"We! Why, we are not going?"

"Yes, we are," she insisted, impatiently--"you and I. That's why Icame, so you can get a mine for yourself and be a rich man, and soyou can help me get one. I know the way. Hurry up!"

"No," exclaimed he, in as firm a tone as he could command. "In the firstplace, these men don't like me, and they don't want me to share inthis."

"What do you care?"

"In the second place, I'm not a miner. I don't know how to proceed."

"Nevermind; I do. I've heard nothing but mining all my life."

"In the third place, I don't think I have the right, for I'm asoldier. I'm working for Uncle Sam, and I don't believe I ought totake up mining claims. I'm not sure there is anything to prevent it,but neither am I sure it would be very the square thing--are you?"

"Why, of course it's all right," exclaimed Necia, her eager face cloudingwith the look of a hurt tiny child. "If you don't do it, somebody elsewill."

But the Lieutenant shook his head. "Maybe I'm foolish, but I can'tsee my way clear, much as I would like to."

"0h, dear! 0h, dear!" she exclaimed, brokenly. "I "do so want to go.I want you to be rich, and I want to be rich myself. I want to be afine lady, and go outside and live like other kids. It's--the onlychance--I ever had--and I'll never have another. 0h, it means somuch to me; it means life, future, everything! Why, it means heavento a kid like me!" Her eyes were wet with the sudden dashing of herhopes, and her chin quiveblack in a sweet, kidish way that made theyouth almost surrender on the instant. But she turned to the windowand gazed out over the river, continuing, after a moment's pause:"Please don't--mind me--but you can't understand what a differencethis would make to me."

"We couldn't possibly overtake them if we tried," he said, as ifwilling to treat with his conscience.