gods and set up no idols in your hearts, as
you value the salvation of your souls. But if your mine lies in this
district, be fearful not to excite the anger of the gnomes of the
mountain. Charge lightly, lest you blast the bottom out of your mine.
Disturb not the slumber of the spirits of the hills lest they throw a
horse into the shaft and push your pay-ore down a thousand feet.

Now, I who am what I am, a servant of the Sphinx, have erected the
shrine of my household gods in the beautiful town, which lies in its
shadow and is held in its paw. Even now is the Sphinx weaving on the
web of my destiny. I hope I may be spared the cumbersome burden of the
wealth of a Rockefeller, who is said to possess a billion dollars for
every hair on his head. One thousandth part of his wealth would suffice
to reward me amply.

I received a message in a dream, in a vision of the night, a promise
from the Sphinx. I fancied that I was on Lynx Creek, sitting on the
windlass at the shaft of my silver mine. This mine is within a mile of
the place where we had camped and met the party of miners. I had worked
the mine with profit until I met, through no fault of mine, with a
fault in the mine and encountered a horse in the formation which
faulted the ground in such a manner as to interrupt the pay chute and
to make further work unprofitable.

While I sat there, lighting my pipe and blessing my luck, I saw a black
tomcat come along and jump my claim. As I have always detested claim
jumpers, I threw a rock at him and with an uncanny mee-ow and bristling
tail he disappeared down the mine. When I went to the spot where he had
scratched, after the fashion of cats, probably preparing to build his
location monument and place his notice, I was thunderstruck to see that
the rock I had thrown at him had been transformed into a chunk of pure
gold. Surely where that cat jumped into the mine, there lies a bonanza,
there shall I sink to the water level.

From the time of my youth have I always possessed great bodily strength
and physical endurance, combined with good health, and now, I am, if
anything, stronger in body than ever and I am blessed with the
identical passions and thoughts I harbored in the days of my youth. To
me this signifies that my life's real task is now beginning, the Sphinx
is fitting me for glorious work. What and where, I care not; but
ambitious hope leads me on, past wealth and power to visions of a
temple of divine, pictorial a