ble to. I'm always sort of longing and longing for the old days.
I long for those things we can never have. I think--think always of
folks with money, their automobiles, their grand houses, with lots and
lots of good things to eat. And it makes me hate--all--all this. Oh,
Zip, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I'm not good. But I'm not, and I--I--"

She broke off and dashed the back of her hand across her eyes in time
to wipe away the great tears that threatened to roll down her rounded
cheeks. In a moment Scipio was at her side, and one arm was thrust
about her waist, and he seized one of her hands.

"You mustn't to cry," he said tenderly, as though she were a child.
"You mustn't, Jess--truth. You ain't what you're saying. You ain't
nothing like it. You're dear and good, and it's 'cause you're that
good and honest you're saying all these things. Do you think I don't
know just how you're suffering? Do you? Why, Jess, I know just
everything about you, and it nigh breaks my heart to think of all I've
brought you to. It ain't you, Jess, it's me who's bad. It's me who's a
fool. I hain't no more sense than a buck rabbit, and I ain't sure a
new-littered pup couldn't put me to sleep for savvee. Now don't you go
to crying. Don't you indeed. I just can't bear to see those beautiful
eyes o' yours all red and running tears. And, say, we sure have got
better prospects than you're figgering. You see, I've got a claim
there's no one else working on. And sure there's minerals on it.
Copper--or leastways it looks like copper, and there's mica, an'
lots--an' lots of stuff. I'll sure find gold in that claim. It's just
a matter of keepin' on. And I'm going to. And then, when we find it,
what a blow-out we'll have. We'll get automobiles and houses, and--and
we'll have a bunch of sweet corn for supper, same as we had at a hotel
once, and then--"

But the woman had suddenly drawn away from his embrace. She could
stand no more of her little husband's pathetic hopes. She knew. She
knew, with the rest of the camp, the hopelessness of his quest, and
even in her worst moments she had not the heart to destroy his
illusions. It was no good, the hopelessness of it all came more than
ever upon her.

"Zip dear," she said, with a sudden, unwonted tenderness that had
something strangely nervous in it, "don't you get staying around here
or I'll keep right on crying. You get out to your work. I'm feeling
better now, and you've--you've made things look kind of brig