ver,"--a process which the sanguine
Spindler seemed to consider so nearly akin to talking it over that Mrs.
Price began to believe it herself, as he hopefully departed.

She "thought it over" sufficiently to go to Sacramento and excuse
herself to her nieces. But here she permitted herself to "talk it over,"
to the infinite delight of those Baltimore girls, who thought this
extravaganza of Spindler's "so Californian and eccentric!" So that it
was not strange that presently the news came back to Rough and Ready,
and his old associates learned for the first time that he had never seen
his relatives, and that they would be doubly strangers. This did not
increase his popularity; neither, I grieve to say, did the intelligence
that his relatives were probably poor, and that the Reverend Mr.
Saltover had approved of his course, and had likened it to the rich
man's feast, to which the halt and blind were invited. Indeed, the
allusion was supposed to add hypocrisy and a bid for popularity to
Spindler's defection, for it was argued that he might have feasted
"Wall-eyed Joe" or "Tangle-foot Billy,"--who had once been "chawed" by
a bear while prospecting,--if he had been sincere. Howbeit, Spindler's
faith was oblivious to these criticisms, in his joy at Mr. Saltover's
adhesion to his plans and the loan of Mrs. Price as a hostess. In
fact, he proposed to her that the invitation should also convey that
information in the expression, "by the kind permission of the Rev. Mr.
Saltover," as a guarantee of good faith, but the widow would have none
of it. The invitations were duly written and dispatched.

"Suppose," suggested Spindler, with a sudden lugubrious
apprehension,--"suppose they shouldn't come?"

"Have no fear of that," said Mrs. Price, with a frank laugh.

"Or ef they was dead," continued Spindler.

"They couldn't all be dead," said the widow cheerfully.

"I've written to another cousin by marriage," said Spindler dubiously,
"in case of accident; I didn't think of him before, because he was
rich."

"And have you ever seen him either, Mr. Spindler?" asked the widow, with
a slight mischievousness.

"Lordy! No!" he responded, with unaffected concern.

Only one mistake was made by Mrs. Price in her arrangements for the
party. She had noticed what the simple-minded Spindler could never have
conceived,--the feeling towards him held by his old associates, and had
tactfully suggested that a general invitation should be extended