"Your nephew ought to have stayed to dinner," said Gerald, smiling. "I hope I shall never see him again; he is a very bad man." "He won't dare to come back to this settlement. He had to run the gauntlet, and he was lucky to escape with his life. Now, let me show you the other rooms." There were two other rooms, each provided with a comfortable bed. In the smaller one Gerald put his gripsack, and, unpacking his clothes, laid them away in the drawers of a small bureau. "Where are your clothes, Mr. Nixon?" he asked. The old man looked embarrassed. "I have very few," he said, "and those are about worn out." "May I buy you some?" "I wish you would; and you may as well throw away the old ones. Take whatever money you need and go to the store." "I see you have confidence in me, Mr. Nixon." "Yes; I feel that you are a good boy and I can trust you. You have made a new man of me already. This morning I thought I was very near to death. Now I feel ten years younger." During the rest of the day Gerald exerted himself to supply any deficiencies in the household, and provided whatever was needed in the way of comfort. When evening came on the lamps were lighted, and the new residence seemed homelike. With Mr. Nixon's consent, arrangements were made to have all their meals sent over from the hotel. The box of gold coins had been placed in the sitting-room. "I wish your gold was in some safe place, Mr. Nixon," said Gerald, as his glance fell on the tin box. "You can take it to the bank in Fairfield to-morrow," said the old man; "that is, most of it. We shall need some to spend from day to day." "Very well. I will engage a team from Mr. Loche, and ride over in the morning. Have you an account there already?" "Yes. I have five thousand dollars in the bank." "You must give me something to do, Mr. Nixon. I will attend to any business that requires attention—that is, provided you think I am competent." "I shall be glad to accept your offer; but if you are entering my service you must be paid." "Mr. Nugent will see that I am paid." "No, no; I cannot allow it. I am a rich man. It is right that I should pay you. I will give you—" he paused for a moment—"sixty dollars a month and your board. Will that be sufficient?" "It is high pay for a boy." "You will be doing a man's work." "I am afraid my services will not be worth that money." "Have no fear on that score. I am a rich man, as I wrote to Mr. Nugent. I may be worth nearly one hundred thousand dollars." "Is your wealth known in the settlement?" "No. I don't think any one considers me worth over five thousand dollars. It is fortunate for me, or there might have been attempts to rob me before." "How is your property invested, if you don't mind telling me?" "I have some mines over in the next county. I have been too ill to look after them. I will send you soon in my place." "I will do as well as I can, Mr. Nixon; but I wish I were older."