-up had not yet been disposed of, he was startled by a noise
outside. He blew out the light and hid his little bag of treasure in the
ashes of his forge. None too soon, for there was a summons at the door,
and when he opened it he was confronted by three masked men. With drawn
pistols they demanded his money. He said he had none. It was useless to
resist, so he let them bind him hand and foot. Again they demanded his
money. Again he said he had none. They knew better, and they threatened
to burn him alive in his cabin. But Palmer was firm. Then they burnt his
legs with a hot poker, and threatened to shoot him, as they might have
done with impunity in that lonesome place. Still he was firm, so they
set him on the hot stove and tortured him in that way. One of the party,
more humane than the rest, protested against more extreme measures; so
that, after searching the cabin, they gave up their enterprise, baffled
by that indomitable man. Before leaving him one of the men asked:

"Mr. Palmer, do you know us?"

Realizing that such knowledge meant death, he replied:

"No, I don't know any of you."

And so they left him. The lone miner no doubt had suspicions concerning
several of his worthless neighbors; but to the day of his death he kept
such suspicions to himself.

Is it any wonder, living in that lawless country, that Robert Palmer
became almost a recluse? But why should he work so? He was working
unselfishly for others, as you will see when you read his will, for his
twenty-nine nephews and nieces. As if a heap of double eagles would be
of any particular use to relatives who had well-nigh forgotten him! No,
they had not forgotten. For one nephew borrowed money, which was,
however, repaid, and one niece secured five hundred dollars by sharp
practice worse than robbery. Robert Palmer made the mistake that many an
unselfish man has made, the mistake that insurance companies insist is
wisdom: he labored to provide others with gold, as though gold were a
substitute for thrift, prudence, and self-reliance. Never mind, the old
fellow did nephews and nieces no harm, though he disappointed several
who had depended upon him to lift them from poverty; for in the end his
hard-earned money was lost. His only legacy was his example of thrift,
unselfishness, and integrity. When men go about gathering riches for
others, let them gather things of the spirit. The answer to this,
perhaps, is that even such riches cannot be transmitted,