she to do？
Tell Kitty of her discovery； and show the ring？ Nonot yet！
Oddly enough； now that she had the ring； taken from his wicked
finger in the very act； she found it as difficult as ever to
believe in his burglarious design。 She must wait。 The mischief
if there had been mischiefwas done； the breaking in of the
bricked closet was； from the appearance of the ruins； a bygone act。
Could it have been some youthful escapade of Uncle Sylvester's； the
scene of which he was revisiting as criminals are compelled to do？
And had there been anything taken from the closetor was its
destruction a part of the changes in the old house？ How could she
find out without asking Kitty？ There was one way。 She remembered
that Mr。 Gunn had once shown a great deal of interest to Kitty
about the old homestead； and even of old Mr。 Lane's woodland cabin。
She would ask HIM。 It was a friendly act； for Kitty had not of
late been very kind to him。
The opportunity presented itself at dusk； as Mr。 Gunn； somewhat
abstracted； stood apart at the drawing…room window。 Marie hoped
he had enjoyed himself while skating； her stupid cold had kept her
indoors。 She had amused herself rambling about the old homestead；
it was such a queer place； so full of old nooks and corners and
unaccountable spaces。 Just the place； she would think； where old
treasures might have been stored。 Eh？
Mr。 Gunn had not spokenhe had only coughed。 But in the darkness
his eyes were fixed angrily on her face。 Without observing it； she
went on。 She knew he was interested in the old house； she had
heard him talk to Kitty about it： had Kitty ever said anything
about some old secret hoarding place？
No； certainly not！ And she was mistaken； he never was interested
in the house！ He could not understand what had put that idea in
her head！ Unless it was this ridiculous； shady stranger in the
guise of an uncle whom they had got there。 It was like his
affectation！
〃Oh； dear； no；〃 said Marie； with unmistakable truthfulness； 〃HE did
not say anything。 But；〃 with sudden inconsistent aggression； 〃is
THAT the way you speak to Kitty of her uncle？〃
Really he didn't knowhe was joking only； and he was afraid he
must just now ask her to excuse him。 He had received letters that
made it possible that he might be called suddenly to New York at
any moment。 Marie stared。 It was evident that he had proposed to
Kitty and been rejected！ But she was no nearer her discovery。
Nor was there the least revelation in the calm； half…bored；
yet good…humored presence of the wicked uncle at dinner。 So
indifferent did he seem； not only to his own villainy but even to
the loss it had entailed； that she had a wild impulse to take the
ring from her pocket and display it on her own finger before him
then and there。 But the conviction that he would in some way be
equal to the occasion prevented her。 The dinner passed off with
some constraint； no doubt emanating from the conscious Kitty and
Gunn。 Nevertheless； when they had returned to the drawing…room；
Gabriel rubbed his hands expectantly。
〃I prevailed on Sylvester this morning to promise to tell us some
of his experiencessomething COMPLETE and satisfactory this time。
Eh？〃
Uncle Sylvester； warming his cold blood before the fire； looked
momentarily forgetful anddisappointing。 Cousins Jane and Emma
shrugged their shoulders。
〃Eh；〃 said Uncle Sylvester absently； 〃ereroh yes！ Well〃 （more
cheerfully）； 〃about what； eh？〃
〃Let it be；〃 said Marie pointedly； fixing her black magnetic eyes
on the wicked stranger； 〃let it be something about the DISCOVERY of
gold； or a buried TREASURE HOARD； or a robbery。〃
To her intense disgust Uncle Sylvester； far from being discomfited
or confused； actually looked pleased； and his gray eyes thawed
slightly。
〃Certainly；〃 he said。 〃Well； then！ Down on the San Joaquin River
there was an old chapone of the earliest settlersin fact； he'd
come on from Oregon before the gold discovery。 His name； dear
me！〃continued Uncle Sylvester； with an effort of memory and
apparently beginning already to lose his interest in the story
〃waserFlint。〃
As Uncle Sylvester paused here； Cousin Jane broke in impatiently。
〃Well； that's not an uncommon name。 There was an old carpenter
here in your father's time who was called Flint。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Uncle Sylvester languidly。 〃But there is； or was；
something uncommon about itand that's the point of the story； for
in the old time Flint and Gunn were of the same stock。〃
〃Is this a Californian joke？〃 said Gunn； with a forced smile on his
flushed face。 〃If so； spare me； for it's an old one。〃
〃It's much older HISTORY； Mr。 Gunn；〃 said Uncle Sylvester blandly；
〃which I remember from a boy。 When the first Flint traded near
Sault Sainte Marie； the Canadian voyageurs literally translated his
name into Pierre a Fusil； and he went by that name always。 But
when the English superseded the French in numbers and language the
name was literally translated back again into 'Peter Gunn；' which
his descendants bear。〃
