accompany you！' A shriek at right upper center。 Enter the
'Marysville Pet。' 'I have heard all。 'Tis a base calumny。 It
cannot be HERandolph！ Never！''Dare you accompany us will！'
Tableau。
〃Is Miss Euphemiahere？〃 gasped Rand； practical even in his
embarrassment。
〃Or…r…rder！ Scene second。 Summit of mountainmoonlight Peaks of
Snowdon in distance。 Rightlonely cabin。 Enter slowly up defile；
Sol； Mrs。 Sol； the 'Pet。' Advance slowly to cabin。 Suppressed
shriek from the 'Pet；' who rushes to recumbent figureLeft
discovered lying beside cabin…door。 ''Tis he！ Hist！ he sleeps！'
Throws blanket over him； and retires up stageso。〃 Here Sol
achieved a vile imitation of the 〃Pet's〃 most enchanting stage…
manner。 〃Mrs。 Sol advancesCenterthrows open door。 Shriek！
''Tis Mornie； the lost found！' The 'Pet' advances： 'And the father
is？''Not Rand！' The 'Pet' kneeling： 'Just Heaven； I thank thee！'
No； it is'〃
〃Hush！〃 said Rand appealingly； looking toward the cabin。
〃Hush it is！〃 said the actor good…naturedly。 〃But it's all right；
Mr。 Rand： we'll pull you through。〃
Later in the morning； Rand learned that Mornie's ill…fated
connection with the Star Variety Troupe had been a source of
anxiety to Mrs。 Sol； and she had reproached herself for the girl's
infelicitous debut。
〃But； Lord bless you； Mr。 Rand！〃 said Sol； 〃it was all in the way
of business。 She came to uswas fresh and new。 Her chance；
looking at it professionally； was as good as any amateur's； but
what with her relations here； and her bein' known； she didn't take。
We lost money on her！ It's natural she should feel a little ugly。
We all do when we get sorter kicked back onto ourselves； and find
we can't stand alone。 Why； you wouldn't believe it；〃 he continued；
with a moist twinkle of his black eyes； 〃but the night I lost my
little Rosey； of diphtheria in Gold Hill； the child was down on the
bills for a comic song； and I had to drag Mrs。 Sol on； cut up as
she was； and filled up with that much of Old Bourbon to keep her
nerves stiff； so she could do an old gag with me to gain time； and
make up the 'variety。' Why； sir； when I came to the front； I was
ugly！ And when one of the boys in the front row sang out； 'Don't
expose that poor child to the night air； Sol；'meaning Mrs。 Sol；
I acted ugly。 No； sir； it's human nature； and it was quite natural
that Mornie； when she caught sight o' Mrs。 Sol's face last night；
should rise up and cuss us both。 Lord； if she'd only acted like
that！ But the old lady got her quiet at last； and； as I said
before； it's all right； and we'll pull her through。 But don't YOU
thank us： it's a little matter betwixt us and Mornie。 We've got
everything fixed； so that Mrs。 Sol can stay right along。 We'll
pull Mornie through； and get her away from this； and her baby too；
as soon as we can。 You won't get mad if I tell you something？〃
said Sol； with a half…apologetic laugh。 〃Mrs。 Sol was rather down
on you the other day； hated you on sight； and preferred your
brother to you； but when she found he'd run off and left YOU； you；
don't mind my sayin'；a 'mere boy；' to take what oughter be HIS
place； why； she just wheeled round agin' him。 I suppose he got
flustered； and couldn't face the music。 Never left a word of
explanation？ Well； it wasn't exactly square； though I tell the old
woman it's human nature。 He might have dropped a hint where he was
goin'。 Well； there； I won't say a word more agin' him。 I know how
you feel。 Hush it is。〃
It was the firm conviction of the simple…minded Sol that no one
knew the various natural indications of human passion better than
himself。 Perhaps it was one of the fallacies of his profession
that the expression of all human passion was limited to certain
conventional signs and sounds。 Consequently； when Rand colored
violently； became confused； stammered； and at last turned hastily
away； the good…hearted fellow instantly recognized the unfailing
evidence of modesty and innocence embarrassed by recognition。 As
for Rand； I fear his shame was only momentary。 Confirmed in the
belief of his ulterior wisdom and virtue； his first embarrassment
over； he was not displeased with this halfway tribute； and really
believed that the time would come when Mr。 Sol should eventually
praise his sagacity and reservation； and acknowledge that he was
something more than a mere boy。 He； nevertheless； shrank from
meeting Mornie that morning； and was glad that the presence of Mrs。
Sol relieved him from that duty。
The day passed uneventfully。 Rand busied himself in his usual
avocations； and constructed a temporary shelter for himself and Sol
