonely/ And, Miss Truth, it always ends 
 in an agitating, nerve-racking, mischief-making con- 
 versation which has been a source of great wonder- 
 ment to you when again you approached her bed- 
 side." 
 
 "Juliette, I am sorry that I had not known of 
 this before/' 
 
 "Really, Miss Truth, I believed it would have dis- 
 turbed your already overtaxed mind; and she be- 
 ing a relative of my lady you would have hesitated 
 to interfere." 
 
 "Only a relative through marriage, Juliette. No 
 kindred blood circulates in their veins/' 
 
 "At any rate, Miss Truth, whatever her motive 
 she would have persisted in accomplishing it at any 
 cost. What possible good does she expect to gain 
 by her observations and why does she persist in 
 these annoying ways?" 
 
 "That is a mystery to me, too, Juliette. The 
 Great Creative One has produced many noxious and 
 seriously troublesome pests with an object, possibly 
 of trying our forbearance." 
 
 "Jeallo's temerity is incomprehensible and surely 
 not compatible to harmony. Her misconstruction, 
 152 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 of the upright actions of others to suit the fabrica- 
 tions of her own fallacies, with such consummate 
 skill is in gross defiance to the universal edict of 
 "Love thy neighbor as thyself." 
 
 ''Credulous persons cannot conceive the enormity 
 of such conduct, therefore, are often duped by the 
 duplicity and protestations of affection, as that which 
 Jeallo expresses to her aunt." 
 
 "But eventually the guile will be detected by some 
 unforseen event, which will ever dispel a trust in 
 the truthfulness of the pretended warm-hearted dec- 
 larations there, Juliette, 'The mouth of the -foolish 
 causes destruction as well as being near it.' " 
 
 "I am much exercised as to the effect Jeallo's pecu- 
 liarities will render to the health of our aged lady. 
 Lock the door, Juliette, that she may not visit the 
 sick room today, as I could not vouch for the re- 
 sult." 
 
 "It is safe from intrusion today, as Miss Jeallo 
 has gone motoring with Mr. Peabody, Miss Truth." 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 After Truth had gone Juliette, accompanied by 
 Nanette, repaired to the old lady's room, where they 
 found her in tranquil sleep. With thoughtful 
 quietude they nimbly withdrew to the recess, which 
 was a sort of sanctuary wherein the old lady had 
 spent many happy moments in self communings, 
 and fitted also with many collections of art, relics, 
 153 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 souvenirs and choice antiquities, which she had 
 gathered since early childhood in her travels. 
 
 Quite an hour had elapsed when the doorbell 
 rang. Juliette, peering through the mazy meshes 
 of transparent drapery, saw that her mistress was 
 awake, and said to Nanette: "You remain here and 
 I will go to her." 
 
 And she asked: "My lady, did the sudden ring- 
 ing arouse you?" 
 
 "No, Juliette. Please send Nanette and if it is 
 Attorney Goodman she can usher him to my room. 
 Then you retire to a convenient distance of my bell, 
 as I may require the presence of each." 
 
 But a few moments elapsed ere Attorney Good- 
 man entered the room, and the old lady beckoned 
 him to be seated while she said: "I am glad you 
 were not particularly engaged in special business as 
 I felt a necessity to confer with you as to my prop- 
 erty settlements, which my age and state of health 
 makes known to me should not be deferred." 
 
 Still holding her hand, which he had taken, he 
 said: "Madam, I am sorry to find you not im- 
 proved in health. However, it is a wise person 
 who provides in season for the inevitable while yet 
 the mental faculties are unclouded, that they may 
 deal in an intellectual and honest manner, not only 
 in the sight of man, but also in the Lord, and often- 
 times it saves disadvantageous issues." 
 
 "Thank you," softly she murmured. "Please be 
 seated." 
 
 154 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Attorney Goodman, I thought proper to make 
 my will while I am strong enough to dictate con- 
 cisely. The requisitions are in that escritoire and I 
 am in sound mind and devoid of undue influence 
 when I express that you make my son, daughter, 
 and Miss Truth Fairchild equally co-heirs to all 
 my property and possessions with no other legatees 
 or bequests. 
 
 "Miss Truth has been a faithful and devoted at- 
 tendant, even to the detriment of her strong consti- 
 tution. At present her sister Hope, who Truth 
 asssures me, is perfectly innocent of the terrible 
 crime ascribed to her, requires financial aid as 
 well as sympathizing, therefore, I place a required 
 amount on deposit which will eventually be taken 
 from Truth's inheritance." 
 
 "Madam, I am chief counsellor for Miss Hope 
 Fairchild, and as the evidence now stands I am fear- 
 ful that it is overwhelmingly against her, although 
 in my own mind I believe her guiltless. How else 
 could I, when I look into those innocent and soul- 
 ful eyes? Why, I could as easily pronounce the 
 'Madonna' a criminal as Miss Hope Fairchild. But 
 that would have no weight with the jury, there- 
 fore, I must prove her to be insance, which surely 
 is the case." 
 
 "Oh, Attorney Goodman, and that would be to 
 consign her to a living death. What probable evi- 
 dence is there that she could be so judged?" 
 
 155 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Why, by her odd behavior. She speaks of the 
 robber chieftain, but when questioned will give no 
 definite or comprehensive explanation, and the de- 
 tailed directions that she gave were very non-com- 
 mittal and vague, as though trying to shield some 
 one. Had not the detective been wary he never 
 would have found the house in which she was re- 
 strained, and from which she returned gaily, hold- 
 ing the stolen coin in her hand. And when arrested 
 exhibited it, saying, "See! I saved it! Here it is, 
 'Uncle's Sacred Money.' 
 
 As he made the last assertion at the conclusion of 
 his narrative the old lady quickly arose to a sitting 
 posture, as though shocked by electricity, which 
 was really the emotional capacity of the soul rather 
 than strength, and firmly said: 
 
 "Oh, no sir; not insane. She speaks the truth, 
 for I, too, had one thousand dollars of 'Uncle's 
 Sacred Money,' and Miss Faith Fairchild asked as 
 a favor that it be invested in deserving channels. 
 That is why Truth is with me as my companion 
 to look after it with no increasing care to me." 
 
 It was now Attorney Goodman's turn to be quite 
 dumb with surprise, but managed to articulate : 
 
 "What a curious compact, and is certainly a 
 blow to my plea." As though at the end of his 
 rope, he sat lost in thought. "Can this really be 
 true the madam has been telling, or, is it an halluci- 
 nation of the brain? No, no! I cannot ascribe it 
 in that way, for her will is to be drawn and there 
 156 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 must be no doubt as to her soundnesss of mind and 
 perfect intellectual faculties. 
 
 "Really, though, it might be a pretext to defend 
 the honor of Miss Hope being a sister of Truth, 
 in whom she is wholly and strictly a devotee. Again, 
 though, I am at random, for this old lady is no 
 hypocrite. But what if it should be an illusion, 
 after all? 
 
 "I could espouse the cause of Miss Hope with 
 security of success. But the will! What of that? 
 A loophole would be ready for a contest. Attorney 
 Goodman's judgment must not be at stake ! This is 
 a serious turn of affairs which I must decide scrup- 
 ulously." Thus reflecting, he said: 
 
 "Madam, this dilemma must be solved. Can I 
 consider you correct in affirming that there existed 
 coins termed as 'Uncle's Sacred Money?" 
 
 "Why, certainly, Attorney Goodman." And the 
 interested woman concisely recounted the circum- 
 stances attendant to the Lump of Gold, dwelling 
 particularly on the fact that Miss Faith Fairchild's 
 believing in her own efficiency of faith, could, with 
 the aid of her sisters Truth, Love, Hope, and 
 Charity easily revolve its course through the cen- 
 ter of the common wealth, striving to earn a liveli- 
 hood by frugality, honorable toil and uncorrupted 
 principles." 
 
 "Your explanation is satisfactory, clear and com- 
 prehensive, but I am afraid Miss Hope's case is 
 ruined unless I resort to technicalities in order to 
 167 
 
LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 stupefy the judge, jury and people, which I con- 
 sider degrading to the lowest degree, in our Chris- 
 tian nation that boasts of its superiority in self- 
 government, for it is tantamount to an evasion or 
 subterfuge of the criminal truth and would be a 
 reproach to my dignity as a lawyer. 1 ' 
 
 Attorney Goodman's motto, since having become 
 a practitioner, had been : "The prevailment of truth." 
 Thus noting that his client was becoming wearv, 
 he said: 
 
 "Your will is now at issue; we will proceed, as 
 it must be witnessed while you are vigorous. Please 
 ring for your witnesses." 
 
 Touching the button, Juliette and Nanette re- 
 sponded to her call. 
 
 "Girls," said she, "Attorney Goodman has writ- 
 ten my will, which I have dictated to him. Al- 
 though in the decline of life I believe you can testify 
 that my mind is unclouded and free from undue in- 
 fluence, so that you can voluntarily sign it as my 
 witnesses. Also, I ask your forbearance to speak 
 of it to others than yourselves." 
 
 "I solemnly promise, my dear mistress," said 
 Juliette, while tears trickled down her rosy cheeks. 
 And Nanette, likewise affected, repeated the same 
 promise. 
 
 ''There is no occasion to weep, my dears. Many 
 years may elapse before it is required," kindly said 
 the old lady. 
 
 158 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Both maids fondly kissed her forehead, then pro- 
 ceeded to make her comfortable by arranging the 
 pillows and coverings which had become tossed in 
 her exciting episode. 
 
 Attorney Goodman came to her bedside and said : 
 "Madam, will you please state before these wit- 
 nesses if any person or persons have used any un- 
 due influence with you as to the assigning of your 
 property ?" 
 
 "It is solely my volition. I alone am responsible 
 for the allotments to my special legatees. They 
 having had no knowledge whatever that I contem- 
 plated making my will." 
 
 "Young ladies, have you a doubt as to the sanity 
 and clearness of mind of your mistress the madam 
 here?" 
 
 "No sir. I have every confidence in her rational 
 faculties," said Juliette. 
 
 "I know she is sane," answered Nanette. 
 
 "Could you take your oath that such is the case?" 
 
 "Yes, Attorney, we could," in one breath they 
 answered. 
 
 Again the attorney asked, that every shade of 
 doubt be removed: "Madam, you are certain that 
 you had one thousand dollars of the so-called 
 'Uncle's Sacred Money?' '' 
 
 "Yes, I received it at the bank and Truth has 
 been constantly with me since," she answered. 
 
 "Was there more of it, Madam?" 
 
 "O, yes, Attorney Goodman." 
 159 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Hey-hey," he articulated, and asked the wit- 
 nesses to affix their signatures. After having seen 
 the old lady sign it, he took his departure, with a 
 request from the venerable lady to place the will 
 in her safe deposit box at the bank. 
 
 This had consumed several hours. The maids 
 served nourishment, drew the curtains, administered 
 the elixir to quiet her nerves that their mistress 
 might seek restful slumber, which, despite the po- 
 tion, was very obstinate in granting the overtaxed 
 mind a speedy relaxation. But morpheus, in time, 
 sealed the eyelids and laid the mantle of uncon- 
 sciousness over the emaciated body, kindly eliminat- 
 ing the harassing cares of life that a new strengtli 
 might succor her to regain her lost health. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 Jingle, jingle, jingle! sharply rattled the old-fash- 
 ioned doorbell the old lady not caring for the new- 
 fangled things seemingly with more impetuosity 
 than usual. The vehement tones crashed through 
 the quietude of the house and reached the ears of 
 the soundly sleeping aged woman producing a most 
 startling effect. 
 
 She. sprang bolt upright in bed, and with wide 
 open, glaring eyes, sat trembling in every limb, as 
 she stared into the face of her intruder, Jeallo, who 
 recklessly dashed in without even heeding to give 
 
 160 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 the tap, tap signal for entrance to the sick chamber, 
 saying : 
 
 "Oh, Aunt, I am glad you are up and awake. 
 Mr. Peabody and I, tiring of the races as there 
 was some misunderstanding about the horses being 
 run took a cruise, motoring arouning the country 
 instead. 
 
 "Look, Aunt, he has given me those beautiful 
 diamonds of which T told you, and said they rep- 
 resent quite a fortune and should anything happen 
 to him I would be well provided for. Was not he 
 thoughtfully kind ? 
 
 "And Aunt, I will not require an engagement 
 ring now. You can see why, for there is a sweet 
 little plain gold band on my finger instead." 
 
 "We concluded to give you a surprise, after all, 
 and save much bother and perplexity now that 
 you are ill besides, you would feel unpleasant with 
 having those desperate coughing convulsions in case 
 we had a home wedding. But we are married, and 
 I am jolly happy now that it is all over. We autoed 
 to a little town and Mr. Peabody procured the 
 license, then a minister, who performed the cere- 
 monial services in the cutest little church you ever 
 saw, so quickly that I scarcely realized when I be- 
 came Mrs. Peabody. 
 
