Moses hurried home, and on the way threw the deadly drug, which he had purchased of the apothecary, into a stream of water to poison the fishes. He thought no more of suicide. Avarice had entered his soul, and expelled another powerful passion, which had been impelling him to the commission of _felo de se_. Love, like a cruel leopard, had clutched the heart of Moses, when Avarice, like a mighty lion, appeared and compelled the leopard to abandon its prey. The father of Moses had already heard of the wonderful discoveries of gold on the Pacific coast, and was willing that his son should go thither and secure his fortune. The parent was a pious man, and he bade Moses kneel before him, while he laid his hands on his head and gave him his blessing. He then proceeded to his barn, and procuring two sacks made of stout canvas and each capable of containing a couple of bushels, he presented them to Moses, saying,-- "My son, be not greedy of gold. Moderate your desires; and when you have filled these two sacks return again to your father's house." Moses dutifully vowed obedience to the injunctions of his venerable sire. He received the sacks with a light heart, for he felt that light was the task imposed upon him. He departed with the pleasing anticipation of a brief sojourn in the distant land and a speedy return to the halls of his ancestors. CHAPTER XXXV. "It was the saddest hour of my life when I parted from Rosabel," said Toney to the Professor, as they stood on the platform at the railway in Mapleton waiting for the train which was to convey them to the Monumental City, where they were to embark for California. "Rosabel was willing that you should go?" asked the Professor. "The dear girl wept as if her heart was breaking. I never knew how deeply I loved her until then. Only to think that I may be absent for five years! But we both thought that it was better that I should go." "And make the hundred thousand dollars." "There can be no hope of our union until I have the hundred thousand dollars. You know the Widow Wild's eccentricity." "That woman is a profound mystery. And Tom Seddon, whom we expect in the train,--do you think that he can part from Ida?" "Poor Tom's situation is like mine. He can never hope to marry Ida while her uncle is alive, unless he has an ample fortune." "You refer to the old Cerberus, who used to pretend to have fits of canine rabies, and drive Tom out of the house?" "He has entirely excluded Tom from the house." "Where does Tom manage to see Ida?" "At Colonel Hazlewood's residence. Ida is the only companion of Claribel and Imogen, who see no other company." "See no company! They used to be gay enough." "When Clarence and Harry went to Mexico, they secluded themselves from society." "What has become of those young men? They did not return when the troops came back from Mexico."