oubled his pile to boot,
the Lord only knows; but he did."

"Miss Belmont will be a great prize," observed Fort, thoughtfully. "The
greatest beauty in the State, if she has fulfilled her promise; any
amount of go, and one or two cold millions,--the Californian heiress
sublimated."

"And mistress of herself and her millions in a few years. I hear that
Belmont has not drunk a drop since he has been in Europe with her; he's
been gone a year now. That is fatal at his age,--after having been in
pickle some thirty years. Poor Jack,--the best fellow that ever lived! I
suppose his love for the girl brought him up with a round turn.
Doubtless he suddenly realised that she was old enough to understand,
and that he must pull himself up if he would keep her respect. There's a
good deal of tragedy in California, Mr. Trennahan, and it's not of the
sentimental young folks' sort, neither."

"I won't admit it," said Trennahan, who was looking at Magdalena. "Its
very air breathes content--now, at any rate. I am glad I did not come
earlier."

"California is the Princess Royal of her country," said Fort; "and at
her birth all the good fairies came and gave her of every gift in the
stores of the immortals. Then a wicked fairy came and turned the
skeleton in her beautiful body to gold; and, lo! the princess who had
been fashioned to bless mankind carried, hidden from sight by her
innocent and beneficent charms, a terrible curse. Men came to kiss, and
stayed to tear away her flesh with their teeth. When her skeleton has
been torn forth, even to the uttermost rib, then the spell of the wicked
fairy will be broken, and California be the most gracious mother mankind
has ever known."

"Eugene, you like to hear yourself talk, but it must be admitted that
you talk well. Will you come out and have a cigar? and you, Mr.
Trennahan?"

There was no doubt that the party was a success. Between dances the
girls stood together in groups and superciliously regarded the ranks of
humble wall-flowers. Suddenly a half-dozen would dash down upon a young
man, beg him simultaneously for an eighth of a waltz, and scribble
hieroglyphics on their fans. Alan Rush was the belle, and no girl was
allowed to have more than a fourth of him at a time. Once the girls left
the room in a body, returning, with mumbled excuses, after the music for
the next dance had been playing some three minutes. Sometimes a girl
would approach a segregated youth, ask him patronisingly