Whereat Olly flew into Poinsett's arms, and gave him a fraternal and
conciliatory kiss. Tableau.
"You don't look like a bride," said the practical Olly to Mrs.
Poinsett, under her breath; "you ain't got no veil, no orange
blossoms--and that black dress"----
"We've been married seven years, Olly," said the quick-eared and
ready-witted Arthur.
And then these people began to chatter as if they had always been in the
closest confidence and communion.
"You know," said Grace to her brother, "Arthur and I are going East, to
the States, to-morrow, and really, Gabe, he says he will not leave here
until you consent to take back your house--your wife's house, Gabe. You
know WE" (there was a tremendous significance in this newly-found
personal plural), "WE have deeded it all to you."
"I hev a dooty to per-form to Gracey," said Gabriel Conroy, with astute
deliberation, looking at Mr. Poinsett, "a dooty to thet gal, thet must
be done afore any transfer of this yer proputty is made. I hev to make
restitution of certain papers ez hez fallen casooally into my hands.
This yer paper," he added, drawing a soiled yellow envelope from his
pocket, "kem to me a week ago, the same hevin' lied in the Express
Office sens the trial. It belongs to Gracey, I reckon, and I hands it to
her."
Grace tore open the envelope, glanced at its contents hurriedly, uttered
a slight cry of astonishment, blushed, and put the paper into her
pocket.
"This yer paper," continued Gabriel, gravely, drawing another from his
blouse, "was found by me in the Empire Tunnel the night I was runnin'
from the lynchers. It likewise b'longs to Gracey--and the world
gin'rally. It's the record of Dr. Devarges' fust discovery of the silver
lead on this yer hill, and," continued Gabriel, with infinite gravity,
"wipes out, so to speak, this yer mineral right o' me and Mr. Dumphy and
the stockholders gin'rally."
It was Mr. Poinsett's turn to take the paper from Gabriel's hands. He
examined it attentively by the fading light. "That is so," he said,
earnestly; "it is quite legal and valid."
"And thar ez one paper more," continued Gabriel, this time putting his
hand in his bosom and drawing out a buckskin purse, from which he
extracted a many-folded paper. "It's the grant that Dr. Devarges gave
Gracey, thet thet pore Mexican Ramirez ez--maybe ye may remember--waz
killed, handed to my wife, and July, my wife"--said Gabriel, with a
prodigious blush--"hez been sorter keepin' IN TRUST for Gracey!"
He gave the paper to Arthur, who received it, but still retained a warm
grasp of Gabriel's massive hand.
"And now," added Gabriel, "et's gettin' late, and I reckon et's about
the square thing ef we'd ad-journ this yer meeting to the hotel, and ez
you're goin' away, maybe ye'd make a partin' visit with yer wife,
forgettin' and forgivin' like, to Mrs. Conroy and the baby--a pore
little thing--that ye wouldn't believe it, Mr. Poinsett, looks like me!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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