this work."

"Weren't you afraid, then?" she asked, putting the wonder-note into her
voice and laying aside her frank manner, "weren't you afraid to buy our
claim? Or did you feel that you were guided to it, and all would be for
the best?"

"That's it!" exclaimed Denver suddenly putting down his drill to gaze
into her innocent young eyes. "I was guided, and so I bought it anyhow."

"Oh, I think it's so romantic!" she murmured with a sigh, "won't you
tell me how it happened?"

And then Denver Russell, forgetting the seeress' warning at the very
moment he was discussing her, sat down on a rock and gave Drusilla the
whole story of his search for the gold and silver treasures. But at the
end--when she questioned him about the rest of the prophecy--he suddenly
recalled Mother Trigedgo's admonition: "Beware how you reveal your
affection or she will confer her hand upon another."

A shadow came into his blue eyes and his boyish enthusiasm was stilled;
and Drusilla, who had been practicing her stage-learned wiles, suddenly
found her technique at fault. She chattered on, trying subtly to ensnare
him, but Denver's heart was now of adamant and he failed to respond to
her approaches. It was not too late yet to heed the words of the
prophecy, and he drilled on in thoughtful silence.

"Don't you get lonely?" she burst out at last, "living all by yourself
in that cave? Why, even these old prospectors have to have some
pardner--don't you ever feel the need of a friend?"

There it was--he felt it coming--the appeal to be just friends. But
another girl had tried it already, and he had learned about women from
her.

"No," he said shortly, "I don't need no friends. Say, I'm going to load
this hole now."

"Well, go on!" she challenged, "I'm not afraid. I'll stay here as long
as you do."

"All right," he said lowering his powder down the hole and tamping it
gently with a stick, "I see I can't scare _you_."

"Oh, you thought you could scare me!" she burst out mockingly, "I
suppose you're a great success with the girls."

"Well," he mocked back, "a good-looking fellow like me----" And then he
paused and grinned slyly.

"Oh, what's the use!" she exclaimed, rising up in disgust, "I might as
well quit, right now."

"No, don't go off mad!" he remonstrated gallantly. "Stay and see the big
explosion."

"I don't care _that_ for your explosion!" she answered pettishly
and snapped her fingers in the air.

It was the particular ge