“Yes,” said Arthur, clasping her passionately to his breast, “yes, I’ll forgive you; but you must go away from Rufus Grim’s house, and I will arrange matters and soon we will be married.” “You make me so happy, Arthur; I could starve, yes, starve willingly with you, rather than live with any other man on earth.” “I think we had better be married soon,” said Arthur, “say in two weeks?” “Impossible!” lisped Bertha. “No, not impossible,” replied Boast, almost savagely, “I say we must be married in two weeks. I will take you to my father’s for a little while, after which we will commence housekeeping.” “Why, Arthur,” protested Bertha, “you are the most unreasonable man living; you are, indeed. How can I [212] be married in two weeks? It’s such a short time since mamma died.” “It must be as I say,” replied Arthur, determinedly, “it is for your good. You are left alone in the world, and, Bertha, I love you with the only love that I have ever given to any human being. There, don’t cry; dry your eyes, my darling, and make up your mind that I know what is for your good.” She finally gave in, and the compact was sealed with a lover’s kiss and a tender embrace. The next day was one to be long remembered. Colonel Bonifield called at the Prospector office and told Vance that, at last, they had reached the 500 foot level. 9220 “Yes,” said the Colonel, with more enthusiasm than he had exhibited for some months, “we have cert’nly had mo’ trouble, suh, in goin’ these last hund’ed feet than all the other distance put together, but we have kep’ right along, and finally, suh, we are 500 feet below the groun’. Of cou’se, there’s a lot of work yet to do; in fact, a pow’ful lot, in cross-cutting into the vein, but a week’s work, with my present fo’ce of men, will finish the drift-shaft. It’s a vehy proud moment of my life, suh, to tell yo’ that afteh all the trials and delays we have had, that finally we are down to the 500 foot level. There’s a little matteh, Mr. Gilder, that I want to speak to yo’ about. I’m goin’ to be a little short of money. I think, possibly, suh, I have enough fo’ about three or fou’ days’ work yet. We have about fo’ty men workin’, and I am anxious to keep them until we finish cross-cuttin’.” Vance was aghast. He knew not what to do, and he frankly confessed to the Colonel that the $6,000 which he had given him was, practically, every cent he had in the world of ready money; that he had written to Judge Patton, who had charge of his estate in New York city, and the judge interpreted his father’s will to require his residence in New York city in order to enjoy the annuity.