Hesther and the Kid were at the kitchen door, and with them was the author of the amazing transformation.
It was a day of brilliant sunshine with a spring sky of white, frothing, windswept cloud that broke, and gathered, and swept on, yielding a vision of brilliant blue sky at every break. Already the flies were making their presence felt, and the river was a rushing torrent, wide, and deep, and brown with the sweepings of its completely submerged banks.
They were gazing out upon the distant panorama of the busy river. They were watching the general movement going on. There were men moving up, packing their goods afoot since the river was for the moment un-navigable for the light craft, which, as yet, were alone available. There were traders building shanties for the housing of their wares. There were tents which sheltered those who were relying on the gambler’s desire for their share in the feast. There were other habitations which housed, the even more disreputable creatures, who, like vultures, hover always in the distance waiting to glut themselves upon the spoils of the wayside. Then, much more in their appeal to the gentle mind of Hesther, there were the figures of women, staunch, devoted women carrying on their simple domestic labours while their men were absent farther up the river seeking the treasure which their dazzled eyes yearned to gaze upon.
For all they were gazing upon the scene Hesther and the Kid were far more deeply interested in Bill Wilder and the thing he was saying. The eyes of the girl were shining with unfeigned happiness and delight. The long winter of his absence had been ended weeks ago, and his early return had transformed her whole outlook. From the moment of his coming there had been no more darkness for her, no more anxious waiting. For had not almost his first words been to tell her that his work, that work which had taken him from her side, was finished; completely, successfully finished. The excitement of the gold rush, the excitement of the boys had left her undisturbed. But the happy excitement of this man’s return had thrilled her in a fashion that left her without thought or care for anything else. And now he was detailing those plans which envisaged for her simple mind all that was beautiful and desirable in life.
“You see,” he said, “ther’s not a thing here now to keep us. It’s just the other way around. All this.” He indicated the life on the river. “We best get out before—before it gets worse, as it surely will.”
He turned directly to Hesther.
“My organization’s right up there on the claims, under the control of Chilcoot, and they’re working your stuff same as if it was for me. And the result of it’ll come along through my office, just the same as if it was mine. I’m not needed around up there. Maybe I best tell you I’m so full of gold I don’t care ever to see fresh colour. I want to quit it all, and take you folks along with me. The boys can stop around and Chilcoot’ll see to ’em. And we’ll just get along down and fix things the way we want ’em. Ther’s a swell house waiting in Placer for you, mam. It’s all fixed good. It’s your home, for you an’ yours just as soon as you feel like taking possession, and maybe the Kid here’ll feel like stopping along with you till—till—Say,” he turned to the smiling girl, “we won’t let a thing keep us waiting, eh? We’ll get married right away in Placer, just as quick as things can be fixed right. Then your Mum, here, can choose just where she feels like living. That so?”
There was no need for verbal response. It was there in the girl’s eyes, which smiled happily up into his as she slipped her brown hand through his arm.
“That’s the way I’d like to fix things,” he went on, taking possession of the girl’s hand. “Does it suit you, mam?” he said, turning again to Hesther. “Just say right here. Ther’s a bank roll waiting on you down there, in the way of an advance on the stuff that’s coming to you out of your claim. And I’ll be around all the time to see you ain’t worried a thing.”
The gentle-eyed mother opened her lips to speak. But words seemed difficult under his steady gaze. Wilder glanced quickly away, and the woman’s emotion passed.