usily for a month after Mr Gunson's coming back to his
claim; and then one day we struck camp and marched back to the Fort,
with a small quantity of gold, the fifth that we had taken up.

"Why, hallo!" cried Mr Raydon as he came in and found us there, with
Mr and Mrs John, and Gunson looking very serious.

"Yes," he said. "It's all over. My luck again."

"What do you mean?"

"That was a rich little deposit, and we have gleaned the last grain.
The other people are doing badly too, and going back."

"But there must be plenty more," said Mr Raydon.

"No; I believe we have pretty well cleared the valley."

"Then I am delighted," cried Mr Raydon. "Gunson, I congratulate you."

"Indeed!" said Gunson, coldly.

"Yes, for now there will be an end to this grasping, avaricious work,
and our pleasant vales will return to the condition that is best."

"The hope of my life is crushed, man, and I must begin my weary hunt
again," said Gunson, bitterly.

"No; your new and happier, more manly life is now about to commence.
Look here, what gold have you got?"

"You know."

"Not I. I know that I supplied you with a couple of sheep-skins, which
you made into bags, and that those bags are in my strong box. What have
you?"

"After I have fairly apportioned shares to Mayne, to Dean, and to my
little Chinese friend, I shall have a thousand pounds' worth for
myself."

"Ample, and double what you will require, man," said Mr Raydon. "Think
where you are, in a country--a virgin country--as beautiful, more
beautiful than dear old England, a place where for almost nothing you
may select land by one of our lovely streams, which, as the writer said,
is waiting to be tickled with a hoe, that it may laugh with a harvest.
Come: England is too narrow for such a man as you. Take up land, make a
ranch if you like, or farm as they farm at home; sow your grains of gold
in the shape of wheat, and they will come up a hundredfold. Build your
house, and send for the mother and sister of whom you spoke to me when
you were so weak."

"I spoke!" said Gunson, wonderingly. "Yes; you were half delirious, but
you spoke of a dear mother and sister in England; bring them to share
your prosperity, for prosperity must come; and it is a life worth
living, after all."

As he spoke I felt my heart swell with hope; the gloomy feelings of
disappointment passed away, and I found myself gazing with astonishment
at Mr Gunson, whose morose, disfigured f