Old Sunshine plodded on. The sands were hot. The air was hotter. There was little beside his path to attract attention except here and there a cactus plant. Beyond the distant mountains, across the valley, the sun was setting in glory. The memory of the past years, of fortunes he had made and lost, came to him again. It was because these memories did not make him gloomy and sour, but because his hopeful nature triumphed over them, that he had won the title of Old Sunshine, and none of earth’s monarchs had a grander title. It began to grow dark in the desert, but the western mountain-tops were still glorious. And then there came to the old man the words which had cheered him so often: “At evening time it shall be light.” The day of his life had been full of storms. Would its evening be peaceful and light? Steady plodding brought him to Emerald Valley, or as it was better known, Lathrop’s Miracle, a desert like the rest until the Colonel’s enterprise had made it a paradise. He had dug a canal, tapping the river miles above, and the water had turned the desert into a very Eden of luxuriance. Everything which the Colonel could grow brought a high price in the near-by mining camps. He had spent many thousands of dollars in this private enterprise of changing the desert into a garden, and his efforts had met the success which they deserved. Every dollar spent by Colonel Lathrop in irrigation had returned to him leading others with it. The Colonel and his family were at their evening meal. “If here isn’t Old Sunshine!” exclaimed little Daisy Lathrop. “Have you walked all the way from the Rattlesnake?” asked the Colonel. “Nothing wrong at the mine, I hope. Make room at the table, children, for Mr. Baxter.” “Nothing wrong, Colonel--but can I see you alone a few minutes?” “Certainly. Come this way.” The Colonel led the way to a room which was both office and library to him. “What’s up?” he asked. “I struck a rich vein after you left, but I managed to keep it hidden from the other men. I believe the vein runs off across the old Dead Open and Shut claim. I thought perhaps you would like to buy that claim before the public gets wind of the strike.” Old Sunshine then exhibited specimens of the gold which he had found. “Of course I can’t say how far the vein extends. You will have to take your chances on that, but it is the richest vein I have ever seen in all my fifty years of mining.” “You’re a brick, Old Sunshine. I’ll close a bargain for the Dead Open and Shut to-night if I can. Winklereid tried to sell it to me to-day for ten thousand dollars. Here, Martha,” he called to his wife, “please take the best care you can of our friend here. He must be pretty well used up.”