 "Is he not a darling, Aunt? He said since I 
 belong to him now the landing of his ship of pure 
 gold does not worry him so much, but without doubt 
 will arrive tonight. Is it not splendid? 
 161 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Nevertheless, he feels uneasy about you and 
 asked me to return and tell you about our mar- 
 riage. He supposedd my dower dot had already 
 been arranged and of course now you will expedite 
 the matter immediately. 
 
 "He mentioned, though, that being old and very 
 ill that I should suggest that you make your will. 
 Shall I phone for a lawyer, aunt?" 
 
 "No, Jeallo. I shall never make my will again." 
 
 "Oh, then aunt you have already done so. Well, 
 that is good, and it will be a great relief to Harry, 
 as he especially dotes on you. but loves me. Of 
 course, I know you have willed me quite a fortune, 
 as your's is so great. Is it not lucky you had such 
 a rich brother to die away off in Australia? And 
 now I can buy me a confirmation dress if I can find 
 one that is as lovely as that other and not have 
 to ask Harry for the money, either. I must go to 
 Harry now, who is waiting. I know he will be 
 overjoyed, although he is somewhat anxious about 
 our ship he expects tonight. 
 
 "Wouldn't it be a-w-f-u-1 if a whirlwind or an 
 earthquake should topple it over and spill all of 
 Harry's pure gold into the ocean? But we would 
 have to get it someway. Good-bye, aunt, don't look 
 for us tonight, as I do not want to meet that Truth 
 at dinner." 
 
 Jeallo, enraptured by her own selfish private 
 interest, had not noticed the increasing pallor of 
 her aunt, or the convulsive effort to breathe as she 
 162 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 placed her hand over her heart to quiet its throb- 
 bings. Truth had not yet returned, as Attorney 
 Goodman had met her and said he wanted to hear 
 the story from her of "Uncle's Sacred Money," for 
 her sister Hope's life depended on him and he must 
 conscientiously do all he could to save it. The 
 maids, always on the alert, had heard the confu- 
 sion and on Jeallo's departure entered the room and 
 found their mistress unconscious. Never having 
 seen a person in that condition, they thought her 
 dead and were apathetic and speechless from fright. 
 Fortunately, Truth arrived at that opportune mo- 
 ment and viewing the situation turned deathly pale 
 and frantically cried: "Juliette! Nanette! Girls, 
 call a doctor quickly. Oh, be quick, girls." And 
 when the physician arrived he used his utmost skill 
 to instill the old lady with vitality. To a certain 
 extent he was successful, but her resuscitation was 
 attended by such severe spasmodic coughing that 
 she relaxed through weakness into a stupor and 
 before morning lapsed into the long, long slumber 
 from which there is no awakening. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 True to her word, Jeallo did not return home 
 that night, but came early the following morning. 
 Meeting Juliette at the door, she said : 
 
 "I thought I would take a run home to see how 
 aunt is this morning. Harry did not come, as he 
 163 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 is out of sorts because he did not hail his ship of 
 gold last night, and is now with his glass survey- 
 ing the sea coast. I told him he would become 
 blind straining his eyes so much, then he could 
 not see aunt at all, so he said, 'To show that he 
 loved her he would send his remembrances !' Why, 
 Juliette! how red your eyes are! Have you been 
 crying? Has your lover played truant? Or what 
 is the matter?" 
 
 Sobbingly, Juliette answered: "Oh, Miss Jeallo, 
 my dear mistress is dead died this morning early." 
 
 "Is that so? How sudden!'' laconically said the 
 hard-hearted Jeallo, who had never been known to 
 shed sympathetic tears. "The dear old soul I 
 am so glad she made her will in time. I must 
 go and tell Harry and he will be, too. It was well 
 I bade her good-bye before I went away ; also 
 told of our marriage." Oh, by the way, we cannot 
 attend the funeral tomorrow, as Harry and I are 
 to motor up the coast to sight the ship loaded with 
 that pure gold. But yes, we must be back in a 
 few days, by the time the will is read. As I am 
 one of the heirs, it will oblige me to be there to 
 hear it. Harry, I am sure, will attend, for he took 
 such a decided interest in her making one. I sup- 
 pose that sweet, angelic Truth will be on hand, 
 but it will do her no good, as aunt knew exactly 
 how I had to admonish Truth continually or she 
 would have let her die long ago from utter neglect. 
 Bye, bye, Juliette." 
 
 164 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Contrary to Jeallo's expectations, the funeral did 
 not take place the next day, nor on the day follow- 
 ing, Truth having had the body embalmed to await 
 the coming of the old lady's children. Hearing this, 
 upon her return, Jeallo sent a note of regrets: 
 
 "My Dear Truth: We are so burdened with 
 trouble about our overdue ship, which is loaded with 
 PURE GOLD, that we cannot possibly lose a moment 
 from our vigilance to attend the funeral. In fact, 
 Harry is almost prostrate from ceaseless watching, 
 and I cannot leave him to bear all the fatigue. Be- 
 sides, if anything happened to it while gone, we 
 would regret it all our lives. 
 
 "Believe me, lovingly your friend, 
 
 "JEALLO PEABODY." 
 
 "P. S. Be sure and let us know when and where 
 the will is to be read. J. P." 
 
 Much as Truth distrusted the affectionate mani- 
 festations of Jeallo as being genuine, she replied to 
 the note of regrets the day following the funeral. 
 
 "Mrs. Peabody: Attorney Goodman will open 
 and read the will of your 'aunt' at his private office 
 tomorrow at 10 A. M., as the family are anxious to 
 return to their respective homes. Very truly, 
 
 "TRUTH FAIRCHILD." 
 
 At the time appointed, the interested parties were 
 on hand, excepting Truth, who that morning hav- 
 ing received a note of condolence from her sisters, 
 Hope and Love, hastened to send an answer by the 
 return messenger. When Truth, belated, made her 
 165 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 appearance in the doorway, Jeallo rushed effusively 
 to her, saying: "Good morning, dear Truth. We 
 have anxiously been waiting for you. There must 
 have been very urgent matters to have kept you so 
 late on an occasion like this. It is now five minutes 
 after 10 o'clock." 
 
 "Yes," explained Truth. "I was writing to my 
 sister Hope, that I would soon be with her to re- 
 main and be a support through her trial." 
 
 "O-h-h-h," drawled Jeallo. 
 
 "Yes," continued Truth, "My whole effort of lov- 
 ing sympathy will be given to my sister Hope to 
 help shorten the days of her affliction, now that my 
 sorrowing old lady lies in her tomb." 
 
 Mockingly sweet, Jeallo replied: "Well, dear, 
 Truth, come in. They are waiting and you should 
 no longer inflict the displeasure of Attorney Good- 
 man." 
 
 Satisfactorily seating herself beside her husband, 
 Jeallo, in a sinister undertone, said: "Truth has 
 been writing to her jail-bird sister while she kept us 
 waiting, and said she was going to her. I wonder 
 if she will occupy the jail couch also. Being known 
 by the name of T-R-U-T-H she positively believes 
 herself immaculate and can convince the judge and 
 jury that her sister Hope is too heavenly to have 
 had a hand in killing that nice Bishop, so that I 
 could not be confirmed in that lovely dress. 
 
 "Oh ! Attorney Goodman is reading. I suppose 
 night will be here before he finishes. In novels, a 
 166 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 great length of time is consumed reading crusty old 
 folks' wills. Why, Harry, darling, I feel just like 
 a heroine in a fairy tale, whose god mother flour- 
 ishes her wand, transforming her into a little god- 
 dess with chalices of gold for drinking cups, and 
 the dew-drops diamonds, and making her toys price- 
 less pearls." Thus Jeallo, lost in her outspoken 
 reverie, failed to note that Attorney Goodman had 
 completed reading in a clear, distinct tone, the brief, 
 concise and comprehensive last will and testament 
 of the old lady, and was returning it to its former 
 receptacle, when she exclaimed : 
 
 "Why, Attorney Goodman, are you not going to 
 read the will?" 
 
 "Mrs. Peabody, I have read it completely." 
 
 "Why, Attorney Goodman! When did you read 
 it? I have been listening attentively and thought 
 you had just commenced." 
 
 "Well, Mrs. Peabody, being not of great length 
 I will repeat the reading." 
 
 And when his second perusal had ceased, Jeallo 
 shouted : 
 
 "Go on to the end!" 
 
 "I have done so, Mrs. Peabody, for the second 
 time." 
 
 ''But Attorney Goodman, there must be a codi- 
 cil," she almost screamed. 
 
 Turning the will so that she also might scrutinize 
 it, he calmly answered: "No, there is none." 
 
 167 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Well, I'll be switched," she yelled in hysterical 
 rage. ''That horrid, little dried up old witch had a 
 great deal of effrontery not even to mention my 
 name. 
 
 ''There must have been a deal of juggling, other- 
 wise her saintly ways were very deceiving, and it is 
 shameful, with the sacrifices I have made for her. 
 
 ''Why, I lost no time in coming to console her, 
 as I knew that her delicate health would not permit 
 the handling and care of the a-w-f-u-1 big fortune 
 which her only brother left when he died. And I 
 have buried myself in that a-w-f-u-1-l-y rambling and 
 d-r-e-a-d-f-u-1-l-y, lonely old house ever since." 
 
 Noticing Truth as she made her exit, Jeallo con- 
 tinued in spiteful wrath and sinister fury : "Ah, 
 ha! but that escaping jade arrived before me, pre- 
 tending she was looking after 'Uncle's Sacred 
 Coins,' when it was Aunt's millions she craved. 
 Her heathenish mode accomplished its purpose. But 
 I would be pleased to know by what right should 
 Aunt will it to her? There is an opening for a 
 contest. 
 
 "The viper! No wonder she sneaked out se- 
 curely feeling that she will have everything her own 
 way. But Harry, dear, I will show her that she 
 cannot so easily get rid of me, and also that she 
 will have ample time to continue her moaning and 
 harping over 'Uncle's Sacred Money.' 
 
 "And Harry, my love, have no more fear. Our 
 bills will be paid to ease your anxiety until our gold 
 168 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 can be coined into money so that the diamonds may 
 not be sacrificed, either." 
 
 She had been so intent with her crafty spirited 
 deluge of vindictive and revengeful expressions that 
 she had not noted that she was talking to space, 
 while fastening her glove. After learning the full 
 significance of the will her husband had made a 
 sudden, hasty, eager and violent rush for the street, 
 while Jeallo was writhing at the highest, in her in- 
 sane fury. 
 
 Discovering his departure, her lovings and rage 
 knew no bounds, and exhautsed her lungs by frantic 
 shoutings : "Harry ! Why, where is Harry, my 
 husband? That wretch of a Truth has frightened 
 him a"way." Calling from the door, "Harry ! Harry ! 
 Where are you? I am ready now. Your dovey is 
 waiting. That sycophantical parasitical of a woman 
 cannot have enticed you away from your dovey dar- 
 ling, whom you told this morning was the very 
 essence sweetness. 
 
 "Ah, I know now. You are teasing me with a 
 joke. Or, rather, you may have rushed home, feel- 
 ing that those diamonds were unsafe in that suit 
 case. 
 
 "I am sorry to have troubled you, Harry dear, 
 but I have them with me, and the best of it is 
 am going to keep them. My name is not Mrs. Pea- 
 body with no recompense, and a 'bird in the hand 
 is worth two in the bush.' " 
 
 169 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 On leaving Attorney Goodman':? office. Truth 
 entered a passing street car, which conveyed her 
 to the jail, where she had a long visit with her 
 sisters. Love, Hope and Miss Joy, then returned 
 to her home. 
 
 The next morning she found a number of press- 
 ing bills on the escritoire. She had been in the 
 habit of settling them even before the severe illness 
 of the old lady. Then, too, as Attorney Goodman 
 had read from the will that "Truth Fairchild was 
 appointed sole executrix," she proceeded to give 
 them her attention. 
 
 Going to the closet to get some money, she sor- 
 rowfully remarked : "It is very sad, yet I am thank- 
 ful that this money, 'Uncle's Sacred Coin.' can fulfill 
 this mission of service in the holy ceremony of dis- 
 charging one's obligations to the living and the 
 dead. 
 
 "My dear old lady would say. 'Truth, see that 
 all the debts are paid.' ' She reached forth her 
 hand to draw the money from the china bowl on the 
 top shelf, but found none, and stepping on a foot- 
 stool she made further search, for she could not be- 
 lieve it stolen. 
 
 She called the maids, Juliette and Nanette, and 
 with their assistance sought every nook and cranny 
 of the closet, but with no avail. 
 170 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Wearily, Truth said: "Girls, I see no other al- 
 ternative than to place this matter in the hands of 
 the police." 
 
 Juliette, seeing Truth's look of exhaustion, said: 
 "Shall I ring for one?" 
 
 "Thank you, Juliette, you may," courteously an- 
 swered Truth. 
 
 The chief of police hastened to respond, and sent 
 two of his most trusted men, who, with the as- 
 sistance of Truth, even with her increasing anxiety 
 and oblivious of her failing strength after such a 
 long pressure, removed every article from the closet, 
 ransacked the drawers and examined the furniture. 
 
