lders of "The Biddy" came into his mind. Could he afford to
tell his bride all the facts in the case? This feeling of
dissatisfaction with himself led him to do many extravagant things. He
presented her with beautiful and costly jewels for which she had
little taste.

"Why, Richard. What made you think of that?" she said once after he
had slipped away to the city to buy her something.

"Is it so very pretty?"

"It is beautiful! But can we afford such things?"

"We can afford anything that will make you happy."

He made a similar answer when she drew back a little startled at the
cost of the house he had contracted for.

"Why, it is a palace!"

"The best is scarcely good enough for you." After a moment he added,
"You see, I know you can never live East again, and I want you to
have all the comforts of a palace out here. And so long as 'The Witch'
holds out you shall have your heart's desire."

Mr. Ross had come to have a profound respect for his future
son-in-law. "I can't say that he don't make as much of a fool of
himself as any prospective bridegroom, but he is a business man at the
same time. He don't lose his head, by any means." He was telling his
son about Clement. "He is devoted to your sister, but I went over to
his mine with him the other day and it is perfectly certain that he
understands his business. He is only reckless when buying things for
Ellice. He'll take care of her and the mine, too."

Clement felt a certain incongruity every time he put on his miner's
dress and went through the mine. "I'm too rough for her, too old," he
kept thinking--trying to conceal the real cause of his growing fear.

He was not honest with himself. He fought round the real point of
danger. He gave a generous sum to the library, aided a hospital, and
did other things which should ease a bad conscience, and yet do not.
He hastened the house forward, and passed to and fro between his mine,
the Springs and the city in ceaseless activity.

The marriage was set for July, just a year from the time he first saw
her, and the winter passed quickly, so busied was he in building and
planning the home. He grew less and less buoyant and more careworn as
spring wore on, and Ellice could not understand the change. He was
moody and changeable even in her presence. This troubled her, and she
often asked:

"What is the matter, Richard? Is your business going wrong?"

"No, oh no. Business is all right. Nothing is the matter." And e