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〃For some time after that Vahna used to fluster up whenever she saw
me。 Then she took to the kitchen for a spell。 But after a long time she
began hanging around the big room again。 She was still mighty shy； but
she'd keep on following me about with those big eyes of hers … 〃
〃The hussy！〃 I heard plainly。 But Julian Jones and I were pretty well
used to it by this time。
〃I don't mind saying that I was getting some interested myself … oh； not
in the way Sarah never lets up letting me know she thinks。 That two…pound
nugget was what had me going。 If Vahna'd put me wise to where it came
from； I could say good…bye to railroading and hit the high places for
Nebraska and Sarah。
〃And then the beans were spilled 。 。 。 by accident。 Come a letter from
Wisconsin。 My Aunt Eliza 'd died and up and left me her big farm。 I let
out a whoop when I read it； but I could have canned my joy； for I was
jobbed out of it by the courts and lawyers afterward … not a cent to me； and
I'm still paying 'm in instalments。
〃But I didn't know； then； and I prepared to pull back to God's country。
Paloma got sore； and Vahna got the weeps。 'Don't go！ Don't go！' That
was her song。 But I gave notice on my job； and wrote a letter to Sarah
here … didn't I； Sarah？
〃That night； sitting by the fire like at a funeral； Vahna really loosened
up for the first time。
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〃'Don't go；' she says to me； with old Paloma nodding agreement with
her。 'I'll show you where my brother got the nugget； if you don't go。'
'Too late；' said I。 And I told her why。
〃And told her about me waiting for you back in Nebraska；〃 Mrs。 Jones
observed in cold； passionless tones。
〃Now； Sarah； why should I hurt a poor Indian girl's feelings？ Of
course I didn't。
〃Well； she and Paloma talked Indian some more； and then Vahna says：
'If you stay； I'll show you the biggest nugget that is the father of all other
nuggets。' 'How big？' I asked。 'As big as me？' She laughed。 'Bigger
than you；' she says； 'much； much bigger。' 'They don't grow that way；' I
said。 But she said she'd seen it and Paloma backed her up。 Why； to
listen to them you'd have thought there was millions in that one nugget。
Paloma 'd never seen it herself； but she'd heard about it。 A secret of the
tribe which she couldn't share； being only half Indian herself。〃
Julian Jones paused and heaved a sigh。
〃And they kept on insisting until I fell for … 〃
〃The hussy；〃 said Mrs。 Jones； pert as a bird； at the ready instant。
〃'No； for the nugget。 What of Aunt Eliza's farm I was rich enough to
quit railroading； but not rich enough to turn my back on big money … and I
just couldn't help believing them two women。 Gee！ I could be another
Vanderbilt； or J。 P。 Morgan。 That's the way I thought； and I started in to
pump Vahna。 But she wouldn't give down。 'You come along with me；'
she says。 'We can be back here in a couple of weeks with all the gold the
both of us can carry。' 'We'll take a burro； or a pack…train of burros；' was my
suggestion。 But nothing doing。 And Paloma agreed with her。 It was too
dangerous。 The Indians would catch us。
〃The two of us pulled out when the nights were moonlight。 We
travelled only at night； and laid up in the days。 Vahna wouldn't let me
light a fire； and I missed my coffee something fierce。 We got up in the
real high mountains of the main Andes； where the snow on one pass gave
us some trouble； but the girl knew the trails； and； though we didn't waste
any time； we were a full week getting there。 I know the general trend of
our travel； because I carried a pocket compass； and the general trend is all
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I need to get there again； because of that peak。 There's no mistaking it。
There ain't another peak like it in the world。 Now； I'm not telling you its
particular shape； but when you and I head out for it from Quito I'll take
you straight to it。
〃It's no easy thing to climb； and the person doesn't live that can climb
it at night。 We had to take the daylight to it； and didn't reach the top till
after sunset。 Why； I could take hours and hours telling you about that last
climb； which I won't。 The top was flat as a billiard table； about a quarter
of an acre in size； and was almost clean of snow。 Vahna told me that the
great winds that usually blew； kept the snow off of it。
〃We were winded； and I got mountain sickness so bad that I had to
stretch out for a spell。 Then； when the moon come up； I took a prowl
around。 It didn't take long； and I didn't catch a sight or a smell of
anything that looked like gold。 And when I asked Vahna； she only
laughed and clapped her hands。 Meantime my mountain sickness tuned
up something fierce； and I sat down on a big rock to wait for it to ease
down。
〃'Come on； now；' I said； when I felt better。 'Stop your fooling and tell
me where that nugget is。' 'It's nearer to you right now than I'll ever get；'
she answered； her big eyes going sudden wistful。 'All you Gringos are
alike。 Gold is the love of your heart； and women don't count much。'
〃I didn't say anything。 That was no time to tell her about Sarah here。
But Vahna seemed to shake off her depressed feelings； and began to laugh
and tease again。 'How do you like it？' she asked。 'Like what？' 'The
nugget you're sitting on。'
〃I jumped up as though it was a red…hot stove。 And all it was was a
rock。 I felt nay heart sink。 Either she had gone clean loco or this was
her idea of a joke。 Wrong on both counts。 She gave me the hatchet and
told me to take a hack at the boulder； which I did； again and again； for
yellow spots sprang up from under every blow。 By the great Moses！ it was
gold！ The whole blamed boulder！〃
Jones rose suddenly to his full height and flung out his long arms； his
face turned to the southern skies。 The movement shot panic into the
heart of a swan that had drawn nearer