 With confidence, one policeman called out: "It's 
 no use, Miss Truth. Some thief has purloined that 
 money/' 
 
 Feeling heartsick and faint, Truth said : "And it 
 is 'uncle's sacred money,' too. Will you kindly re- 
 port the matter to Attorney Goodman ?" 
 
 "1 will, Miss Truth/' immediately spoke one of 
 them. 
 
 Attorney Goodman, without concern, quietly re- 
 marked, when informed of the loss: "I am not 
 surprised." 
 
 But the policeman was, and stood staring at him 
 in a most observant and bewildered mood, then said : 
 "Perhaps I am a little daft, attorney, but I do not 
 understand why." 
 
 "Not at all, my good man. It is my opinion that 
 I can place you on the track of the culprit." 
 171 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "That will be a good job, attorney, for Miss 
 Truth's anxiety is very depressing to her naturally 
 strong disposition." 
 
 "Yes, her enduring capacity has been wonderful, 
 and the intense astonishment at the missing of the 
 coins termed as 'uncle's sacred money' must act as 
 a serious drain on her nervous system. Therefore, 
 we must honestly aid her in every possible way," 
 quothed the attorney. 
 
 "Surely, attorney/' assented the policeman. 
 
 "Well, sir, many diabolical utterances were made 
 at my office by one of the assumed but disappointed 
 legatees after the reading of the old lady's will who 
 died at the house recently." And the attorney, con- 
 tinuing, recapitulated the scene of Jeallo's angry, 
 immoderate and unreasonable repinings and of her 
 sarcastic utterance, with an important toss of the 
 head, that "Harry's debts would be paid." 
 
 "Attorney Goodman, you are right, and I will 
 immediately get a warrant from the judge for her 
 arrest." 
 
 Jeallo's narrow mind had not grasped the conse- 
 quences otherwise than malignantly spiting Truth. 
 She knew nothing would incur more harassing 
 perplexity to her than the loss of "uncle's sacred 
 Coin." Therefore, with triumphant satisfaction, that 
 very same evening took advantage of her oppor- 
 tunity and procured it. Exultingly she exhibited the 
 money to the hotel proprietor, as she had believed 
 her husband's hasty disappearance was due to the 
 172 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 cause of uneasiness in being unable to pay their 
 fare. 
 
 Jeallo was anxious to retain her husband's love, 
 the which she foolishly believed he was powerless to 
 help. Their first meeting had been fraught with 
 eager and hasty reciprocal friendship, which resulted 
 in opening the well-spring of love in his heart, but 
 the fountain ultimately ceased its issue as he dis- 
 covered the shallow depths of affection returned. 
 In the superficial transparency he had discovered 
 untruthfulness, deceit and mercenary gain. 
 
 Like the predominating spirit of man he disliked 
 to be vanquished, therefore strove to subdue her by 
 the god of love and to conquer with her own weapon 
 of selfishness and dupe her as to his own wealth. 
 
 Consequently he delineated not the intelligence 
 of the manly man nor yet the courageous, but that 
 of the cowardly, inasmuch as, when his true love 
 vanished, he continued the delusion for the sake of 
 gaining the inherited wealth covetously sought by 
 Jeallo. 
 
 Now that he had disappeared Jeallo did not be- 
 moan him with a breaking heart, but the loss of the 
 gold-laden ship was disappointing to the extreme, 
 and without abandon wended her way to the wharf, 
 hoping to find the ship. She did not hurry but took 
 her time, that she might not miss her husband, for 
 surely the two hundred dollars would pacify all 
 restraint. 
 
 173 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 She retraced her steps when she could find neither, 
 and consoled her disturbed mind with the fact that 
 she still possessed the diamonds. 
 
 Deliberating thus, she was sauntering up ihe 
 street, when a policeman, placing his hand on her, 
 said: "Mrs. Peabody, you are under arrest." 
 
 "What for?" asked Jeallo. 
 
 "No time for explanations or expostulations, 
 Madam Peabody. Move along!" said he. 
 
 "I will not !'' boldly Jeallo raged, and, when he 
 took hold of her arm, fought like a tiger defending 
 her young. 
 
 "Be careful, none of this, mum," said he, "and 
 none of your back talk, either, or you will increase 
 your penalty by resisting an officer." 
 
 "Well, I don't care, and will not go to jail where 
 that nasty Miss Hope is, who killed the nice Bishop 
 that was going to confirm me." 
 
 Truth, who had gone out to recuperate her wast- 
 ing energies with the bracing air, by some freak of 
 fortune passed up the street at the moment when 
 the policeman had placed the handcuffs on Jeallo's 
 wrists, whose ejaculations of rage were of such 
 vociferous vehemence that it attracted her attention. 
 And unconsciously, as when the pianoforte playing 
 caused such havoc with her peace of mind, Truth 
 placed her hands over her ears and increased her 
 footsteps to a very rapid gait, exclaiming : 
 
 174 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "My, oh, my! How can one of my sex be so 
 perverted?'' Turning- for an instant, she heard the 
 policeman urging: 
 
 "Come along, Madam Peabody, I say !" 
 
 "You have no right to arrest me, Mr. Policeman. 
 Arrest that hussy that passed just now," demanded 
 Jeallo. "She nabbed all of aunt's money and is mad 
 because some one secured that two hundred dollars 
 so that she could not secure that, too, the tormented 
 interloper. Her disgraceful sister is in jail, but I'll 
 fool Miss Truth and not go there. Here, Mr. 
 Policeman, are these diamonds as security for bail.'' 
 
 "All right, Madam Peabody, after you are turned 
 over to the judge you can make your plea with 
 him." 
 
 Truth had preceded them and stood at the grated 
 window talking to her sister Hope when the officer 
 marched Jeallo by, who called out in loud tones : 
 "I came to visit Truth's sister Hope in jail, but will 
 not stop now as I have an important message for 
 the judge." 
 
 With complacency the policeman greeted Truth, 
 and said : "Judge Quinn will require your presence 
 in the court room, Miss Truth." 
 
 Reluctantly she followed, and Jeallo, not waiting 
 for the officer to turn her over to the court, drew 
 near and said with egotism : "Judge Quinn, please 
 order your servant to take my big diamonds to a 
 jeweler, broker or pawnshop and get the price of 
 175 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 them, and mind that he honestly brings all the 
 money back for me." 
 
 "Not so fast, Madam Peabody," intervened the 
 policeman. "Judge, book this woman as a thief for 
 stealing a purse of two hundred dollars of marked 
 coins/' 
 
 "You told me, Mr. Policeman, to make my plea 
 to the Judge, and now you say that I have the 
 money." 
 
 "Without a doubt that fact can be proven. And 
 Judge, also book her for resisting an officer of the 
 law. You bet, Madam Peabody, that will give you 
 a section in the calaboose." 
 
 "Officer, do your duty. I have no more time to 
 lose," said the Judge. Thereupon, Jeallo showed 
 her teeth as does a snarling, grinning hyena, which 
 is eternally growling as though it would be a 
 righteous act to snap somebody's head off. 
 
 "Judge, listen, I say! I have some great big 
 diamonds that my husband gave to me which will 
 be more than enough to satisfy for bail money." 
 
 "Let me look at them, madam, if you please." 
 
 "Certainly, but that chump of a policeman will 
 have to release my hands." 
 
 "Unlock the cuffs, officer!" 
 
 With a sigh of victorious relief she took the jewel 
 case from her wrist bag and handed it to the Judge. 
 
 "Perhaps the purse is there also," remarked the 
 policeman. 
 
 176 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "No, sir; it is not, you brute!" and turned it 
 upside down with a malicious smile of revenge, as 
 she espied Truth standing near, added "And sweet 
 Miss Truth knows it is not there." 
 
 Handing the case of jewels to the officer, the 
 Judge said : "Officer, take these to some expert to 
 value them and let her remain here until you return. 
 If of sufficient value, she can go on her own 
 cognizance." 
 
 "All right, Judge." 
 
 As he started on his errand, Miss Truth went to 
 the Judge and said: "Thank you, Judge, for not 
 committing Jeallo immediately to the jail, for she 
 may not be guilty. In that case I would not for the 
 world have her character stigmatized." 
 
 "You need not worry, sweet Truth," sneeringly 
 said Jeallo. "My big diamonds will amply satisfy 
 all requirements and I will live sumptuously, even 
 if you are to receive aunt's pile of money." 
 
 As Jeallo rested her mind by uttering this bit of 
 scorn, the policeman returned. Handing the jewel 
 case to the Judge, he said : 
 
 "May it please your honor, here are the jewels. 
 I presented them to the Diamond Palace establish- 
 ment and their experts pronounce them spurious, 
 not even being of as good an article as paste really 
 more like crystal glass. To make a sure thing of it, 
 I took them to several other places, and their judg- 
 ment concurred." 
 
 177 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "He lies ! he lies !" shouted Jeallo, "for my hus- 
 band brought them home from Alaska and gave 
 them to me for a wedding present." 
 
 "Where is your husband, Mrs. Peabody?" asked 
 the Judge. 
 
 "I do not know, Judge. He went out when my 
 aunt's will was read, which gave all the money to 
 Truth and me none, and I have not seen him since." 
 
 "Take this woman to jail to await her trial," com- 
 manded the Judge. 
 
 The officer snapped the criminal bracelets on 
 again.. As the click of the last catch greeted her 
 ear, Jeallo's arrogant assumption for once forsook 
 her and cringingly began to plead. 
 
 "Oh, Mr. Policeman, don't take me to jail. 
 Please, your honor, Mr. Judge, don't let him take 
 me to jail !" 
 
 Truth pityingly stepped forward. "Please, your 
 honor, could not I bail her out?" 
 
 "No!" bluntly answered the Judge. "She has 
 imposed too much on you already." 
 
 Obsequiously crouching, Jeallo cried : Please, 
 your honor, oh. Judge, if I should give Truth the 
 two hundred dollars, would you still send me to 
 jail?" 
 
 The Judge had not anticipated an alternative like 
 this, and in his short hesitation to answer Truth 
 tearfully intervened. 
 
 "Judge Quinn, may it please your honor, if they 
 are the marked coins or uncle's sacred money I 
 178 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 beg of you let her return them. That really is all 
 the importance attached to them." 
 
 "Yes, yes, Judge, it is really 'uncle's sacred 
 money/ " said Jeallo. 
 
 "What," said the Judge, "are all the women going 
 crazy over 'uncle's sacred money'? jShow that 
 money to Miss Truth if you have it," commanded 
 the Judge. "Policeman, unlock those cuffs." 
 
 Her hands freed, she deftly withdrew a purse 
 from the inside folds of her shirtwaist. The police- 
 man, taking it, said: "Miss Truth, examine the 
 contents of this purse." 
 
 Truth poured the contents on the Judge's desk, 
 and with a happy look said: 
 
 "Yes, yes, it is 'uncle's sacred money.' '" Picking 
 up one of the coins, she showed the Judge a small 
 hole about half pierced through, close to the eagle's 
 claws. 
 
 Bending over to scrutinize it closely, the police- 
 man exclaimed : "Be gad, miss, that surely is your 
 'sacred coin,' and you have her cornered for the 
 'penn..' that is certain." 
 
 This was an intense moment. . 
 
 Truth simple, tender-natured Truth, looking at 
 crestfallen Jeallo, who stood quaking in body with 
 chattering teeth, presenting a most dejected and 
 cadaverous appearance as though the earth was 
 opening to swallow her, then at the policeman, 
 whose face depicted the most derisive scorn as he 
 looked at Jeallo, and at the Judge, whose stern look 
 179 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 and set features determined his uncompromising 
 judgment. A feeling of the most profound pity 
 filled her heart, although she knew that Jeallo's 
 obdurate nature was under subjection only through 
 fear and not really subdued and penitent. But 
 Truth's soul recoiled from branding this young 
 creature, with such a perverted mind, with the shame 
 of guilt which might be the stigma that would lead 
 her still into deeper depths of sin. 
 
 With tears in her eyes, she appealingly said: 
 "Oh, Judge, please, Judge, have compassion on her. 
 This must be Jeallo's first offense, and now she has 
 returned the money no one really will suffer." 
 
 Replying, the Judge said: "Miss Truth, your 
 clemency is without precedence and denotes the 
 nobleness of your character. My forbearance, 
 though against my will, yields to your solicitation." 
 
 "I am very grateful, Judge Quinn, for your 
 leniency." 
 
 The Judge had before him two women to con- 
 template. "Truth," who was the personification of 
 her name and the loyalty with which she defended 
 it, together with her emollient supplication for 
 merciful indulgence, won his unanimous regard as 
 a woman of irreproachable renown. 
 
 A mere glance of the eye completely changed his 
 meditation, for he saw in Jeallo a perfect trans- 
 formation, which was not that of thankfulness but 
 a return to a look of victorious conquest. 
 180 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Consciously his softened impulse forsook him 
 and sternly said: "Madam Peabody, if you had 
 your just deserts and I pronounced my own judg- 
 ment, I would land you in the Penitentiary without 
 giving you a sympathizing tear. 
 
