What he says does sound true,"
she admitted. "Yet--"

"There can be no doubt of it," broke in Dick. Again Bessie looked down
at the papers and resumed:

"'Before I breathe my last, Dick, I want to tell you that I have
discovered the lead to the old Esmeralda mine; the enclosed chart will
guide you to it. Tell my sister that half of it belongs to her and the
other half to Pepita's child if you are able to find her. Perhaps this
one and only generous act of my selfish life will atone somewhat for my
many misdeeds. Good-by, Dick, and God bless you.'"

"You needn't read that!" he interrupted. But without heeding him, she
continued:

"'You are the best and bravest fellow alive. Good-by, Dick, again, for
the last time.

"'Harry Van Ashton, better known to the world as Bob Carlton, gambler
and--'" The letter ended abruptly. A sob broke from Bessie. Two bright
tears glistened like jewels in the moonlight on her long lashes and then
stole silently down her cheeks.

"Don't take it so hard, Miss Van Ashton," he said. "Your brother was
wild, but not so bad as the world thought him."

"My poor brother!" she murmured.

"I am sure," he resumed after a little, "that when your brother looked
into your eyes that day, his manhood reasserted itself; that he repented
and threw off his past life like an old garment, and from that moment,
stood prepared to enter the presence of his Maker."

"You are very good to say that," she answered, looking up at him with
shining eyes.

"No, it's not good of me at all," he returned. "I love you too much to
say anything but what I know to be true." She did not reply, but
remained lost in thought, her eyes cast on the ground.

"Bessie!" he exclaimed passionately, drawing nearer to her. "Why do you
hesitate? You know that I understand you better than any one else ever
could. You know you love me!" She knew her moment had come; that she
must answer him for all time, and strive as she would, she could not
conceal her confusion. He did not know how intense was the struggle
going on within her, nor realize what it meant to her to give up the
life she had known always.

"And what if I told you," she said at length, her eyes still downcast,
"that I care more for you than anything else in this world, Dick?"
pronouncing his name aloud for the first time. "What would you say
then?"

"That I will love you for all time, Sweetheart! That I will make you the
happiest woman in the world!" he cried, his a