"May I buy you some?"
"I wish you would; and you may as well throw away the old ones. Take whatever money you need and go to the store."
"I see you have confidence in me, Mr. Nixon."
"Yes; I feel that you are a good boy and I can trust you. You have made a new man of me already. This morning I thought I was very near to death. Now I feel ten years younger."
During the rest of the day Gerald exerted himself to supply any deficiencies in the household, and provided whatever was needed in the way of comfort. When evening came on the lamps were lighted, and the new residence seemed homelike. With Mr. Nixon's consent, arrangements were made to have all their meals sent over from the hotel.
The box of gold coins had been placed in the sitting-room.
"I wish your gold was in some safe place, Mr. Nixon," said Gerald, as his glance fell on the tin box.
"You can take it to the bank in Fairfield to-morrow," said the old man; "that is, most of it. We shall need some to spend from day to day."
"Very well. I will engage a team from Mr. Loche, and ride over in the morning. Have you an account there already?"
"Yes. I have five thousand dollars in the bank."