 ''But this lady, Miss Truth, whose very name and 
 nature identifies her with the most exalted of the 
 earth's inhabitants, beseeches me to set you free 
 even though you have let no opportunity escape to 
 cast slurs of the most scandalous vituperations to 
 plunder her of the respect of her friends, while yet 
 smiling sweetly at her face. 
 
 "Such behavior is not to be admired, no matter 
 how beautiful the outward surface, and if I believed 
 you would expurgate it from your character I 
 would be happy to say, as Christ did, 'Go forth and 
 sin no more/ but your very countenance betrays 
 you. Thus my decision is, Leave this community 
 and State and let us see you no more, for your 
 presence is an execration." 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 "Leon, Leon, O Leon Martmorelli ! You will 
 never know how I adored you, although I could not 
 bring myself to invite you to be my king, which 
 afterwards you told me had won your regard as 
 being of superior maidenly modesty. 
 
 "But Leon, my true lover, if you could see your 
 Marquita who was once your queen in her small, 
 181 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 close apartment with hideously disfigured features, 
 your very soul would be racked and overwrought 
 with horror and disgust. 
 
 "O my beloved Leon. I may still call you by 
 that endearing name while in no other presence 
 than my own ; thus live in the ecstasy of your love, 
 for it is all that I shall ever know of earthly bliss. 
 
 "The happiest day of my life was that of the 
 garden party, which was such a financial success 
 and succored those deserving, dejected people. 
 After crowning me you knelt on the dais, saying: 'I 
 pay homage to our beautiful Queen Marquita. The 
 sun adds not more brilliancy to the sky than does 
 her beauty lend luster to the throne on which I, too, 
 have the honor to have been established. Together 
 we will wield the scepter strictly with one accord, 
 subduing all strife or hostile feeling, that harmony 
 may exist throughout our kingdom. I greet you. 
 Queen Marquita, with royal favor for having 
 ascended my throne/ Raising my hand to your 
 lips, seated yourself by my side, and that fatal 
 moment made you sovereign of my heart. 
 
 "Ere the close of our reign your soft whisperings 
 reached my ear, which sent the blood of love rioting 
 through m}' veins and painted the rose color of 
 happiness on my cheeks and translucent sparkle to 
 my eyes. 'Queen Marquita Forest,' came from your 
 intonated breath, 'you have charmed me as has no 
 other woman and I would that this day never end, 
 or, better still, you assent truly to become my queen. 
 182 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 giving no one else a right of homage, and consent 
 to be my own true love. 
 
 '* 'I would erect a palace small with a throne 
 room, wherein we would place Cupid the god of 
 love to reign supreme. I would be the subject to 
 kneel before your royal chair and worship at the 
 shrine of my beloved and beauteous queen.' 
 
 "You paused, Leon, O my king you paused as 
 though awaiting my answer. My heart rapidly 
 pulsated with such loud strokes I was sure you could 
 hear it. My tongue was dormant, not from as- 
 tonishment, grief or fright, but from unlimited joy 
 and bliss which seemed that of heaven. 
 
 "Then you said or asked: 'What do I hear, 
 Queen Marquita? Does not this felicity meet with 
 a responsive feeling?' 
 
 " 'Yes/ I managed to answer, 'but I am over- 
 powered with happiness that you should have such 
 exalted love for me, and the throbbings of my heart 
 must be as deafening to you as me. Surely it is in 
 unison with yours. 
 
 " 'But you speak of only one seat on that throne 
 and you a subject. Nay, nay. Leon, there must be 
 two seats,' said I, unconsciously giving him his 
 Christian name. 'Queen Marquita could not exist 
 as an image of idolatry which could return the 
 warm fervency of your love only by a cold, syco- 
 phant, staring adulation. 
 
 183 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 " 'She must have you by her side, that she may 
 partake of thy warmth to make her blithesome and 
 joyous.' 
 
 "And Leon ! Leon ! O my king Leon, how it made 
 my whole being thrill as you clasped my hand 
 quietly in yours and said: 'My queen, my beautiful 
 queen, your desire shall be granted. There shall be 
 two chairs side by side, and shall ever remain so 
 through our great journey of life, not even the 
 grave shall divide us.' 
 
 "Leon ! my king, my king. I cannot give you 
 up. This grief is more prostrating than is my foul 
 and loathesome malady. 
 
 "What am I saying? Cannot! Why, I must give 
 you up. I could lie down by your side in death, but 
 not to inoculate you with an obnoxious, ulcerous, 
 eating, fatal disease. That is why I disappeared so 
 suddenly and entirely dropped out of your life. The 
 doctor named the disease and I fled. Leon! Leon, 
 my king Leon ! Do you miss your queen Marquita ? 
 Do you miss me ? Leon ! Leon ! farewell, farewell ! 
 I am sinking, good-bye, good-bye." 
 
 This soliloquizing colloquy which Marquita in- 
 dulged in was her daily recreation, until by sheer 
 exhaustion she relaxed into weariness and sought 
 her couch. 
 
 One day, after a most saddening recital, the 
 attendant called her to the grating to receive her 
 food and said: 
 
 184 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Miss, a lady sent this card and is waiting to see 
 you since early this morning." 
 
 Marquita, reading aloud, "Miss Charity Fair- 
 child." At first she shrank from meeting a stranger, 
 but her long confinement and great solitude made 
 her eager to see one of her own sex, therefore, for- 
 getting her unfortunate condition and appearance, 
 mournfully said: 
 
 "Oh, I am so thankful." Then, with a rush of 
 memory, asked : "Will they let her see me ?" 
 
 "Yes," he answered, "she has a permit issued for 
 the sake of charity." 
 
 Miss Charity Fairchild had been sanguine in her 
 belief that she could do much towards the improve- 
 ment of the situation if not the release of this un- 
 fortunate young girl, the knowledge of which she 
 had obtained from the Humane Society, but on be- 
 holding Marquita at once saw how fruitless would 
 be the attempt. Her whole soul was wrapped in a 
 quandary as they each stood staring at each other 
 through the grated window, consciously at a loss 
 for words to give expression to their thoughts. 
 
 Then a happy smile replaced the somber look in 
 Miss Charity's face, as the mind expressed what 
 she could not speak. Ah, at last I found a true 
 work for "uncle's sacred money," there is no sham 
 here. 
 
 As if by magic her oratory was unsealed and 
 fluently flowed the words. "My dear young lady, 
 a mere chance made me aware of your presence in 
 185 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 this place and had great difficulty in obtaining a 
 permit to visit you. 
 
 "But I have accomplished my purpose, at the 
 risk of the contagion, that my own eyes might set the 
 seal of truth on your situation. No words have 
 described nor my imagination fully pictured you as 
 residing in this lonely, gloomy, sepulchral cell." 
 
 Solemnly Marquita answered: "Miss Charity, 
 you are very kind and the words you utter are but 
 the echo of my own wailings in this, my living 
 death. Better had the waves swallowed me while 
 in their embrace at the same time my parents lost 
 their lives in a wreck coming from my native 
 Italy." 
 
 "I heard no name from the Humane Society," 
 said Charity. 
 
 "Yes. Purposely 1 guarded it from the public," 
 evasively she answered. 
 
 "J understand why," returned Charity. "1 over- 
 heard your monologue, which out of commiseration 
 I could not interrupt, but wondered that your lover 
 had not come to your assistance. But you repeated 
 the name Marquita Marquita Forest ?" 
 
 "Yes, that is my name," reluctantly she answered. 
 
 "Marquita Forest. A pretty name, and I cannot 
 upbraid you for your disconsolate longings. Have 
 you no relatives to aid and give you comfort?" 
 
 "No. One day a newspaper of old date wrapped 
 my eatables, which I eagerly scanned. Mamma 
 Forest's death was chronicled as dying from grief 
 186 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 at the loss of her adopted daughter. And her 
 nearest of kin received their inheritance." 
 
 "And your own parents, Marquita, had they no 
 relatives?" asked Charity. 
 
 "They each were orphans, having only foster 
 brothers and sisters who were extremely jealous if 
 indulgencies of any kind was meted to them from 
 their adopted parents. 
 
 "Thus from childhood although in different 
 homes they met in reciprocal friendship, then 
 mutual affection which ripened into true love and 
 afterwards were plighted in marriage, in which 
 state they remained unimpaired, and even the arms 
 of death could not separate them. I was their only 
 offspring. Oh, Miss Charity, would to God that I 
 had not been saved ! The trio should, as they had 
 lived, have met death together." 
 
 "Marquita ! No, no ; I pray you may be forgiven 
 that expression. Let not despair fill your soul." 
 
 "But why, Miss Charity? What have I done that 
 I should be tortured by this ignominious condition 
 of my body ?" 
 
 "My dear Marquita, there is no suffering with- 
 out a panacea or balm." 
 
 "But there is no balm for me, Miss Charity." 
 
 "We are assured there is a balm, Marquita, else 
 we would not be thus commanded : 
 
 ' 'Go up into Gilead and take balm, O virgin, the 
 daughter of Egypt. In vain shalt thou use many 
 medicines: for thou shalt not be cured.' And this 
 187 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 balm, then, must mean the healing power of Light 
 to the soul when despondent." 
 
 "Light, Miss Charity, is not that very vague?" 
 
 "Why should it be, Marquita? The Supreme One 
 encircled this earth with an agent or force by the 
 action of which objects are rendered visible, and 
 created us with an organ of sight of such subtle 
 delicacy that we might view them in all their 
 splendor and magnificence. In fact, no effort was 
 wanting to contribute to our pleasures, that we 
 might seek the True Light without recoil or dis- 
 satisfaction." 
 
 "The True Light, Miss Charity. What are we to 
 understand by that?" 
 
 My dear, we will look in this little book I have 
 with me and find: 
 
 'The same was in the beginning with God. 
 
 ' 'All things were made by Him, and without 
 Him was not anything made that was made. 
 
 ' 'In Him was life and the life was the light of 
 man. 
 
 ' 'And the light shineth in the darkness : and the 
 darkness comprehendeth it not. 
 
 ' 'There was a man sent from God whose name 
 was John. 
 
 " 'The same came for a witness, to bear witness 
 of the Light, that all men through him might be- 
 lieve. 
 
 ' 'He was not that Light, but was sent to bear 
 witness of that Light. 
 
 188 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 : 'That was the true Light, which lighteth every 
 man that cometh into the world.' 
 
 ''Don't you see, Marquita, that 'God'' is the true 
 Light, and it is that for which we ask to guide us 
 in righteous ways." 
 
 "But, Miss Charity, how are we to distinguish it 
 from the light we see around us?" 
 
 "Marquita, dear, close your eyes wholly to vision- 
 ary light and forget all else than the true Light, 
 with which dwell in communion with thy whole 
 spirit, soul and body, not as unseemly selfish, but in 
 true-hearted sincerity, loving thy brother and neigh- 
 bor as thyself. Then follow strictly without de- 
 viation the teachings of thy conscience, which is the 
 Light transmitted to you to transfigure the soul into 
 Godliness." 
 
 "Oh, Miss Charity! There would be no conclu- 
 sion to my worship of you if you could but impart 
 to me the knowledge to lose the remembrance that 
 my future can be nothing but an obscured life, 
 overshadowed by the blackest of clouds, which emits 
 not the refreshing torrents of rain to strength vege- 
 tation's growth and heighten their animating powers 
 as though possessed of animal life, but the whirl- 
 winds and tempest-tossed hurricanes and cyclones 
 that breeds destruction to everything animate or in- 
 animate within its course. This is my doom, and 
 I am filled with scornful contempt when the light of 
 day or flashes of lightning by night reveals the 
 189 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 passers by, who with index hand points to me, say- 
 ing: 'Go not near! She is foul or unclean from 
 disease. Approach her not !' ' 
 
 "Marquita, worship belongs to God, not me. But 
 for His love and your love I am a willing worker. 
 My life has been spent in seeking the truism of the 
 mendicant. But no incident met has been more 
 saddening than is yours, and which will require our 
 combined effort and steadfast faith in the All-Wise 
 One to instill you with firm belief and adherence to 
 the true Light and a method to fathom a retrieve 
 from this racking restraint." 
 
 "Ah, Miss Charity there is no hope. A leper 
 cannot roam at large to scatter the infection of the 
 most loathsome of diseases. I have been here for 
 months and you are the first woman who has dared 
 venture near enough to talk, even though separated 
 by these iron grates. My nourishment and other 
 necessary accessions are poked between these bars 
 with tongs, that our hands need not meet. Dear 
 Miss Charity, I hope you will contract no contagion 
 from me." 
 
 "My name is Charity, which means munificence, 
 and whose home and duty is among the afflicted. 
 How old are you, Marquita, and how long have you 
 thus been suffering?" 
 
 "Miss Charity, your first question I will answer 
 
 by saying I am twenty ; the second by telling you 
 
 the story or history of my life up to the present, 
 
 omitting the one oasis in my desert heart, which I 
 
 190 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 feel confident you heard this morning while waiting 
 near my open window." 
 
 "Yes, dear; go on." 
 
 "I was fourteen when rny parents emigrated to 
 America from Italy. 
 
