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three…quarter inch hydraulic pipe； and a stream of water projected
at the assembled company。 An attempt was made to take public
cognizance of this； but a majority of the citizens of Red Dog； who
were not at dinner； decided that a man had a right to choose his
own methods of diverting his company。 Nevertheless； there were
some hints of his insanity； his wife recalled other acts clearly
attributable to dementia； the crippled lover argued from his own
experience that the integrity of her limbs could only be secured by
leaving her husband's house； and the mortgagee； fearing a further
damage to his property； foreclosed。 But here the cause of all this
anxiety took matters into his own hands； and disappeared。
When we next heard from him； he had； in some mysterious way； been
relieved alike of his wife and property； and was living alone at
Rockville fifty miles away； and editing a newspaper。 But that
originality he had displayed when dealing with the problems of his
own private life； when applied to politics in the columns of 〃The
Rockville Vanguard〃 was singularly unsuccessful。 An amusing
exaggeration； purporting to be an exact account of the manner in
which the opposing candidate had murdered his Chinese laundryman；
was； I regret to say； answered only by assault and battery。 A
gratuitous and purely imaginative description of a great religious
revival in Calaveras； in which the sheriff of the countya
notoriously profane scepticwas alleged to have been the chief
exhorter； resulted only in the withdrawal of the county advertising
from the paper。 In the midst of this practical confusion he
suddenly died。 It was then discovered； as a crowning proof of his
absurdity； that he had left a will； bequeathing his entire effects
to a freckle…faced maid…servant at the Rockville Hotel。 But that
absurdity became serious when it was also discovered that among
these effects were a thousand shares in the Rising Sun Mining
Company； which a day or two after his demise； and while people were
still laughing at his grotesque benefaction； suddenly sprang into
opulence and celebrity。 Three millions of dollars was roughly
estimated as the value of the estate thus wantonly sacrificed。 For
it is only fair to state； as a just tribute to the enterprise and
energy of that young and thriving settlement； that there was not
probably a single citizen who did not feel himself better able to
control the deceased humorist's property。 Some had expressed a
doubt of their ability to support a family； others had felt perhaps
too keenly the deep responsibility resting upon them when chosen
from the panel as jurors； and had evaded their public duties； a few
had declined office and a low salary： but no one shrank from the
possibility of having been called upon to assume the functions of
Peggy Moffat； the heiress。
The will was contested；first by the widow； who it now appeared
had never been legally divorced from the deceased； next by four of
his cousins； who awoke； only too late； to a consciousness of his
moral and pecuniary worth。 But the humble legateea singularly
plain； unpretending； uneducated Western girlexhibited a dogged
pertinacity in claiming her rights。 She rejected all compromises。
A rough sense of justice in the community； while doubting her
ability to take care of the whole fortune； suggested that she ought
to be content with three hundred thousand dollars。 〃She's bound to
throw even THAT away on some derned skunk of a man； natoorally； but
three millions is too much to give a chap for makin' her onhappy。
It's offerin' a temptation to cussedness。〃 The only opposing voice
to this counsel came from the sardonic lips of Mr。 Jack Hamlin。
〃Suppose；〃 suggested that gentleman； turning abruptly on the
speaker；〃suppose； when you won twenty thousand dollars of me last
Friday nightsuppose that； instead of handing you over the money
as I didsuppose I'd got up on my hind…legs； and said； 'Look yer；
Bill Wethersbee； you're a dd fool。 If I give ye that twenty
thousand； you'll throw it away in the first skin…game in 'Frisco；
and hand it over to the first short…card sharp you'll meet。
There's a thousand；enough for you to fling away；take it and
get！' Suppose what I'd said to you was the frozen truth； and you
know'd it； would that have been the square thing to play on you？〃
But here Wethersbee quickly pointed out the inefficiency of the
comparison by stating that HE had won the money fairly with a
STAKE。 〃And how do you know；〃 demanded Hamlin savagely； bending
his black eyes on the astounded casuist；〃how do you know that the
gal hezn't put down a stake？〃 The man stammered an unintelligible
reply。 The gambler laid his white hand on Wethersbee's shoulder。
〃Look yer； old man；〃 he said； 〃every gal stakes her WHOLE pile；
you can bet your life on that；whatever's her little game。 If she
took to keerds instead of her feelings； if she'd put up 'chips'
instead o' body and soul； she'd bust every bank 'twixt this and
'Frisco！ You hear me？〃
Somewhat of this idea was conveyed； I fear not quite as
sentimentally； to Peggy Moffat herself。 The best legal wisdom of
San Francisco； retained by the widow and relatives； took occasion；
in a private interview with Peggy； to point out that she stood in
the quasi…criminal attitude of having unlawfully practised upon the
affections of an insane elderly gentleman； with a view of getting
possession of his property； and suggested to her that no vestige of
her moral character would remain after the trial； if she persisted
in forcing her claims to that issue。 It is said that Peggy； on
hearing this； stopped washing the plate she had in her hands； and；
twisting the towel around her fingers； fixed her small pale blue
eyes at the lawyer。
〃And ez that the kind o' chirpin these critters keep up？〃
〃I regret to say； my dear young lady；〃 responded the lawyer； 〃that
the world is censorious。 I must add；〃 he continued； with engaging
frankness； 〃that we professional lawyers are apt to study the
opinion of the world； and that such will be the theory ofour
side。〃
〃Then；〃 said Peggy stoutly； 〃ez I allow I've got to go into court
to defend my character； I might as well pack in them three millions
too。〃
There is hearsay evidence that Peg added to this speech a wish and
desire to 〃bust the crust〃 of her traducers； and； remarking that
〃that was the kind of hairpin〃 she was； closed the conversation
with an unfortunate accident to the plate； that left a severe
contusion on the legal brow of her companion。 But this story；
popular in the bar…rooms and gulches； lacked confirmation in higher
circles。 Better authenticated was the legend related of an
interview with her own lawyer。 That gentleman had pointed out to
her the advantage of being able to show some reasonable cause for
the singular generosity of the testator。
〃Although；〃 he continued； 〃the law does not go back of the will for
reason or cause for its provisions； it would be a strong point with
the judge and juryparticularly if the theory of insanity were set
upfor us to show that the act was logical and natural。 Of course
you haveI speak confidently； Miss Moffatcertain ideas of your
own why the late Mr。 Byways was so singularly generous to you。〃
〃No； I haven't；〃 said Peg decidedly。
〃Think again。 Had he not expressed to youyou understand that
this is confidential between us； although I protest； my dear young
lady； that I see no reason why it should not be made publichad he
not given utterance to sentiments of a nature consistent with some
future matrimonial relations？〃 But here Miss Peg's large mouth；
which had been slowly relaxing over her irregular teeth； stopped
him。
〃If you mean he wanted to marry me No！〃
〃I see。 But were there any conditionsof course you know the law
takes no cognizance of any not expressed in the will； but still；
for the sake of mere corroboration of the bequestdo you know of
any conditions on which he gave you the property？〃
〃You mean did he want anything in return？〃
〃Exactly； my dear young lady。〃
Peg's face on one side turned a deep magenta color； on the other a
lighter cherry； while her nose was purple； and her forehead an
India