Freeman laughed. “Well,” he said, “if I’m a hypocrite, I’m one of those who are made and not born. As a boy, I was frank enough. But a good part of my life has been spent with people who couldn’t be trusted; and perhaps the habit of protecting myself against them has grown upon me. If I could only live here for a while it would be different.--Here’s an odd-looking thing. What do you call that?” “We call it the Golden Fleece.” “The Golden Fleece! I can imagine a Medea; but where is the Dragon?” “If Jason came, the Dragon might appear.” “I remember reading somewhere that the Dragon was less to be feared than Medea’s eyes. But this fleece seems to have lost most of its gold. There is only a little gold embroidery.” “It shows where the gold is hidden.” “It’s you that are concealing something now, Miss Trednoke. How can a woollen garment be a talisman?” “The secret might be woven into it, perhaps,” replied Miriam, passing her fingers caressingly over the soft tunic. “Then, when the right person puts it on, it would----But you don’t believe in these things.” “I don’t know: you don’t give me a chance. But who is the right person? The thing seems rather small. I’m sure I couldn’t get it on.” “It can fit only the one it was made for,” said Miriam, gravely. “And if you wanted to find the gold, you would trust to your science, rather than to this.” “Well, gold-hunting is not in my line, at present. Every nugget has been paid for more than once, before it is found. Besides, there is something better than gold in Southern California,--something worth any labor to get.” “What is it?” asked Miriam, turning her tranquil regard upon him.