 "They were tidy, clever, honest and industrious, 
 but their savings were not great, consequently took 
 steerage passage among a most cosmopolitan class 
 of people. It was rather an old vessel and not large, 
 consequently not able to withstand the terrible gales 
 and ride the monstrous waves encountered. In one 
 of the worst she lost her rudder, therefore the 
 winter storms sent her drifting hither and thither 
 for days, through which I, not being a sea nymph, 
 was unable scarcely a moment to leave my couch. 
 
 "My mother was courageous and did not succumb 
 to seasickness. The last time I ever saw her was 
 when she called: 'Marquita! arise quickly! Jump 
 for your life ! My God ! we are being driven ashore 
 on those jagged rocks. Come, Marquita, you must 
 summon strength to get up and quickly or we are 
 lost.' Terror stricken, I leaped from my couch, 
 donned my apparel, wrapped one of the bed cover- 
 ings about me, rushed with my mother on deck and 
 joined my father, who clutched his arms about us 
 as though to save us from being wrecked. 
 
 "I had been taught to reverence God, Miss 
 
 Charity, and my unuttered thought was 'Only the 
 
 arm of God can save us/ as I saw the gigantic 
 
 rocks, with such ragged, protuberant clefts looming 
 
 191 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 skyward above us, among which the huge and 
 mighty waves of the boundless deep was swiftly 
 bearing our rudderless craft. 
 
 "The rain came down in torrents, darkening the 
 heavens. All else was remote from observation 
 save the stupendous pile of stony material. Every- 
 where was chaos and confusion. Up and down 
 among the rigging rushed the sailors, then to and 
 fro ballasting the ship, which rolled and tumbled as 
 though attempting a summersault play with the 
 monstrous ocean waves, as she dragged her enor- 
 mous anchor as ruthlessly as though trailing a 
 tailor's thimble. 
 
 "The lifeboats were being lowered while the pas- 
 sengers heedless of the pelting rain were de- 
 voutly kneeling in prayer to Almighty God to as- 
 suage the storm. 
 
 "Never, never, Miss Charity, can I forget the 
 scene which has ever been vividly before me. I felt 
 a giddiness stealing over me, not from the inertia of 
 the ship but sheer weakness, and exhaustion. My 
 father had rallied and was putting a life preserver 
 on my mother, when she saw that I was swooning 
 and caught me in her arms as I was sinking to the 
 deck, and I never saw them more." 
 
 "But you, Marquita, how were you saved?" 
 tremblingly asked Charity. "How came you here?" 
 
 "Well, my dear Miss Charity, I was saved as you 
 see, but it seems for a fate far worse. One of the 
 cast outs of earth, and why is it?" 
 192 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Marquita, dear child, I am not wise within my- 
 self, but we will again refer to my little book for 
 counsel. 'For I know nothing by myself ; yet am I 
 not hereby justified : but he that judgeth me is the 
 Lord. 
 
 ' 'Therefore judge nothing before the time, until 
 the Lord come, Who doth bring to light the hidden 
 things of darkness, and will make manifest the 
 counsels of the hearts and then shall every man 
 have praise of God.' ' 
 
 "But, Miss Charity, how can I praise God for 
 saving me from the wreck, when all would have 
 been over in a moment's time, to suffer the lifelong 
 agonies of this most odious disease, which is the 
 decay of the living?" 
 
 "Know ye not that your body is the temple of the 
 Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, 
 and ye are not your own? 
 
 1 'For ye are bought with a price : therefore glory 
 God in your body, and in your spirit, which are 
 God's,' read Charity from her book. Therefore, my 
 dear Marquita, what does it matter that your body 
 is wasting away while yet in life. It is but the 
 temple for your spirit, and the ransom you owe. 
 Your being rescued from a watery grave portrays 
 that you might live to glorify God, your maker, 
 spiritually with whole-hearted fervency, sincerity 
 and truth." 
 
 "Miss Charity, how plainly you are describing 
 this. I see now why this fatality may have over- 
 193 
 
THE UJMP OF GOLD 
 
 taken me, I kept not myself in the presence of God, 
 and was full of repinings." 
 
 "Really, the holy are often condemned to suffer- 
 ing, which is another one of God's marvels, but tell 
 me: how were you rescued, Marquita?" 
 
 "When I returned to consciousness I found that 
 I was firmly tied in a life-boat with a life preserver 
 around my waist doubtless the work of my lament- 
 ed parents and floating in the water. At first I 
 was too weak to hold my eyes open, but was con- 
 scious as a sailor clambered in the boat and shouted : 
 'A girl is lashed in the life boat; shall I cut the 
 thongs, Captain, or send the boat aloft?' The 
 answer commandingly came, 'Send it aloft, mate.' " 
 
 "I could plainly hear the 'Heave to! Heave to!' 
 as the sailors drew the lifeboat into the hold of 
 the vessel, which I afterwards learned was one of 
 the regular American ocean liners and distinguish 
 the tones of women among the buzz of many voices 
 around me." 
 
 "As they severed my bonds I plainly felt the pres- 
 ence of a lady, with a voice like a seraph, bending 
 over me, saying: 
 
 " 'What a lovely face !' and as I wearily opened 
 my eyes, added : 'and extremely beautiful eyes ! 
 Who do you suppose she is, Captain, and where 
 could she have come from?" 
 
 "Then I remembered all, as the Captain answered, 
 'Very probably, Madam Forest, there has been a 
 shipwreck as a result of a terrific storm through 
 194 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 which we barely escaped weathering/ Miss Char- 
 ity, I perceive now that this bit of commendation 
 of my looks, spoken by this good, whole-souled 
 woman, has been the stumbling block which has 
 caused me much of my unhappiness, and as my 
 memory serves, I imagine I became very obtrusive 
 and vain." 
 
 "What about the lady, Marquita?" 
 
 "Well ! she it was who was most constantly by my 
 side and nursed me back to life, although each and 
 every one on board vied in contributing to my 
 wants. But Mrs. Forest claimed me particularly 
 as her own special care, and when we arrived in 
 New York invited me to cross the continent with 
 her. She explained : 'In pecuniary matters I am 
 not rich, but am comfortable. I am a widow and 
 childless, and have always longed for a daughter. 
 Come, Marquita,' said she, 'and be one to me. Come 
 and share my moderate circumstances and together, 
 as mother and daughter, we will soften the labor of 
 domestic work and filialy walk through the journey 
 of life together.' 
 
 "I, having constantly mourned the loss of my 
 father and mother, listened to her words as being 
 the panacea for my sorrow, and clung to her as 
 though the sea again might rob me of a parent's 
 love. 
 
 "The passengers benevolently presented me with 
 a purse containing a good round sum of money 
 before leaving the steamer, and as I had not gained 
 195 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 strength enough to walk ashore, I was carefully 
 carried and placed in a berth of a Pullman. The 
 complete change in surroundings, scenery and brac- 
 ing air, together with the most kindly and affection- 
 ate care, I recuperated rapidly. 
 
 "On all sides, I heard the expression, 'What a 
 beautiful girl! Is she not wonderfully handsome?' 
 Hearing it so often repeated and my reflection in the 
 mirror coinciding, what wonder I became proud 
 and conceited over my looks? " 
 
 "Oh, Marquita, how could you be so trifling? 
 God gave you the beautiful face and form as an 
 ornament to the temple in which He placed His 
 spirit, and you were a malefactor in thus usurping 
 that spirit to satisfy your own inordinate self- 
 esteem, as though you belonged to yourself, and not 
 wholly to Him." 
 
 "In the extenuation of my fault, I really believe, 
 Miss Charity, it was more the result of ignorance 
 than waywardness. I had not received instructions 
 exemplifying my conduct so explicitly as you have 
 unfolded it to me, or the termination might have 
 been different." 
 
 "I believe you, Marquita, and am happy to hear 
 you say so. So you lived with Mrs. Forest ever 
 after?" 
 
 "Yes, Miss Charity, and although she did not 
 legally adopt me, exerted her sincerest motherly care 
 for my benefit. We had no conflicting scenes, and 
 19G 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 she was ambitious in sending me to school, where I 
 became proficient and ended with a college course. 
 
 "In her loyal kindness she never failed in provid- 
 ing and helping to contrive my apparel to enhance 
 my looks." 
 
 "I can see no wrong in that, Marquita," advised 
 Charity, "which was truly characteristic of Mrs. 
 Forest's love of the beautiful that God intended we 
 should admire. It is a pleasure to utilize our talents 
 in artistically arranging many of the adornments 
 of nature to embellish the person, if we do not 
 arrogantly parade ourselves as being selfishly su- 
 perior." 
 
 "I believe you, Miss Charity. My foster mother 
 would say, 'Those are lovely ornaments, Marquita, 
 my child, but we must not forget that it was God 
 who made you beautiful.' So that it was not she 
 who inculcated me with pride, though indulgently 
 generous and perfectly free from artifice." 
 
 "You had much cause for thankfulness, Mar- 
 quita. Did you allow it to pass unheeded and with 
 indifference? Did you also permit the omission of 
 gratitude to the Great Father Who had so bounte- 
 ously provided relief in your distress?" 
 
 "Candidly, I did, Miss Charity. But nevermore 
 will I fail to acknowledge His merciful benefac- 
 tions." 
 
 "I am firmly persuaded, Marquita, that you will 
 adhere to your decision. But you did not tell me 
 how you contracted this terrible disease." 
 
 m 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Miss Charity, that is beyond my comprehension, 
 unless it was on board the ship and was refractory in 
 making its appearance. I mean no fallacy in thus 
 explaining it, for really, it is my only suggestive 
 point. I have no knowledge of ever having come 
 in contact with a person having the disease.'' 
 
 "My parents were of the most cleanly and exclu- 
 sive habits, each having descended from the higher 
 class of citizens. And in my recreations they had 
 simply taken the place of more youthful companions, 
 therefore, Miss Charity, it will always remain a 
 sorrowful mystery how I became a leper, as the 
 circumstance of being saved while they perished." 
 
 "The conclusion on the liner was, that when I 
 swooned they lashed me in a life boat and attempt- 
 ing to board it after being launched were plunged 
 overboard by one of the furious swells and swept 
 away; or, after having cast the life boat onto the 
 water, before they could enter it the ship had 
 crashed upon the rocks and all on board sank in the 
 limitless graveyard of the deep. 
 
 "My parents had not known. Miss Charity, when 
 they assigned me buffeting the mighty ocean 
 waves which at any moment might environ me in 
 their swirling depths, or send me racing with 
 whirlwind speed far in mid-ocean, where, should 
 consciousness return, I would suffer untold pangs 
 from thirst and starvation that I would be sub- 
 jected to a far greater fate and endurance of 
 misery. 
 
 198 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Oh, Miss Charity, you can sympathize but really 
 you cannot fathom my grief. In the life boat I was 
 unconscious, but now my whole soul is in a state of 
 revolt. Adder stings are not worse than the agoniz- 
 ing tortures of this odious disease, and untoward 
 loneliness of my condition." 
 
 Never had Charity's feelings been so deeply 
 aroused, and with tearful eyes she said : 
 
 "My precious Marquita ! My grieving chiid ! Were 
 it not for these iron bars, I would clasp you to my 
 heart as though you were of my own flesh and 
 blood." 
 
 "Oh, no ! not that, my dear Miss Charity. Al- 
 though my heart yearns for such deep affection, but 
 I would shrink in horror from infecting you with 
 my hated disease, which will continue its gradual 
 eating decay until my vitality is consumed." 
 
 "I have no qualms as to that, Marquita, when my 
 love and service invite me. My features might be 
 marred, but ulcers could not disfigure the soul." 
 
 "Before God, Miss Charity, I promise that my 
 soul shall not be impaired in future." 
 
 ''I am loath to say good-bye, Marquita. I really 
 did not think it so late, the hours have passed 
 swiftly." 
 
 " Will you come again, please, Miss Charity?" 
 meaningly asked Marquita. 
 
 "If possible, Marquita, and, I believe, I can 
 make it so. I am here now by special permit grant- 
 ed through the Humane Society. Good night." 
 199 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 On reaching her rooms that evening Charity in- 
 dited a letter to her sister. 
 
 "My Dear Sister Hope: 
 
 "Much as I earnestly desire and crave to be 
 with you to give cheer in this most distressing- 
 annoyance it is nothing more, for Hope, in all her 
 purity, could be guilty of no criminal act I cannot, 
 for I must fulfill the solemn pledge made in mv 
 early youth at the bedside of my dying mother. 
 
 "You remember, my dear sister, that, taking our 
 hands, she charged each of us, while in the strug- 
 gles of death, 'To live a true life, and follow the 
 precepts indicative of the Christian name she had 
 given us, and endure nothing to infringe on its loy- 
 al and earnest fidelity/ Seemingly I now feel the 
 pressure of her cold, clammy hand, as she gasp- 
 ingly said, 'Charity : In that name, my child, there is 
 no limit to its signification. Be vigilant and seek the 
 worthy, then give your all, or whole duty.' 
 
