trange light of the dip candles, and everyone
chaffing, Nelson and the Senator seemed to stand out like two giants,
and there was something aloof in their faces, and apart from the rest.
If one searched the world, Mamma, one could not find two nobler men.

At last we climbed into two great caverns out of which they had taken
the finest gold, nineteen thousand dollars to a ton of rock. The miners
(I am sure not the lovely courtly creatures we saw last night, but some
low other ones) stole so much that now they have to be searched as they
leave the mine. We hated to hear that. They could conceal about twenty
dollars' worth a day on themselves each, and so it got to be called
"high grading." Isn't that a nice word, and what heaps of "highgraders"
there are in different walks of life! Pilfering brains and ideas and
thoughts from other people!

They were blasting in the shaft below and the fumes came up and made us
all a little faint, so we decided to come to the earth's surface without
going down about two hundred feet lower, which we could have done.
In one long gallery we came upon a single miner working away in a
cul-de-sac, with, it seemed, absolutely no air. Think of the courage
and endurance it must take to continue this, day after day! I do admire
them. Then they have the knowledge that if they like to chance things
and go off with an "outfit"--two donkeys, which are called "burros"--
carrying their tools, they can prospect in the desert and peg out their
own claims, and all have the possibility of becoming millionaires. It is
a wonderful and rugged life.

Gaston must have said something definite to Mercedes in the dark for
they both looked conscious when we came into daylight; but we have not
heard anything yet. Octavia's friend is quite devoted to her, and Tom
is getting a little jealous; so good for him, he won't be so absolutely
casual in future, I hope. And if, Mamma, I had not an underneath feeling
of I don't know what about Harry and that Smith creature, I could be
awfully happy, as I find Nelson an attentive dear; but there it is, just
as I am beginning to feel frolicsome, a recollection rushes over me of
them together in Africa, and a sick sensation comes up, and I feel I
could play the devil if I had the chance--and I believe I would if it
were someone else; but Nelson seems too fine to trifle with. Heigh ho! I
now know that Harry is really rather like these miners, only he has not
got such good manners,