rent
surprise. "I don't know any such gentleman."

"Then who sent you?" inquired the landlady, whose turn it was to be
surprised.

"It's a man just come from the mines," said the driver--"a Mr. Dewey."

Florence had drawn near to the head of the stairs in her interest to
hear who had called, and she caught the name of her lover. She came
flying down stairs, and demanded breathlessly, "What about Richard
Dewey? I am Miss Douglas, and your message is for me."

Jones, for it was he, touched his hat respectfully, and held out a note
penned on rough paper and written in pencil.

"This will explain everything, miss," he said.

Florence took the paper, and with some difficulty read it. It ran thus:

"DEAR FLORENCE: I have struggled to reach you, but
have been struck down by fever when I was nearly at
the end of my journey. I have had bad luck at the
mines, and was almost discouraged, when I learned
that you were in San Francisco. Poor as I was, I
determined to come to you, even at the risk of your
misjudging me. I am not able to write much, and must
defer particulars till I see you. I am staying at
the house of a kind stranger a few miles from the
city. The man whom I send with this note is
trustworthy. If you will trust yourself to his
guidance, he will bring you to me. I know that I am
asking a great deal of you, but I think you will not
fail me.

"Yours, with love,

"RICHARD DEWEY."

The writing was hurried--indeed, it was hardly more than a scrawl.

"He must be very weak," thought Florence, her heart swelling with
painful emotions.--"My good friend," she said to the landlady, "Richard
is sick and poor. He asks me to come to him. I must go."

"But can you trust that man? Is the letter genuine?" asked Mrs.
Armstrong, suspiciously.

"I am sure it is genuine. It is written as Richard would write."

"But don't be in haste, Miss Douglas--Florence. Make some inquiries, and
find out whether this news can be depended upon."

"Would you have me hesitate when Richard needs me?" asked Florence,
reproachfully. "No, Mrs. Armstrong, I must go, and at once. I have
waited so long to see him!"

"He will be very glad to see you, miss," said Jones respectfully. "He
has been talking about you constant."

"Were Ben and Mr. Bradley with him? Why didn't one of them come?"

"Because, miss," said Jones with ready invention, though he had never