 "And how wise was she to have named you 
 Hope for it is that which illumines your life, over- 
 shadowed by not a shade of despair, even now, when 
 the day is progressing for your trial. 
 
 "But my dear sister, the injuries which have 
 seemed to envelop you are as a mole hill to a moun- 
 tain compared with that of a once most beautiful 
 girl, who too is incarcerated behind iron bars, not 
 200 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 from crime, but for having contracted a disease 
 for which there has been no healing since our 
 Savior. I must go to her. At last I have found a 
 philanthropic use for "Uncle's Sacred Money" Sis- 
 ter Faith entrusted to me. 
 
 "I know not when you will hear from me again. 
 Surely, all will be well with you. May the radiance 
 of your hope environ our pathway. 
 "Affectionately your sister, 
 
 "CHARITY." 
 
 It was several days before Charity yes, more a 
 couple of weeks had elapsed ere she again visited 
 Marquita. On approaching the cell window she 
 paused and heard talking, but only one voice, as 
 before. In her compassion Charity felt that the 
 conversation should not be interrupted, as she be- 
 lieved it contributed to the lonely girl's happiness 
 to live over again the happy episodes of her life. 
 
 She was saying: "Mr. Martmorelli please par- 
 don but I was sent thither by Mama Forest to con- 
 sult with you. A family Gallo by name of my 
 own country and of much worth, are in great dis- 
 tress and urgent need of money." 
 
 "The father, an university educated man, once a 
 banker owning a lovely home, excels in the manu- 
 facturing of the finest of wines, brandy, olive oil, 
 curing of raisins, and other horticultural work, hav- 
 ing included them in the course of his studies while 
 young. His ambition called him to America to 
 engage in these industries, Traveling and the wants 
 201 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 of five children in a strange land, where another 
 language was spoken, soon absorbed his capital, 
 which had not been great, as it was his share of an 
 inheritance of which he had a tenth. 
 
 "He sought the vintages of California where by 
 industry and frugality he prospered fairly well, until 
 he was induced my a man Trusti by name to take 
 charge of a property known as the Archibald estate 
 in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, 
 where the climate, as you are aware, is most superb. 
 
 "Mr. Martmorelli, you know of that estate, as 
 it is very large? 
 
 " 'Yes, I know of it, Miss Forest, but am not 
 particularly versed as to its circumstances, for it has 
 passed through many managements.' 
 
 ''Yes, you are right, Mr. Martmorelli. It is a vast 
 holding on which a large sum of money has been 
 expended, to make it equal to any olive orchard in 
 the world." 
 
 "I felt the flush of color rise to my face, and oh-! 
 how my cheeks did burn, for my listener's eyes were 
 fastened upon me, scanning in lost consciousness 
 my every feature with a respectful, rapturous, mov- 
 ing look. I was much embarrassed and with diffi- 
 culty managed not to lose my presence of mind, so 
 continued : 
 
 ' 'The owner thought to make it a paradise, there- 
 fore intermingled his acreages with quantities of all 
 varieties of fruits subject to the climate, including 
 202 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 many intermixtures of nuts. I will not attempt to 
 describe the labyrinthian walks outlined by beauti- 
 ful shade trees and lovely flowers, Mr. Martmorelli, 
 but Mr. Gallo was happy when Mr. Trusti put him 
 in charge of it. He too was from my country and 
 yours, too, if I mistake not?' 
 
 1 'Yes, Miss Forest, Italy was my home when I 
 was a wee one, but America has all my claim since. 
 Will you return to your native land again?' 
 
 " *O, no ! Mr. Martmorelli, I could not leave 
 Mama Forest/ 
 
 ' 'I am happy to hear that. Miss Forest ; we 
 should miss you.' 
 
 "The tell-tale flush deepened in my face and I 
 quite forgot the wrongs of my friends and felt much 
 like a dullard, but knowing a necessity to collect my 
 senses, I continued : 
 
 "This Mr. Trusti knew comparatively nothing of 
 the numerous ways of preparing fruit to make it 
 savory for a fastidious market." 
 
 " 'Am I taking too much of your valuable time, 
 Mr. Martmorelli?' T asked, to gain time to collect 
 my confused wits, as a result from not having ming- 
 led with the opposite sex during my school days. 
 
 ' '\o, Miss Forest, my time is yours, and at your 
 service. Go on, please.' 
 
 ; 'Thank you.' I said, and timidly continued. 
 'Well, Mr. Trusti as though good natured inter- 
 fered not with Mr. Gallo's manner of manipulating 
 the produce for the market, but was employed in 
 203 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 another way. He sold the fine horses and bought 
 old "skates" in their stead; sold the five cows, so 
 when the mother and children arrived there was 
 no milk; shipped carloads of oranges, also the 
 raisins, prunes, olives and dried fruits left in storage 
 by the former tenant, in fact, every available money- 
 producing thing, and received the cash, so quietly 
 that Mr. Gallo did not suspect the operation. 
 
 " 'One day said Mr. Trusti, 'Gallo, I am going to 
 Mexico on a business matter. Am wanted to look 
 after planting a vineyard. You are all right here. 
 Probably I will be gone a couple of months.' 
 
 " 'So, so,' said Mr. Gallo. 
 
 " 'Yes, Gallo ; but I am short of cash. Can you 
 spare me some until my return?' 
 
 " 'Sure, Mr. Trusti.' 
 
 "And Mr. Gallo gave him all the money he had 
 for the use of his family, excepting a few dollars of 
 change in the purse, and Mr. Trusti left." 
 
 ' 'That was shockingly bad, Miss Forest.' 
 
 "Oh, but Mr. Martmorelli, we have not come to 
 the worst. Mr. Trusti occupied the big house and 
 gave Mr. Gallo the cultured man with sweet wife 
 and five lovely children the tenement house among 
 the willows where the air was stifling with miasma. 
 
 "As a consequence, not long after Mr. Trusti's 
 departure the little ones contracted diphtheria, with 
 no doctor short of thirty miles and no money to pay 
 one. 
 
 "An old gentleman and his wife were the only 
 neighbors not afraid to render assistance, but even 
 204 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 their kindly aid could not relieve the little sufferers. 
 As Mr. Trusti had left the key, Mr. Gallo moved 
 his family in the big house, but to no avail, as one 
 of the little children died. The funeral was most 
 pathetic, the old lady who attended told Mama 
 Forest. 
 
 "The pretty mother nearly swooned off the piazza 
 as they bore the little white coffin away, for which 
 the kind neighbor had become voucher. 'Oh, Mr. 
 Martmorelli,' I exclaimed, 'I cannot begin to de- 
 scribe it, there was so much sadness/ 
 
 " 'And the other children, Miss Forest?' 
 
 "'Why, Mr. Martmorelli, they bundled them up 
 and boarded the train for this city, forty miles dis- 
 tant, without specifying the ailment. 
 
 " 'On arrival, the matter was still more difficult. 
 The pesthouse already had a smallpox patient, and 
 none of the citizens would take them in on account 
 of the contagion. So the poor man procured a little 
 untenanted place, where he took three little ones, 
 the mother having remained at home with the baby 
 that was not so severely sick.' 
 
 " 'Command me, Miss Forest. Let me know your 
 wish and it shall be granted/ 
 
 " 'How considerate of you, Mr. Martmorelli/ I 
 said, as I noticed his pallid face. Said I, 'Mama 
 Forest with the assistance of a number of well- 
 disposed ladies sent relief for their immediate wants, 
 but the doctor's and other bills are accumulating, 
 205 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 with nothing to draw on, and the anti-toxin must 
 be administered freely to save the children.' 
 
 ' 'Miss Forest,' he said, taking his purse from 
 his pocket, 'do not be afraid to name the amount 
 required.' 
 
 ' 'No, no, Mr. Martmorelli, not that, not money. 
 The ladies decided to give a garden party, and 
 Mama Forest will relinquish rights to her whole 
 house and grounds for one day, and they delegated 
 me to invite as many as possible to aid us. They 
 said we would have a queen and her court, also an 
 unique idea, to have a king who would crown the 
 queen/ - 
 
 ' 'Who is to be queen, Miss Forest?' he asked. 
 
 ;< 'As the time was limited they left it to a com- 
 mittee, and they selected me.' 
 
 "'And the king, Miss Forest?' 
 ' 'Well well oh, Mama Forest is not well 
 has the neuralgia therefore I must go, Mr. Mart- 
 morelli. Could you not come over in the morning 
 and confer with the ladies, Mr. Martmorelli?' 
 
 ' 'Thank you, I will, as I am much interested in 
 these children of our countrymen.' 
 
 "' 'I am so glad, Mr. Martmorelli. The ladies and 
 mama, 'too, are anxious to know your decision. 
 Good bye.' 
 
 ''Extending his hand voluntarily, I took it as he 
 said: 'Miss Forest, do not hesitate in calling upon 
 me for- any assistance you may require. I shall 
 always be at your command. Good bye.' 
 206 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "There was a light shining in his eyes which 
 frustrated me so thoroughly I remembered not to 
 say thank you. 
 
 "I went out with a different sensibility about me 
 than when I entered. My heart was running riot 
 with its rapid beatings, as though pumping blood 
 through the arteries and veins into my face, which 
 was burning with fever heat. 'I am not ill,' I said, 
 speaking to myself, 'nor yet tired, but certainly 
 abnormal.' 
 
 "More strange than all, 1 had forgotten those 
 afflicted people, and I tried to recall them, but a 
 spell was on me. I could not dispel the magic 
 charm as I entered my home. 
 
 "Tenderly I renewed the restoratives on Mama 
 Forest's head to assuage the pain. Then she drew 
 me close and impressed a kiss on my lips, saying: 
 
 " 'My dear Marquita, how could I do without 
 you, who is so full of affectionate love?' 
 
 " 'Love. Ah ! the problem is solved,' I repeated, 
 as I again drew the draperies to darken the room 
 on going out. 'Can this be love? Was this, then, 
 its meaning? That one's whole being is so filled 
 with the most rapturous and ecstatic emotion that 
 they are oblivious to the grief of others, their pains, 
 ailments and all the harassing perplexities of life?' 
 I said aloud in the quietude of my own chamber, 
 'This must be love,' and, as though talking to him, 
 I said, 'Mr. Martmorelli, I did not come on a mis- 
 207 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 sion of love but of mercy, for I would not deign 
 to seek love. 
 
 !< 'Cupid must send his love offering on an arrow 
 from his bow to pierce my heart, else I let it lie 
 latent in my breast, Mr. Martmorelli. Thus I can- 
 not again consult with you on errands of duty, 
 therefore, will say good-bye/ " 
 
 CHAPTER XXVIII. 
 
 Charity had no intention of being an eaves- 
 dropper, but could not find it in her heart to inter- 
 rupt Marquita in this soliloquy, seemingly the last 
 interview with her lover, which apparently was real 
 and living in the past, and was consciously happy 
 while being oblivious of the thralldom of her dis- 
 ease. 
 
 Having ended the interview, Charity gently said : 
 "Good morning, Marquita." 
 
 "Oh, good morning, Miss Charity. I am so 
 happy that you have come. You remained away so 
 long I thought you could not again get a permit." 
 
 "Well, you see I am here, Marquita, and will 
 leave you only once more." 
 
 "Oh, Miss Charity! Why is that? I shall cer- 
 tainly miss you and never cease longing, day after 
 day, to see your face again, dear Miss Charity. 
 Once more and then always remain away?" 
 208 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 ''No, no, Marquita, I find you do not know 
 Charity. She never does a judicious thing by 
 halves." 
 
 "How is that, Miss Chanty? You speak in 
 enigmas." 
 
 "Well, my dear, we are advertised to sail day 
 after tomorrow on a liner for the leper colony on 
 the peninsula Molokai, which is described as being 
 divided from the main Sandwich Island by an as- 
 tonishingly high cliff or wall of pali. 
 
 "On his way to these Hawaiian Islands, rounding 
 the peninsula before reaching Honolulu, an illus- 
 trious writer, as he craned his neck from the 
 steamer's deck, gave utterance of his first impres- 
 sion, 'The Pit of Hell. The most accursed place 
 on earth/ 
 
 "A month later, by some skillfully planned and 
 determined resolution, he and his wife visited the 
 leper city, wherein he said 'The joys of his life had 
 never been happier, although no inhabitants on the 
 globe knew or suffered greater affliction.' 
 
 "They found the climate of Molokai exhilarating, 
 the scenery magnificent and the inhabitants most 
 entertaining and free from formality or prejudice. 
 They were engaged in various occupations, con- 
 tented, happy, and often indulging simultaneously 
 in the modern recreative sports of the day. 
 
 "To that lovely place, Marquita, we will go. 
 There you will have no more prison bars, but can 
 roam at large and breathe the wholesome, flower- 
 209 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 perfumed air and enjoy the companionship of an 
 honest, benevolent, whole-souled people, where 
 snobbery, peculation and graft are unknown." 
 
 Marquita not replying, Charity was nonplussed, 
 but a glance in her face revealed a melancholy look 
 quite relaxing into despair. 
 
