“I suppose not; but doubtless you can obtain it. This is an exceptional instance, and will be to our interest to have them acquainted with the facts.”
She promised to ask the old chief’s advice, and then moved along the path more rapidly. A hundred yards or so away her horse was found quietly cropping the grass and herbage. Without any assistance from her lover, Lamora vaulted lightly upon his back, bade Hammond a gay good-by, and the next moment had vanished in the direction of the Indians’ home.
CHAPTER IX.
“I HAD A DREAM WHICH WAS NOT ALL A DREAM.”
There could be no doubt that gold in abundance existed in the section of the country where the three men had located themselves. We have shown the discovery made by Black Tom, and showed, too, how narrowly he escaped falling into the hands of his enemies.
Teddy O’Doherty and old Stebbins took a different direction, and without knowing it reached the same stream in which their comrade had found his nugget, but at a point considerably lower down. They were walking along in an indifferent manner, scarcely expecting to find the precious metal, and yet searching for it on “general principles.”
“Morra! howly Vargin!”
And with a panther-like leap and screech, the Irishman made a leap far out in the creek, dashed his hand into the water, as though he had caught at a salmon, and then he sprung back again.
“What in thunder is the matter?” demanded the amazed trapper, as he stood wondering whether his friend had suddenly turned crazy, or whether he had been struck by some silent arrow.
“That’s the matther,” replied Teddy, as he held up an irregular nugget of gold, the size of a hen’s egg. “Isn’t that ’nough to make a fellow dance the jig, as me uncle obsarved whin he resaved tidings that his beloved wife was no more?”