"I am man for work，"said he."Always I work；always I mus'work.I am old.When I can no work，I mus'die.Se？or Cristoval mus'leave gold when he die；it ees same with Miguel.Now I have good job.I can work an'be happy.But—""Well，Miguel？""Leighton's daughter，she ees a girl.A girl can not work like a man.It ees her gold，not mine.When you say it，I will show you where Leighton's gold ees hid."Uncle John sprang up and grasped the man's hand."You are an honest fellow，Miguel！"he cried.
"No，Meest Mereek，"was the reply."I have wish to steal，so I am not honest.""But you have given up the gold.""Yes，Meest Mereek；because I am afraid.""I don't believe a word of it，"said Patsy."You were tempted to do wrong，Miguel，and if you had kept silent no one would ever have known；but you told us of the gold，and so you are faithful and true.""Ah，that ees what Meest Leighton tell me，some time，"said he."An'that ees what spoil me from being bad.Because Leighton say I am faithful an'true，I have theenk I mus'be that way.That ees it."Mildred's gold proved to be a small fortune.Perhaps Cristoval had added to his partner's earnings，for the child's sake，for the total amounted to more than she had ever expected.
It was all in hard cash and Arthur drove over to the bank and deposited it to the credit of Mildred Travers，as she preferred to retain that name.
Patsy and Beth were curious to know what the girl would do with her windfalla，but Mildred proved noncommittalb.
"How about Bul Run？"asked Patsy.
Mildred smiled but blushed deeply at the question.
"Would my money be enough to pay his mortgages？"she inquired.
"Perhaps，"said Beth，"but that would be foolish.Hewould soon be in debt again.""No，no！"protested Patsy."I'm sure he will reform if—""If Mildred marries him？""Yes."Mildred seemed troubled.
"The best way，"declared Beth，"would be to have Mildred keep her money in her own name，and help out in case of emergency."Mildred approved that，and being pressed by the two girlsshe frankly con？ded to them that she would accept Mr.Runyon when he came for his answer.
Runyon appeared on the third day and Arthur met him and told him the good news of the ？nding of Mildred's inheritance.But the effect of this discovery on the big rancher was to overwhelm him with despair.
"She will never marry me now，"he asserted in dolefula tones，"and I'd rather die than ask her.It would be beastly to take such an advantage of the poor child.When she was poor，I could offer her a home with good grace，but now that she's rolling in gold the jig is up ！If you'll tell me，where I can ？nd old Miguel，I'll strangle the villain.Why in thunder couldn't he hold his tongue？"Arthur laughingly replied that money wouldn't make a particle of difference with a girl like Mildred，but Runyon would not listen and remained disconsolate.He stayed at the ranch，but moped around with a woe—begone countenance and refused to speak with anyone.
Patsy and Beth skillfully contrivedb several opportunities for Runyon to approach Mildred，but he ignored all chances and preferred to remain miserable.The day passed without his demanding his answer.Mildred had been bright and expectant and the girls read her disappointment when her unaccountablewooer delayed putting his fortune to the test.
The next day he was no more cheerful，but rather seemed to have accumulated an added gloom.He sought a garden bench and smoked innumerable cigars in solitaryc grief.If anyone approached，Runyon would retreat to the shrubbery.At mealtime he was likewise silent but consumed enormous quantities of food，which made Patsy accuse him of being animpostora.
"No regulation lover，"she said to him，"ever had an appetite.The novels all say so.Therefore you can't love Mildred a bit."Runyon groaned，cast her a reproachful glance and wenton eating.
Several days passed without his asking Mildred for her answer，and now the absurd situation began to get on all their nerves.Mildred herself grew impatient and watched from the nursery window the garden bench on which Runyon sat gloomily in his perpetual cloud of smoke.
"He'll make himself sick，with those black cigars，I'msure，"observed Patsy，on one occasion.
"And he can't afford to smoke so many，"added Beth."Unless this thing stops，he'll soon have to take out a new mortgage.""Or sell some lemons，"added Patsy.
"I believe，"said Mildred slowly，as if summoning her courage，"I will speak to him myself.Don't you think that would be best ？""Of course，"approved Patsy."Runyon is a big baby，and needs a nurse more than little Jane.I'll hold Toodlums，Mildred，while you sally forthb and take the bull by the horns."Mildred looked at Beth for counsel.
"Unless you speak to him，"said that young lady，"you will never get together.Moreover，the rest of us will grow mad or idiotic.So，for all our sakes，you'd better take Mr.Runyon in hand.You'll have to manage him afterward，anyhow，so the sooner you begin the better."Mildred handed little Jane to Patsy and left the nursery.Through the window the other girls watched her approach Mr.Runyon and stand before him.At once he stood up and threw away his cigar，but his face was toward them and they could see that he did not speak.
Mildred，however，was talking very earnestly.Runyonshook his head.He turned half away.Then he swung sharply around and caught the girl in his arms.
"Come，Beth，"said Patsy；"let's go and tell Louise."
