e
were so many left? And with this thought her tears dried up and she
began to sing again as she busied herself about the house--bursting
into a refrain from one of the operas she loved, or crooning some of the
old-time melodies which her black mammy had taught her when a child.

But now for Jack and what the day held for him of wonders and surprises.

Some pessimistic wiseacre has said that all the dire and dreadful things
in life drop out of a clear sky; that it is the unexpected which is to
be feared, and that the unknown bridges are the ones in which dangers
lurk and where calamity is to be feared.

The optimistic Scribe bites his derisive thumb at such ominous
prophecies. Once in a while some rain does fall, and now and then a
roar of thunder, or sharp slash of sleet will split the air during our
journey through life, but the blue is always above, and the clouds but
drifting ships that pass and are gone. In and through them all the warm,
cheery sun fights on for joyous light and happy endings, and almost
always wins.

This time the unexpected took shape in the person of T. Ballantree, from
Morfordsburg--a plain, direct, straight-to-the-point kind of a man,
whom Jack found in the corridor of the Astor House with his eyes on the
clock.

"You are very prompt, Mr. Breen," he said in clear-cut tones, "so am I.
What I wanted to see you about is just this: You own some ore property
three miles east of the Maryland Mining Company's lay-out. Am I right?"

"Yes, you are right," answered Jack with a comprehensive glance which
began at the speaker's black derby hat, traversed his suit of store
clothes, and ended in a pair of boots which still showed some traces of
yellow clay, as if their wearer had been prospecting the day before.

"Are there any encumbrances on the property--any mortgages or liens not
yet recorded? I don't mean taxes; I find they have been paid," continued
Ballantree.

Jack shifted his seat so he could get a better view of the speaker's
face, and said in answer:

"Why do you ask?"

"Because," said the man with entire frankness, "we understand that the
Maryland Mining Company have an option on it. If that is so, I'll stop
where I am. We don't care to buck up against Breen & Co."

"No," answered Jack, now convinced of the man's sincerity; "no--it's
free and clear except for a loan of ten thousand dollars held by a
friend, which can be paid off at any time."

Ballantree ducked his head in token o