“Humph!” ejaculated Mr John; and Mrs John shook her head sadly.
“I do not like disguises,” she said; “and I grieve for those lovely pyramidal trees.”
“Trees enough and to spare everywhere,” said Mr Raydon. “Don’t be afraid; you shall have a lovely home—eh, Mayne? I think we can manage that. There, Gunson, the sooner the better. Let’s have a happy settlement there, and no more gold.”
Chapter Fifty Six.
The Golden Harvest.
In a year from that time there was not a single gold-digger left in the neighbourhood, for the news of fresh discoveries further north had drawn them all away, and Nature soon hid the untidy spots they had made in Golden Valley with their camps. Gunson had no hesitation in selecting the black valley for his farm, where, in a wonderfully short space of time, patches of green began to appear; while Mrs John, in perfect faith that the place would soon recover, herself picked out the spot at the entrance of the burned valley, close by a waterfall, and was more contented by the fact that several magnificent pines were left standing by the fire, which at starting had not extended so far. Here a delightful little cottage was built almost in Swiss fashion, the men from the Fort helping eagerly to prepare a home for one who, by her gentleness, had quickly won a place in their esteem, without counting the fact that she was their chief officer’s sister.
In a very short time this was surrounded by a garden, in which Mr John spent the greater part of his time, planting flowers that his wife loved, while Esau and I had our shares of the gold invested in land bought by acting under Mr Raydon’s advice, ready for our working at some future time, for then we were busy helping the Dempsters and Gunson, making plans and improvements.
How we all worked! and what delightful days those were, the more so that in due time there came to our friend’s home a sweet-looking, grey-haired lady with a patient, rather pinched aspect, and a grave, handsome woman, whom I knew at once for Gunson’s sister; but I was rather puzzled when I heard that their names were Mrs and Miss Effingham.