Steering. I go to buy that land
to-night. You go back with Piney, please sair. Eef you come with me, you
excite the question and the price. To me it will be sold without
question. I am eccentrique, they say. You return to Canaan and have
your mawney ready for me, Mistaire Steering. That bat Grierson, Mistaire
Steering! When I think----"

Old Bernique was still throwing out riches of castigation at Grierson,
Madeira, himself, fate, still half incoherent, when the three friends at
last got back to their horses, and separated. Down at the foot of the
bluff again, Steering, a little sore-headed with the ache of
anticipation, hope, doubt, sat his horse in Piney's company and watched
the old man ride off up the river unattended. Steering felt excited and
exalted himself, but the old Frenchman was really, as he said, "craze'."
Piney was the only sensible one left. Piney was not at all enthused and
stayed very quiet until he parted with Bruce some distance out from
Canaan. Bruce went on back to town to wait for Old Bernique at the
hotel.

Piney took the path that led up to the bluff behind Madeira Place. As he
came through the Madeira grounds Crittenton Madeira came out of the
house and stood on the back porch, regarding him quizzically. Piney had
a peculiar, poorly hidden dislike of Madeira that, taken with the boy's
charm of personality, more or less amused the Canaan capitalist.

"Where have you been, young man?"

"In the woods."

"Look here, learning anything when you are out with that man Steering?"

"Yep."

"What, for instance?"

"Not to talk."

Madeira laughed carelessly. "You go and get Miss Madeira to sing, young
Impudence," he said. "I'd just as soon hear the tenor, too. I am going
to rest,"--he sighed deeply,--"I'm going to try to rest out here in the
garden. I'd like some music."

Madeira went to the garden and stretched out on a bench, the smile that
he had given Piney staying on his face, crinkling in automatically with
the grievous strain that was about his eyes and mouth in these days.
After a little he closed his eyes softly, enjoyingly. From the library
came the carolling sweetness of Piney's tenor. And by and by, following
it, soaring up with it, the glorious fulness of Salome Madeira's velvety
soprano.

Bruce, far down the river road, heard, too.

_Chapter Twelve_

THE COLOSSUS OF CANAAN

After Crittenton Madeira had organised the Canaan Mining and Development
Company the _Canaan