laborious
process, he wrote the following, which I copy _verbatim_.

"NOTICE.--My wife, Maria Barney, the ugliest woman that ever lived, has
left my tent and board without any justifiable cause, 'cos I use to do
all that I could do to make her pretty comfortable, and in spite of my
wishes, she would cut up like the devil, and run after other men. Now, I
want all men to notice this act of mine. I won't pay a d----d cent of
her debts, and I hope no one will return her to me, 'cos I don't want
her. JIM BARNEY."

I persuaded Barney that the announcement would be valid in law, if he
only stuck it up in the store, where it could be read by the miners, and
it may be there until this day, for all that I know.

CHAPTER LX.

MIKE FINDS THE LARGE "NUGGET."

What trifles will sometimes change the destiny of a man!

Barney, after his wife had left him so unexpectedly, earnestly desired
to give up mining and return to his first love,--the driving of cattle
and teaming. We tried to persuade him to stick to his claim; but he was
resolute, and declared that if we would not purchase his mine he would
sell to the first adventurer who made an offer; and to prevent the man
from sacrificing his property, we purchased on speculation, and paid him
just the price he had given. Even after we came into possession, we did
not know what to do with the mine, for we had no desire to work it
ourselves; and, as a large portion of the allotted ground had been dug
over, old miners were shy, and strangers did not bite readily at the
temptations which we held out to them.

For a number of days the mine was neglected; and during that period it
filled with water, and that was another good reason why it could not be
sold; and jokes were cracked at our expense by friends, who lounged in
the store purchasing trifling articles, in regard to our speculation, as
they termed it. We took all in good part, until one day a man made an
application to us for something to eat. We supplied his wants, and upon
inquiry found that he was willing and anxious to go to work at a cheap
rate. I proposed, partly in jest, and partly in earnest, that he should
be employed baling out and cleaning out our mine. Fred assented, when we
showed the man what we wanted done, and left him at work, not expecting
that he would make much headway; but in this we were disappointed, for
our employe made such diligent use of his time, that in the course of
the afternoon the mine was