gather up her scattered coins had refrained from doing so,
restrained by that prudence which becomes second nature to lawyers.

"She thinks somebody has robbed her and would probably accuse me of
pocketing some of these. Too much money for anybody to keep in a house,"
he reflected, forgetting that banks were not accessible to everybody.
"But it's an ill wind, etc. Now I shall be apt to escape that promised
visit to an amateur coal mine, and not endanger my life in their rickety
car."

Elsa's conduct upon reaching home was as curious and contradictory as
ever. Instead of collecting her scattered treasure, she merely said, with
a shrug of her fat shoulders:

"What good? let it lie. When the much is gone who cares for the little?"

Then she dropped into a chair and began again to cry, disconsolately.

Jessica could not endure the scene.

"Oh! I hate this! Elsa, stop. Be happy. Nobody has robbed you. If there
has 'tis nobody here. I'm going home. I was having such a good time
and I've found dear Ephraim. I'll ask leave to come again to-morrow,
maybe, and you'll have it by then. Just as I shall the title. 'Tis only
that you've been careless, as--as somebody else was. Good-by. We're
going. Say good-by, won't you?"

Elsa's good-by was to seize Ephraim's coat and hold it with all her
force, but he was now too happy to object to this.

"Certain, ma'am. If you've took a notion to it, I'll leave it with
you. Coats don't matter, when hearts are light. Yes, look in the
pockets. Like enough 'twill ease your mind a bit. I'd give her a
dose of sagebrush tea, Wolfgang. Catnip 'd be better, but ain't so
handy. Good-by, all. I'll be 'round again, myself, soon, if the lady
can spare me," and with this remark, "Forty-niner" quietly slipped
out of the loose garment and made his escape.

There was no more talk of inspecting the ranch. The little party of
three rode thoughtfully homeward. Even Ephraim's gayety had ebbed and
the strange accusation Elsa had made began at last to claim his serious
attention. Thieving was a new matter at Sobrante, though he, along with
all the other "boys," had thought for many months that the manager
was dealing unfairly by his mistress and employer. This affair would
have to be sifted to the bottom, and he didn't like it. He was glad
to be going back to his familiar quarters, glad of many things, yet
his light-heartedness was quite gone.

Mr. Hale was equally silent and self-absorbed. Every hour he sp