beside the shaft； besides rudely shaping a few necessary articles
of furniture for Mrs。 Sol。
〃It will be a little spell yet afore Mornie's able to be moved；〃
suggested Sol； 〃and you might as well be comfortable。〃
Rand sighed at this prospect； yet presently forgot himself in the
good humor of his companion； whose admiration for himself he began
to patronizingly admit。 There was no sense of degradation in
accepting the friendship of this man who had traveled so far； seen
so much； and yet； as a practical man of the world； Rand felt was so
inferior to himself。 The absence of Miss Euphemia； who had early
left the mountain； was a source of odd； half…definite relief。
Indeed； when he closed his eyes to rest that night； it was with a
sense that the reality of his situation was not as bad as he had
feared。 Once only； the figure of his brotherhaggard； weary； and
footsore； on his hopeless quest； wandering in lonely trails and
lonelier settlementscame across his fancy； but with it came the
greater fear of his return； and the pathetic figure was banished。
〃And； besides； he's in Sacramento by this time； and like as not
forgotten us all；〃 he muttered； and； twining this poppy and
mandragora around his pillow； he fell asleep。
His spirits had quite returned the next morning； and once or twice
he found himself singing while at work in the shaft。 The fear that
Ruth might return to the mountain before he could get rid of
Mornie； and the slight anxiety that had grown upon him to know
something of his brother's movements； and to be able to govern them
as he wished； caused him to hit upon the plan of constructing an
ingenious advertisement to be published in the San Francisco
journals； wherein the missing Ruth should be advised that news of
his quest should be communicated to him by 〃a friend；〃 through the
same medium； after an interval of two weeks。 Full of this amiable
intention； he returned to the surface to dinner。 Here； to his
momentary confusion； he met Miss Euphemia； who； in absence of Sol；
was assisting Mrs。 Sol in the details of the household。
If the honest frankness with which that young lady greeted him was
not enough to relieve his embarrassment； he would have forgotten
it in the utterly new and changed aspect she presented。 Her
extravagant walking…costume of the previous day was replaced by
some bright calico； a little white apron； and a broad…brimmed
straw…hat； which seemed to Rand； in some odd fashion； to restore
her original girlish simplicity。 The change was certainly not
unbecoming to her。 If her waist was not as tightly pinched； a la
mode； there still was an honest； youthful plumpness about it； her
step was freer for the absence of her high…heel boots； and even the
hand she extended to Rand； if not quite so small as in her tight
gloves； and a little brown from exposure； was magnetic in its
strong； kindly grasp。 There was perhaps a slight suggestion of the
practical Mr。 Sol in her wholesome presence； and Rand could not
help wondering if Mrs。 Sol had ever been a Gold Hill 〃Pet〃 before
her marriage with Mr。 Sol。 The young girl noticed his curious
glance。
〃You never saw me in my rehearsal dress before；〃 she said； with a
laugh。 〃But I'm not 'company' to…day； and didn't put on my best
harness to knock round in。 I suppose I look dreadful。〃
〃I don't think you look bad；〃 said Rand simply。
〃Thank you；〃 said Euphemia； with a laugh and a courtesy。 〃But this
isn't getting the dinner。〃
As part of that operation evidently was the taking…off of her hat；
the putting…up of some thick blond locks that had escaped； and the
rolling…up of her sleeves over a pair of strong； rounded arms； Rand
lingered near her。 All trace of the 〃Pet's〃 previous professional
coquetry was gone；perhaps it was only replaced by a more natural
one； but as she looked up； and caught sight of Rand's interested
face； she laughed again； and colored a little。 Slight as was the
blush； it was sufficient to kindle a sympathetic fire in Rand's own
cheeks； which was so utterly unexpected to him that he turned on
his heel in confusion。 〃I reckon she thinks I'm soft and silly；
like Ruth；〃 he soliloquized； and； determining not to look at her
again； betook himself to a distant and contemplative pipe。 In vain
did Miss Euphemia address herself to the ostentatious getting of
the dinner in full view of him； in vain did she bring the coffee…
pot away from the fire； and nearer Rand； with the apparent
intention of examining its contents in a better light； in vain；
while wiping a plate； did she； abso