〃A labored form of the old joke；〃 said Gunn； turning contemptuously
away。
〃But the story；〃 said Cousins Jane and Emma。 〃The story of the
gold discoverynever mind the names。〃
〃Excuse me；〃 said Uncle Sylvester； placing his hand in the breast
of his coat with a delightful exaggeration of offended dignity。
〃But； doubts having been cast upon my preliminary statement； I fear
I must decline proceeding further。〃 Nevertheless； he smiled
unblushingly at Miss Du Page as he followed Gunn from the room。
The next morning those who had noticed the strained relations of
Miss Kitty and Mr。 Gunn were not surprised that the latter was
recalled on pressing business to New York by the first train； but
it was a matter of some astonishment to Gabriel Lane and Marie du
Page that Uncle Sylvester should have been up early； and actually
accompanied that gentleman as far as the station！ Indeed； the
languid explorer and gold…seeker exhibited remarkable activity；
and； clad in a rough tourist suit； announced； over the breakfast…
table； his intention of taking a long tramp through the woods；
which he had not revisited since a boy。 To this end he had even
provided himself with a small knapsack； and for once realized
Kitty's ideal of his character。
〃Don't go too far；〃 said Gabriel； 〃for； although the cold has
moderated； the barometer is falling fast； and there is every
appearance of snow。 Take care you are not caught in one of our
blizzards。〃
〃But YOU are all going on the lake to skate！〃 protested Uncle
Sylvester。
〃Yes； for the very reason that it may be our last chance； but
should it snow we shall be nearer home than you may be。〃
Nevertheless； when it came on to snow； as Gabriel had predicted；
the skating party was by no means so near home as he had imagined。
A shrewd keenness and some stimulating electric condition of the
atmosphere had tempted the young people far out on the lake； and
they had ignored the first fall of fine grayish granulations that
swept along the icy surface like little puffs of dust or smoke。
Then the fall grew thicker； the gray sky contracted； the hurrying
flakes； dashed against them by a fierce northwester； were larger；
heavier； and seemed an almost palpable force that held them back。
Their skates； already clogged with drift； were beginning to be
useless。 The bare wind…swept spaces were becoming rarer； they
could only stumble on blindly towards the nearest shore。 Nor when
they reached it were they yet safe； they could scarcely stand
against the still increasing storm that was fast obliterating the
banks and stretch of meadow beyond。 Their only hope of shelter was
the range of woods that joined the hill。 Holding hands in single
file； the little party； consisting of Kitty； Marie； and Cousins
Jane and Emmastout…hearted Gabriel leading and Cousin John
bringing up the rearat last succeeded in reaching it； and were
rejoiced to find themselves near old Lane's half…ruined cabin。 To
their added joy and astonishment； whiffs of whirling smoke were
issuing from the crumbling chimney。 They ran to the crazy door；
pushed aside its weak fastening； and foundUncle Sylvester calmly
enjoying a pipe before a blazing fire。 A small pickaxe and crowbar
were lying upon a mound of freshly turned earth beside the chimney；
where the rotten flooring had been torn up。
The tumultuous entrance of the skating party required no explanation；
but when congratulations had been exchanged； the wet snow shaken
off； and they had drawn round the fire； curious eyes were cast upon
the solitary occupant and the pile of earth and debris before him。
〃I believe；〃 said Gabriel laughingly； 〃that you have been so bored
here that you have actually played at gold…hunting for amusement。〃
Uncle Sylvester took the pipe from his mouth and nodded。
〃It's a common diversion of yours；〃 said Marie audaciously。
Uncle Sylvester smiled sweetly。
〃And have you been successful THIS TIME？〃 asked Marie。
〃I got the color。〃
〃Eh？〃
Uncle Sylvester rose and placed himself with his back to the fire；
gently surveying the assembled group。
〃I was interrupted in a story of gold…digging last evening；〃 he
said blandly。 〃How far had I got？〃
〃You were down on the San Joaquin River in the spring of '50； with
a chap named Flint；〃 chorused Cousins Jane and Emma promptly。
〃Ah！ yes；〃 said Uncle Sylvester。 〃Well； in those days there was a
scarcity of money in the diggings。 Gold dust there was in plenty；
but no COIN。 You can fancy it was a bother to weigh out a pinch of
dust every time you wanted a drink of whiskey or a pound of flour；
but there was no other legal tender。 Pretty soon； however； a lot
of gold and silver pieces found their way into circulation in our
camp and the camps around us。 They were foreignold French and
English coins。 Here's one of them that I kept。〃 He took from his
pocket a gold coin and handed it to Gabriel。
Lane rose to his feet with an exclamation：
〃Why； this is like the louis…d'or that grandfather saved through
the war and gave to father。〃
Uncle Sylvester took the coin back； placed it in his left eye； like
a monocle； and winked gravely at the c