rnest, smiling.

"Oh, well, I'll make a man of you. By the way, an idea has just occurred
to me. You'd better go to Sacramento with me to-morrow."

"I should like to do it," said Ernest.

"Then you can notice where I buy my supplies. You may need to go alone
sometimes."

"At what time will we start?"

"The stage leaves at seven o'clock."

"I will be ready."

CHAPTER XXVIII

STOREKEEPING

The journey to Sacramento was made, the goods selected, and in less than a
week the new store was stocked. In the arrangement of goods Ernest took a
zealous part. He had never served in a store, yet it seemed to come
natural to him, and he felt more interest in it than in the work of
mining.

After the store was in full working order, Horace Ames left Ernest as sole
manager, coming in only in the evening to look at the books, for Ernest as
far as possible kept a record of every sale.

Storekeeping in those days and in that country was unusually profitable.
Ernest made a little comparison between the cost of goods and the selling
price, and arrived at the conclusion that the average profits were a
hundred per cent. And still the miners were able to buy goods cheaper than
when they sent to Sacramento for them.

At the end of the first week Ernest figured up the sales and found they
aggregated two hundred dollars. His share of the profit amounted to a
little over thirty dollars.

This was encouraging, being three times as much as he had ever realized in
the same length of time from mining. There was one embarrassment. There
was no bank in the place where money could be deposited, and of course the
chance of loss by robbery was much increased. However, his partner
purchased a small safe, and this afforded some security.

One day a man entered the store and purchased a pipe and tobacco. He was a
stranger to Ernest, but there was something familiar in his look, yet he
could not place him.

The newcomer looked about with considerable curiosity.

"You have quite a snug store here," he remarked.

"Yes."

"Does it belong to you?"

"I have an interest in it, but it belongs to Mr. Ames."

"Is he here much?"

"He usually comes in evenings, but he is interested in mining."

"You seem to have a good trade."

"What makes you think so?"

"You have a good stock. You would not keep so many goods unless you had a
call for them."

"Have I ever seen you before?" asked Ernest abruptly, for the idea grew
upon him that