s agreed between my father and mother and myself, that I
should come home from Vassar every Friday evening, returning by the
early train Monday morning, the intervening time to be sacredly devoted
to our trumpet family circles. Oh, Mr. Flagg! How happy we were then!
For the next three years nothing was allowed to interfere with these
delightful reunions, whose memories are associated with so many
incidents that bound us three so closely with the silver cords of pure
affection.

"After leaving college, I accompanied my father in all of his
journeyings after new data in economics and agriculture. For this
purpose we spent the winter of 1902-3, travelling in France, Italy,
Germany and England, returning to America in April, 1903."

CHAPTER XI.

THE MARTINA MINE.

"Early in June of the same year, Dewitt C. Dunbar discovered a new lead
in the Martina mine which proved to be of such marvelous size and
richness, that my father's personal inspection was demanded at the
earliest possible moment, to decide on the best methods of pushing
forward the new work, and also to determine what part of the old work
should be continued. The numerous letters and telegrams from Mr. Dunbar,
all urging the utmost haste on my father's part, gave him but little
time to consider the results of such a long journey, or to make the
proper preparations for it. It was evident that Mr. Dunbar must be in a
state of intense excitement. In order to catch the next steamer from San
Francisco, father left a number of important items of business for me to
transact. I wished very much to go with him but all the circumstances
seemed to conspire against me. Father promised to return at the earliest
possible moment, meanwhile he was to send me a dispatch announcing his
safe arrival in Alaska. By the end of July, messages, and later, letters
began to reach me announcing the wonderful output of gold from the new
lead. So rich was the ore that for a time it was thought best to abandon
all work in the old mine. I could see very plainly from his letters that
the fever of Mr. Dunbar's excitement and enthusiasm had also claimed my
father as a victim. I then foresaw that his stay in Alaska would be
prolonged far beyond my expectations or his own. I began to feel very
uneasy and to wish most fervently that I had insisted on going with him.
I resolved in future to keep him company wherever he journeyed.
Meanwhile the yield of gold from the new lead continued to