ld a man as
slippery as Eells, but two outside lawyers who had come in with the rush
did their best to make it air-tight. And even after that Wunpost took it
to Los Angeles to show a lawyer who was his _friend_. When it came
back from the friend there was a proviso against everything, including
death and acts of God. But Judson Eells signed it and made a first
payment of twenty-five thousand dollars down, after which John C.
Calhoun suddenly dropped out of sight before Wilhelmina could thank him.
She heard of him later as being in Los Angeles, and then he came back
through Blackwater; but before she could see him he was gone again, on
some mysterious errand into the hills. Then she returned to the ranch
and missed him again, for he went by without making a stop. A month had
gone by before she met him on the street, and then she _knew_ he
was avoiding her.

"Why, good morning, Miss Campbell," he exclaimed, bowing gallantly;
"how's the mine and every little thing? You're looking fine, there's
nothing to it; but say, I've got to be going!"

He started to rush on, but Wilhelmina stopped him and looked him
reproachfully in the eye.

"Where have you been all the time?" she chided. "I've got something I
want to give you."

"Well, keep it," he said, "and I'll drop in and get it. See you later."
And he started to go.

"No, wait!" she implored, tagging resolutely after him, and Wunpost
halted reluctantly. "Now I _know_ you're mad at me," she charged;
"that's the first time you ever called me Miss Campbell."

"Is that so?" he replied. "Well, it must have been the clothes. When you
wore overalls you was Billy, and that white dress made it Wilhelmina;
and now it's Miss Campbell, and then some."

He stopped and mopped the sweat from his perspiring brow, but he refused
to meet her eye.

"Won't you come up to my office?" she asked very meekly. "I've got
something important to tell you."

"Is that feller Eells trying to beat you out of your money?" he demanded
with sudden heat, but she declined to discuss business on the street. In
her office she sat him down and closed the door behind them, then drew
out a contract from her desk.

"Here's that grubstake agreement, all cancelled," she said, and he took
it and grunted ungraciously.

"All right," he rumbled; "now what's the important business? Is the bank
going broke, or what?"

"Why, no," she answered, beginning to blink back the tears, "what makes
you talk like that?"