 "Why, Marquita. Why this saddening coun- 
 tenance? I thought to see your face lighting into 
 mirthful smiles." 
 
 "Yes, I know, Miss Charity. God indeed is good 
 to send such a happy retrieve, but I would be com- 
 mitting a sin to selfishly jeopardize you to the con- 
 tagion by accepting your unselfish and urbane in- 
 vitation." 
 
 "Let your mind rest freely as to that, Marquita. 
 Although I be your companion, I shall summon 
 every endeavor to escape so perilous a disease by 
 not coming in close contact with you or the in- 
 habitants of Molokai. 
 
 "There is no place where I can invest these 
 golden twenties of 'Uncle's Sacred Money' to fulfill 
 the mission he desired than in restoring freedom to 
 you and administering to your wants among those 
 clever but outcast people." 
 
 "Truly, Miss Charity, not for the whole island 
 would I venture there to sacrifice you ; otherwise it 
 is most tempting." 
 
 "Marquita, there is no backing out, for here are 
 the tickets and complete arrangements are made for 
 210 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 (W 
 
 our passage. When I see you again, we will meet 
 on the steamer. Good night/' 
 
 "Oh, then, Miss Charity, I will bid America, 
 which has been so fateful to me, farewell forever, 
 but I will leave my heart with Leon, my king. Good 
 night.'' 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 As promised, Charity was on board the vessel as 
 the ambulance brought Marquita, closely veiled, a 
 few minutes before the apprised time for sailing, 
 and was conducted to a secluded but airy room in 
 the hold of the steamship. 
 
 The captain had granted Charity, through the 
 intervention of the Humane Society, permission to 
 hold consultations with Marquita through a small 
 screened apperture. easily closed by a slide. 
 
 The second day after sailing a gentleman of 
 prepossessing mien, though with ^ a quiet, melan- 
 choly air, approaching Charity, asked: "Am I ad- 
 dressing Miss Charity Fairchild?'' 
 
 "That is my name, sir.'' 
 
 "You have a young lady, Miss Marquita Forest, 
 in charge, madam?" 
 
 "I have, sir." 
 
 "Can I see her, Miss Fairchild?" 
 
 "Have you a permit, sir?" 
 
 "I have not. My name is Leon Martmorelli, and 
 I have this," handing her a paper, which proved to 
 be a license for the marriage of Leon Martmorelli 
 and Marquita Forest. 
 
 211 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 After reading the astounding document, Charity 
 said: "But, Mr. Martmorelli, perhaps you do not 
 know that the laws will not permit you, a healthy 
 man, to unite with one afflicted with contagion as 
 is Miss Forest." 
 
 "Miss Fairchild, we are not within the jurisdic- 
 tion of the magistracy of men, but on the great 
 waters, the interior of which has but one ruler 
 God, the King Sovereign President, all in one 
 and His law is, 'Love one another, 1 and I will obey 
 and fulfill that law by marrying Marquita my 
 queen and only love." 
 
 "How came you here, Mr. Martmorelli?" 
 
 "Miss Fairchild, I had no ambition for business 
 with my queen gone, but disposed of it and wearily 
 searched but all in vain. I knew not the cause of 
 her sudden flight. Even Mrs. Forest, although 
 aware of her illness, did not know the nature of it. 
 Miss Forest's physician true to the vow to his 
 patient even after she had gone would not make 
 the disclosure, though pronouncing her disease in- 
 curable, and before he could arrange for her keep 
 in some proper place she had fled, and not until 
 yesterday had I the slightest clue as to her where- 
 abouts." 
 
 "Yesterday, Mr. Martmorelli?" 
 
 "Yes, madam, yesterday. I saw the notice of 
 
 your departure in the morning paper, also giving 
 
 the account of the terrible malady and sad life of 
 
 Miss Marquita Forest, and therefore I came on 
 
 212 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 board the steamer just behind her, having followed 
 the ambulance down." 
 
 ''Well, Mr. Martmorelli, God's will be done. We 
 will go to the captain before communicating with 
 Marquita, as already her cup of sorrw is over- 
 flowing. 
 
 "Captain Kidd, this is Mr. Martmorelli, who 
 wishes to confer about Marquita." 
 
 After explaining, Leon handed the license to the 
 captain. Reading it, the captain exclaimed : "Why, 
 man, are you crazy or do you want to commit sui- 
 cide?" 
 
 "Neither, captain, but must and will marry my 
 affianced love. Because she has fallen ill is no 
 reason why our betrothal should be dissolved. And 
 the only place on earth of which I am aware that 
 our marriage can be consummated are on the high 
 seas or mid-ocean, where God is the sole ruler. He 
 sanctions the union of love true love and has 
 tested our sincerity. Thus, captain, we shall take 
 the solemn vows which binds us together for life." 
 
 "Are you resolved in that, sir? Are you certain 
 you will not repent of this very unusual sacrifice?" 
 
 "Captain ! sir ! When Marquita in her regal 
 beauty consented to become my queen, I assured 
 her I would build a diminutive palace with a throne 
 room. Now, although marring disease disfigures 
 her body, the love and affection which comes from 
 the soul is intact. And now a citadel shall be con- 
 structed, fortified by the great wall of pali on one 
 213 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 side and the remaining ones guarded by the cease- 
 less sentinel movements of the mighty ocean waves, 
 so that our segregation from the outside world will 
 be complete." 
 
 "But you are no leper, sir. Why marry her?" 
 
 "And thus complete her destruction by polluting 
 her soul? Not for the sovereignty of this earth 
 would I become such a poltroon, Captain Kidd. 
 And, Captain Kidd, no matter the port or the ruler. 
 I am a law-abiding citizen. 
 
 "These depths belong not to human captaincy, but 
 to a Supreme and more efficacious Power that can 
 instigate them into the most violent rage, then 
 with no abrupt show of command or ostentation 
 calm to tranquil rest, thus creating a disturbing 
 commotion for a cause which we cannot understand, 
 but the effect of the waves rippling in quietude and 
 peace fills our souls with rapture which we picture 
 as love. Captain Kidd, you are governor of this 
 vessel and your command is law, which, in unison 
 with the Great Monarch on whose premises we are 
 sailing, can assuage the tumultuous agitations of 
 two tempest-tossed hearts and let love reign supreme. 
 
 "Thus, Captain Kidd, your acquiescence in unit- 
 ing us in moral bonds will make the equation of 
 the character of love non-critically pure and my 
 remaining by the side of Marquita a benediction 
 which no one but God can sever." 
 
 "Mate, call the chaplain !" roared the captain.. 
 "To be on the safe side to land this determined 
 214 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 man in the leper colony the chaplain will need to 
 repeat his blessings, which I will sanction." 
 
 Marquita's soul was overwrought with tribula- 
 tion and revolted at their marriage. But Leon's ad- 
 herence to his inflexible resolution won her as his 
 own, to be queen of his heart in the lepers' paradise. 
 
 The ceremony over, Marquita, with more en- 
 thusiasm than yet evinced, asked : "Miss Charity, 
 why has this good fortune and happiness come to 
 me?" 
 
 "Marquita, dear, I can believe by your silent and 
 earnest solicitations to the Invisible Guider and God, 
 which will ever be the mainspring to keep your 
 hands clasped in happiness through the remainder 
 of your life." 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 After many weary months court convened for 
 the trial of Hope Fairchild, and proceeded without 
 interruption after the jury had been impaneled. 
 
 The prosecution handled the event dextrously, 
 having incontrovertible proof, and rested their case- 
 Attorney Goodman, for the defense, made no 
 attempt to establish a demented state, but instituted 
 the fact that the robbery chieftain was no myth. 
 And to verify the point that other inmates were 
 dwellers in the cottage he minutely delineated by 
 the policeman's testimony who from Miss Hope's 
 partial diagram had completed an outline from the 
 215 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Bishop's door direct to the cottage that evidenced 
 where numerous tramplings of feet were made and 
 that she was being held an unwilling prisoner. 
 
 The found slipper had tallied with the odd one 
 she had worn on her return, the hairpin matched 
 those she still had in her hair, the initialed hand- 
 kerchief, the comfortable pile of fresh straw for a 
 bed and the old, patched broken chair beside the 
 barrel table, on which yet remained the slightly 
 tasted lunch, evinced that it was Miss Hope that 
 had partaken of the primitive hospitality in the 
 small bedroom of the recluse habitation. Attorney 
 Goodman invited the court and jury to repair to 
 the cottage, that they might obtain a definite sig- 
 nification to satisfy their judgment. 
 
 " After which," said Attorney Goodman, "I rest 
 my case." The Judge adjourned until the following 
 day, when they would make the necessary inspec- 
 tion. 
 
 Appearing again in the court room, a different 
 aspect pervaded the features of the jury. The 
 stoical, fixed and obstinate determination had given 
 place to a look of apprehension. The knitted eye- 
 brows were studiously lowered over downcast eyes. 
 The faces were drawn in thought, as though pene- 
 trating the utmost possibility in the contingency of 
 guilty or not guilty. 
 
 The Judge, noting their frame of mind, arose 
 and summed the evidence, dwelling particularly on 
 the fact that the prosecution obviously had not con- 
 216 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 stituted a reason for Miss Hope were she not an 
 accomplice returning with the full amount of 
 money. The prescribed ''Uncle's Sacred Coin" re- 
 ceived not the pleadings, as having originated from 
 an unsound mind. Nor did the prosecution attempt 
 to substantiate how she came in possession of it. 
 Had she companions, the circumstance of their 
 giving it into her ownership is too preposterious 
 even to be supposed. 
 
 "Gentlemen of the jury, I instruct you to care- 
 fully weigh the convincing proofs in your mind and 
 admonish you to return a verdict, not through sym- 
 pathetic compassion for this beautiful young woman, 
 that still maintains the semblance of a Christian life 
 as when being filially entertained in the holy 
 Bishop's household, nor yet for the deep affection 
 of that Godly man, who is still reverenced with 
 cherishing memory by his beloved people, but the 
 conviction in your own mind, the substantiated 
 and conclusive evidence as to who murdered the 
 Bishop. 
 
 "Jurymen, you are the arbitrators to decide this 
 case, and, if you are convinced that this young lady 
 is the perpetrator, let nothing contravene to obscure 
 your decision, but stand stanch to the conformity 
 of truth and justice. 
 
 "If it has been settled in your minds as conflict- 
 ing or a reasonable doubt, then your verdict must 
 be acquittal, but if conclusive the judgment rendered 
 
 217 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 certainly should be guilty. I nosv order your re- 
 tirement for final adjudication.'' 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 The Judge's summing having proved effectual in 
 bringing the full circumstantial evidence into a very 
 small compass, the jury remained not many hours 
 out ere they sent a message of agreement. 
 
 Recalling them, the usual course of the law was 
 adhered to. The foreman, giving the official report, 
 the Judge arose, and, in unfaltering tones that 
 seemed to ring through space so quiet was the 
 vast audience said : 
 
 "'Jurymen, I congratulate your nobility in thus 
 deciding the justice of this case. You could not 
 possibly have rendered a different decision. You 
 have done well, for youth, beauty and innocence 
 seemingly were at stake and your mercy while the 
 rendering of due justice to the Bishop was in the 
 balance. His followers demanded an equitable de- 
 cision as being a recompense for their great loss. 
 His constant energy, exemplary character and de- 
 votional effort to bring them in accord and nearer 
 their Maker was in conformity to his teachings. 
 
 "Fellow-citizens, these men, impaneled with the 
 strictest deference to the law as jurymen, have 
 weighed this difficult and serious matter in the 
 scale of justice, and with no dissenting voice have 
 decided that this young lady, standing before you 
 
 " 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 in the prisoner's box, with eyes turned heavenward 
 as though imploring the Almighty to condone her 
 fault by publicly making known her innocence, is 
 guilty. Yes, guilty of murder in the first degree, 
 and the penalty is death." 
 
 The breathing of the spectators in the crowded 
 court-room, which a moment before had seemed 
 abated, burst into satisfactory subvocal whisperings 
 that echoed into every receptacle of the spacious 
 room. 
 
 Hope stood as though rigid in death with its 
 pallor, her eyes transfixed not heavenward now, 
 but on a figure standing by the door, then advancing 
 through the aisle and quietly taking his station by 
 her side facing the court and placing his hand on 
 his heart pronounced the words : 
 
 "Judge, I solemnly swear that this woman is not 
 guilty. 
 
 "Judge and jury, I am the robber chieftain. This 
 young lady surprised the robber and Bishop's mur- 
 derer and followed him into my cottage rendezvous, 
 remaining until we were obliged to flee the country ; 
 then resolutely insisted that she would accompany 
 us hither and thither, no matter what the condition 
 or sacrifice, and deliver us into the hands of justice, 
 unless we gave into her possession what she had 
 termed 'Uncle's Sacred Coin,' that her father Bishop 
 intended for the investment of establishing freedom 
 quarters for homeless young men in the city. 
 219 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Her purity of character won our respect, her 
 demeanor our regard, and unwavering, sacrificing 
 unselfishness of which, as an example, her present 
 act of giving her own life to save the guilty our 
 adoration. 
 
