"Gold! Tons of it. I'll show you later. Come along and have some food."

An hour or two later Jim brought from the tub the amalgam formed by the combination of the pan gold-dust with the mercury. This was squeezed through a bearskin, the process segregating the gold and depositing the mercury back into the tub.

What little mercury remained in the glittering ma.s.s was evaporated out in a shovel over the camp-fire.

For the first time Angela realized why the gold-miner, once successful, could never rid himself of the fever. All the bitter disappointments, pessimism, and misery vanished in the presence of that sizzling ma.s.s in the shovel. It was difficult to believe that here, dug from the frozen earth, was the thing for which men suffered, sinned, and died.

Jim seized the gold nugget with his leathern hands and tossed it into the air, caught it again, and dropped it into his hat.

"Angela, you're right. We're bursting with wealth! There ain't bin nothin'

like this since that guy found Bonanza Creek. And now I've got to git to Dawson."

"Dawson!"

"Yep. It ain't ours yet. I've got to stake claims--one for you and one for me."

"Then I'll come too."

"Nope. Any prowling broiler might bunch in and take a fancy to this pitch.

You jest sit tight. I'll be back to-morrow morning."

"But you can't get to Dawson and back in one night."

"Can't I? Jest watch my smoke. I'll get the claims registered and yank a man up here from the Syndicate. We'll sure sell out and save digging.

We'll come down the river. You ain't skeered of stoppin' alone?"

She laughed at his serious question, and watched him making ready for the journey. In a few minutes he had washed, shaved, and put on a pair of walking boots. He turned and nodded and went off with huge strides.

She continued to sit by the fire, no longer wrestling with the future. In that unexpected moment of wonderful luck, she had seen the future clear-cut as it affected her. The pendulum swung the other way now--she meant to leave Alaska with the least possible delay.

CHAPTER XXIII

DEPARTURE

She arose in the morning from dreams that were strangely mixed, to find that the good fortune was no part of the dream, but a reality. Singing she lighted a fire and prepared a more than usually appetizing breakfast to celebrate the occasion.

She estimated that if Jim found the Registrar and the official of the Mining Syndicate early in the morning, he would arrive there about midday.

She laughed amusedly as she thought of him and his inflexible will. She imagined him in Dawson, yanking the official out of his office and hustling him down the river at enormous speed.

The morning pa.s.sed on leaden wings and no boat appeared on the river.

Impatiently she climbed the highest part of the bank and looked towards Dawson, but only a couple of Indian canoes came to view.

It was an hour later when two riders came tearing down the hill. She recognized Jim as the foremost of the two, and ran to meet him. He came thundering down upon her, leaned over, grasped her arms and hauled her up before him. The mount turned, reared high on its hind-legs until she shivered with fear, and then stood perfectly still. Jim laughingly helped her down and waited for the second man.

"Came on hosses," he explained, "because I calculated we'd git back easier that way. I've got the mining man more'n interested, I guess."

The latter arrived, perspiring freely. He shook hands with Angela and sat down to get cool.

"This husband, ma'am, of yours, beats the railroad," he e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed.

The horses were put on to some grazing ground, and Stevens, the mining engineer, went to examine the claims which Jim had meanwhile staked.

The examination proved to be a brief affair. Stevens, despite his professional calm, which was a necessary a.s.set to his business, was obviously astonished at the richness of the claims.

"Wal, now to business. What do you want for 'em, Conlan?"

Jim nudged Angela.

"Call it a round million."

Stevens put up his hands in horror.

"My dear sir!"

"Wal, we'll sell elsewhere."

"One moment. You must consider the fact that up-river claims involve great expenditure in working."

"Cut all that," retorted Jim. "What do you offer?"

"I should recommend my company to buy at half a million."

"Nothin' doin'," e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Jim. "Sorry you had the journey for nix.

Anyway, we're glad to meet you."

Stevens gulped. He began to realize he was dealing with a "hard" man.

"See here," said Jim, "we're in a hurry, and will sacrifice a pile to git this deal fixed. But you gotta raise that offer."

"Very well, let us say $600,000."

"No."

"It's the best I can do."

Angela was about to advise Jim to accept, but he stopped her in time.

"You're going to pay $750,000, or negotiations cease right now. And at that you'll make a mint of money. I ain't breathed a word about this yere creek yet. When I do you'll see Dawson City turning out good and strong to stake claims. It's up to your people to stake the rest of it, if you pay up quick. Better say the word before there's a howling stampede down here."

That argument settled Stevens. His own quick mind had been turning on the same point.

"Call it a bargain," he said. "Better come right back now and get the transfer made."

Two hours later the party set off, Angela seated behind Jim on the big mare, and Stevens riding ahead.