Riggs observed it with a laugh. “I wasn’t sayin’ nothin’ agin your dad, miss,” he said. “I was only referrin’ to the way folks has o’ callin’ money the root o’ all evil; but I obsarve there’s precious few on ’em that isn’t glad to git all he kin lay his hands on.”
“Yes,” said the captain; “but do you know where they get that idea?”
“Well, now, they do tell me there’s Scripter fer it.”
“That’s a mistake, my friend; the Bible says, ‘the love of money is the root—or a root—of all evil.’ But it does not say it of money itself; it is a very good thing, if honestly got and put to right uses.”
“And what do you call right uses?”
“‘Providing things honest in the sight of all men,’ relieving the wants of the destitute, helping every good cause, and especially sending the light of the gospel into all the dark places of the earth.”
“Well, sir, that’s purty good doctrine, and I rayther think ye’re livin’ up to it, too, by all I hear.
“As for me, I’ve been a hard-workin’ man all my days, ’cept since I come upon that are nugget, and I ’low to take my ease fer the rest o’ my days. I’m goin’ ter fix up my house as fine as I know how. My gal she says ’taint nowheres big ’nough fer rich folks, and I’m goin’ to build a condition to it with a portfolio at the back.”
“What’s that? he! he! never heard o’ such a thing!” cried a squeaky little voice that seemed to come from behind the old man’s chair.
He sprang up and turned round, asking in a startled tone, “Who’s that? who spoke? Why, why, why! where’s the feller gone to?” rolling his eyes in wild astonishment, as he perceived that no one was there.