“Oh, don’t say but, Mike. Draw out the bit of money ye left in the savings bank at ’Frisco, and come with us.” “Yis, but what the divil will I do before I get to ’Frisco without a cint av money or a dacint suit av clothes?” “Oh—I’ll—I’ll—I’ll spake to the colonel’s leddy!” said Judy, springing up impulsively and running into the house to lay the case before her benefactress. Mrs. Moseley was all sympathy and kindness, and soon devised a plan by which Mike should have an outfit and transportation to San Francisco, where he might draw his savings from the bank, and repay all advances. That day and the next, through the kindness of the colonel and his officers, the footsore, starved and wearied tramps were fed and rested at the fort. On Monday the determined miners went on their way to Grizzly, well provided with food and drink for their journey through the woods. At the same time a train of ambulances and army wagons, containing the colonel and his numerous family, the discharged soldiers, with Longman, Mike, Dandy and much goods, filed out of the fort gates and took the road to St. Agnetta, where they were all to take the train to San Francisco, en route for New York. CHAPTER VII A GLAD SURPRISE “I have found them, ma’am! I have found them! And they are charming—charming!” exclaimed Ran Hay with boyish exultation, bursting into Mrs. Samuel Walling’s parlor with the freedom of an inmate on the morning succeeding his meeting with Cleve and Palma Stuart. “Sit down, you excitable fellow, and tell me whom you have found. Is it Sir John Franklin and his crew, or is it Mr. Livingstone?” inquired the lady, rising and giving her hand to the visitor. “Neither, ma’am; though I would give my life to find either if it were possible. But I have found my own dear cousins!” replied Ran, dropping into a chair. “Your Uncle James Jordan’s children? Those whom you advertised for?” “His daughter, ma’am; his sole surviving child, Palma, and her husband, Cleve Stuart, who is the only son and sole heir of the late John Stuart, a rich planter of Mississippi. They are a charming young couple, only a few months married.” “Cleve Stuart?” said Mrs. Walling, musing. “Yes, ma’am.” “Why, I know him! He used to be a devoted admirer of Lamia Leegh. We all thought that it would certainly be a match. But I fancy she discarded him in favor of the wealthier suitor, your treacherous traveling companion, Gentleman Geff, the rival claimant of Haymore.” “If she did she made a miserable mistake. But I do not think she did. I don’t believe she ever had the chance. I cannot fancy Stuart ever having been enslaved by any woman before his lovely wife, to whom he is perfectly devoted!” replied Ran. “Ah! well, I may have been mistaken. He was very much in society. So was Miss Leegh. They were frequently together. But tell me how you found them.” “Through that advertisement, of course.” “Oh, yes, I know. But how?”