 "Her Christian principles and teachings influ- 
 enced us to bow before the Great and Hallowed 
 Chief who sits on the throne of eternal righteous- 
 ness," pointing to Miss Hope, "and she is one of 
 His angels." Then reached forth and caught her 
 swooning in his arms for she who had been stanch 
 and self-reliant in her hope as being the protector 
 of her innocence, had lost consciousness. 
 
 "This is audacious," shouted a man from the 
 audience, "a sacrifice to the death of our loved 
 Bishop. Lynch him ! Lynch this diabolical mur- 
 derer! Lynch law requires not judge or jury. 
 Coldbloodedly this man caused the Christian blood 
 of the Bishop to flow, and the wrath of his people 
 waxes warm to stretch his diabolical neck. Get you 
 out, vestrymen, and hie for a rope, while we drag 
 him forth with his companion in guilt." 
 
 The alarming refrain, "Lynch him!" "Lynch 
 him !" was caught by many voices and reverberated 
 from echo to echo, until the whole assembly was 
 in an uproar of highest pitched frenzy. 
 
 Numbers proceeded to drag the defenseless man 
 who still retained the form of the beautiful, un- 
 conscious girl toward the door. 
 220 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Suddenly they were startled by an unearthly 
 scream, as though originating from the uncontrol- 
 lable, maddening throat of a lunatic. 
 
 With horror they dropped their victim as they 
 saw a tall, dark man enter the court-room and 
 mount the Judge's desk, yelling with the rage of 
 fury : 
 
 "Beasts of the earth, that lack only the instru- 
 ments to gouge that man of his vitality, let go thy 
 hold and restore that lifeless woman, or by the jee- 
 whillo-me-cuss, I will send you to the blue blast- 
 ing realms of the ungodly. Not again would I cause 
 the blood to gush, but you accursed idots may com- 
 pel me. It was not he, but I, Hidalgo, who spurted 
 the Bishop's blood as he suddenly came upon me 
 while renewing my exchequer from his safe. 
 
 "And you carrion vultures are no better. Had 
 I not have followed my chieftain, ere this you 
 would have throttled his throat yes, the throat of 
 my God-loving benefactor with a rope to shut off 
 his breathing apparatus. 
 
 "And you heathens, what do you call that but 
 murder? When I clutched that money by that 
 stream of the Bishop's blood I did not profess to 
 know God, nor do I now, but I will take my chances 
 against you who have murder in your hearts. Why 
 should you also be justified in depriving that girl of 
 life because of imaginary evidence? 
 
 "And that man you are holding captive never 
 stole as much as a toothpick, nor committed a 
 221 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 crime unless it was in rescuing me from the black 
 depths of a surging creek which as a chastisement 
 would have sent my soul floundering in the regions 
 of the damned. Ever after my hand whose love 
 he won for even bandits have that gift though 
 dormant dubbed him chieftain. As his family, 
 he used every effort to arouse the spontaniety of 
 good in our intercourse and all our transactions, 
 which too often was unheeded. 
 
 "Look ye! at his manly bearing! He compares 
 well with the scions of the realm of which he 
 really is the prince. His father being the rightful 
 heir to the throne was banished by a pretender 
 who dethroned him. After which, bringing his 
 queen and little son Rudolph with him, sought and 
 found the secluded place and built a cottage home 
 where they happily lived until death silently re- 
 moved the parents to realms of the unknown future, 
 leaving the son not to wear the crowned title of 
 nobility, but that of unsullied nobleness of man- 
 hood. And heroically he is now showing it by 
 letting you 'villians' take his life to save me, the 
 most lawless and desperate of his band. 
 
 "Should our chieftain have called us his follow- 
 ers to rescue that young lady from your outrage- 
 ous interpretation of justice to suit the unknown 
 quantity of your violence, we would have accom- 
 plished it at the risk of any danger which might 
 have occurred. 
 
 222 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "We make no cowardly pretenses. And here 
 is the hand, and this the gleaming dagger I now 
 hold aloft, which on my soul I had not meant to 
 use on that good Bishop, but he found me trans- 
 gressing and I struck for my liberty. My hand hav- 
 ing been steeped in blood, relentlessly again would 
 I have deluged it by taking the life of Porpoise 
 Shorty had not my chief cried a halt. And my chief, 
 my noble chief, afterwards suffered the agonies of 
 death from the culprit he saved. A wound meant 
 for me nearly ended his life, from Shorty Porpoise's 
 self-cocker. 
 
 "Much to the commendation of Shorty Porpoise, 
 his first act of gratefulness was in helping bury the 
 noble animal he had slain when his master was 
 shot and then helped to nurse the chief back to 
 life and giving him half of his fabulously rich gold 
 mine of which the late periodicals had been teem- 
 ing. 
 
 "Ah, Rudolph, my beloved chief, I see the kind- 
 ling of wrath in the eyes of this vengeful throng, 
 which but a moment ago had flickered out, is be- 
 ginning to flame, and I replace my dagger in its 
 scabbard that Hidalgo may be true to his promise 
 but worthy chief to save Hidalgo from dangling 
 by his neck in the air, to make food for the vul- 
 tures, he must resort to other artifice or means. 
 
 "Fare-the-well, beloved chieftain, and the angel 
 lady by your side. Hidalgo's spirit will soon join 
 the crusade to gain a royal jurisdiction in the Holy 
 223 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 Kingdom." Raising a vial to his lips he drained 
 to the dregs its contents and another tragedy had 
 been enacted. 
 
 "The Bishop, having been avenged by the power 
 invisible, the people settled into lethergic quietude. 
 
 Hope, having revived, heard Hidalgo's interces- 
 sion and was with her sisters, who had rallied to 
 his assistance. 
 
 Rudolph, with deep lines of sorrow depicted on 
 his face, ignoring the multitude, said : "Miss Hope, 
 you must know that I love you. Life is nothing 
 unless I can claim you as my own. In the midst 
 of this mourning give me the right to protect 
 you. If your love is responsive and you acquiesce, 
 place your hand in mine." 
 
 Receiving her hand, he said: "So mote it be, 
 and we will have the judge unite us, that as hus- 
 band and wife we can attend the obsequies of this 
 man, who, though of a warped growth of mind, 
 suffered death to save us." 
 
 "'Uncle's Sacred Coin,' Rudolph," said Hope, 
 "can still be used to carry out the Bishop's plans." 
 
 "Yes," he answered, "and I will unite much of 
 my blood earned gold to increase the magnitude." 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 "Shovel it in, boys ; shovel it in, for every scoop- 
 ful of that dirt contains morsels of that golden sub- 
 stance the whole world is raving over. 
 224 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Here, Jimmie ; hand me that crucible ; this gravel 
 looks powerful rich, so here goes more quicksilver 
 to catch every mite of gold dust before it is whirled 
 off. Jo, go and lower the gate a little; this water 
 is rushing too rapidly; while you, Billie, will have 
 to fork the rock out of those boxes all fired fast 
 to keep those riffles clear, or you will run gold, 
 quicksilver and all into the tailings. 
 
 "Hold to it, boys. Shovel it in while there is a 
 good head on. That is right! Hold to it, laddies. 
 This clean-up is sure to make a big showing, but 
 I am not going to get sentimental over it, as I did 
 the $4000 one I, myself, took down to the mint, 
 but haven't had the heart to go since. 
 
 "It wasn't much, but I got mighty rattled over 
 it. Still, boys, between you and me, I'd rather it 
 went into honest deals. 
 
 "It is strange I never heard from that lady, Miss 
 Faith Fairchild, about that money. 
 
 "I'll bet two big red apples, and pay if you win, 
 that she got robbed or swindled out of it, and felt 
 sort of sheepish to let me know. 
 
 "Say, boys, there comes a female all dressed in 
 black. I hope nobody is dead, for I don't like to 
 see mourning. I wonder if she is waiting for some 
 one, as she has stopped. 
 
 "Maybe she is timid to come alone to us miners. 
 She does not know that we, diggers in the mine, 
 will fight to a finish with lock, stock and barrel, 
 225 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 and all the weapons we can get to protect the purity 
 of a good woman. 
 
 "Well, she'll have to wait a spell until the water 
 begins to slack. Charlie, get a pan and sample the 
 tailings. I want to get it all this time, before I 
 make the shipment, and it looks as though it was 
 going to be a mighty big one. 
 
 "And I'll bet too big red apples I'm mighty glad 
 I bought the whole sackful, as I like to pay my 
 debts that those pesky robbers don't get their 
 hands on this pile, either. But they were mighty 
 close on my tracks when I took that other lump 
 down. 
 
 "Why, boys, as you were not with me then, I'll 
 tell you a lone highwayman suddenly stepped out 
 from behind a big chapparal shrub by the wayside 
 of the stage road in front of the four horses, with 
 a piece of blue denim overall stuff for a mask, with 
 a rifle leveled at us and called out in a command- 
 ing tone to halt. The dumbfounded driver, not 
 pulling up quick enough, the trigger snapped and 
 whizz went the bullet between the rearing animals, 
 never touching a hair, and a sharp whirring hiss 
 sounded in our ears as it passed between us, and 
 'caplunk !' went right through the back of the stage. 
 
 "It showed he was a master hand at the business, 
 and an old one, too, for quick as lightning, he cov- 
 ered us in range at the same instant eyeing us, 
 loudly shouting, 'Throw out the express box and 
 get you from there with hands up.' 
 226 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "I can tell you, boys, it was pretty ticklish, for 
 it was a mighty close shave, and we did not clam- 
 ber, but piled out of that vehicle mighty fast, and 
 soon stood as though supplicating heaven to re- 
 member all our good deeds and let the bad ones 
 slide by. 
 
 "But I could not be quite as devout as I might 
 had I not have had that currency fitted in the lining 
 of my coat and tailor stitched as neatly as when 
 new. 
 
 "But, there, the water is slackening now, and you 
 have done well, my lads, so when it runs low just 
 take it easy while I go and have a little chat with 
 the lady, and see what is wanting." 
 
 "Good afternoon, Uncle. I suppose you do not 
 know me?" 
 
 "Know you? Why, bless your soul, you are Miss 
 Faith Fairchild. Do you imagine that I, who have 
 worked mines with seven hundred men under my 
 employ at a time, and have known them years after 
 on meeting in the street, that I could not remember 
 the face of a lovely woman?" 
 
 Still retaining the hand she had extended in wel- 
 come greeting, he continued: 
 
 "I am glad to see you again, and that you have 
 not forgotten the familiar old cognomen, 'Uncle/ 
 which my best friends call me by. But you have 
 changed woefully. You look worn and weary, and 
 pardon me, if I say old, too, for I am an outspoken 
 man and mean no slander or insult, either." 
 227 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Thank you, Uncle, I believe you. You, too, 
 have changed. But the unreserved ravages of age 
 have no dishonor attached to it." 
 
 "You are right, Miss Faith. Neither has sorrow 
 and you look as though you have had your share 
 of it." 
 
 "Yes, Uncle, and if you can spare the time, I will 
 as graphically as possible tell you what trials I have 
 encountered." 
 
 "Go on, Miss Faith, the boys have had a pretty 
 tough go all the morning to get that gravel through 
 while the water was plenty so will be glad to lay by 
 awhile." 
 
 Whereupon Faith, without reserve, enumerated 
 the adventures attendant to the investment of his 
 "Sacred twenties," and as she finished took from 
 her hand bag a number of gold pieces, saying: 
 
 "Here, Uncle, are a few of the coins and the 
 only ones I have been able to regain after having 
 been plunged in the great arena of avarice with such 
 avidity. It took all my strength of character 'faith' 
 to ferret them out and rescue even these. 
 
 "Uncle, I am sorry to confess that I entered this 
 great work with a selfish reliance in my own skill 
 and faith, which even the faith of our Savior might 
 not have accomplished." 
 
 "And these are the coins, Miss Faith? Well, I'll 
 be switched ! Their luster is lacking, the crown de- 
 molished, the jeweled words 'In God We Trust/ 
 erased, and the eagle has not even a claw left. 
 
 228 
 
THE LUMP OF GOLD 
 
 "Why, Miss Faith, God Almighty knew what he 
 was about when He created all of us mortals, giving 
 us a mind and will of our own, with an instinct 
 to know right from wrong, then turning us loose 
 to work out our own salvation. I tell you, Miss 
 Faith, He would have had mighty tough rooting 
 around through all the gutters, nooks, dens, and 
 blasted places of iniquity to gather up souls to in- 
 habit heaven. 
 
 "Yes, Madam, and He would find mighty few to 
 occupy those luxurious seats, which must continual- 
 ly keep His eyes keen to repair after all these ages. 
 I would like to know where would be the time to 
 sing heavenly anthems to attract angels to parade 
 those golden streets which must have been a heap 
 of labor to make, and an enormous spendature of 
 money, let alone the quantities of gold it took to 
 do the paving? I expect that is the reason it is so 
 scarce, but bless your heart, Miss Faith, I have an- 
 other monster lump almost ready for Him. Good- 
 bye." 
 
 [THE END,]