“God bless you for those words,” he said; “you have made light shine into a darkened heart. I will do this thing. Heaven helping me, I will never seek for a grain of gold again.”
“I shall register your oath, Gunson,” said Mr Raydon, smiling.
“Do. It will be kept. Yes: I will fetch them over; and, Mrs John, it will be one of the delights of my new life, to introduce two ladies most dear to me to one whom they will venerate and love. Mayne, you have never told them all I said to you?”
“No,” I said; “it would have been a breach of confidence.”
I looked up as I spoke, and saw that Mr Raydon’s eyes were fixed upon me searchingly, and his voice sounded harsh again as he said—
“It was a breach of confidence, Mayne Gordon, to tell Mr Gunson here of the existence of gold in the little valley. Do you remember your promise to me?”
“Yes, sir,” I said, boldly, for I felt that at last the truth must come out, and I should be cleared; for I would speak now if Mr Gunson did not. “I remember well.”
“Mayne,” said Gunson; and my heart seemed to leap—“Mayne tell me about the gold up yonder? No, no; it was not he.”
“What!” cried Mr Raydon, excitedly. “It was not Mayne Gordon who told you?”
“No; it was that little Chinaman confided to me that he had made a big find. The little fellow always had confidence in me. He brought me quite a hundred pounds’ worth to take care of for him when I was here last, and proposed to put himself under my protection and to work for me if I allowed him a tenth.”