Her hope had been sustained by a letter received from Ben at the time he and Bradley were on the point of starting for the Sierras, where they had information that Dewey was engaged in mining. Then weeks passed, and she heard nothing. She began to feel anxious for the safety of her two agents, knowing that not alone wild beasts, but lawless men, were to be encountered among the mountains. Should Ben and his companion come to harm, she would be sincerely sorry for their fate, feeling in a measure responsible for it. Still more, Richard Dewey would then be left ignorant of her presence in California, and might return to the East in that ignorance, leaving her friendless and alone more than three thousand miles from her old home.

 

How would her heart have been cheered could she have known that at that moment Richard Dewey, with his two faithful friends, was but four days' journey from the city! So it happens that good fortune is often nearer to us than we imagine, even when our hearts are most anxious.

 

While she was trying to look on the bright side one morning, Mrs. Armstrong entered her room. "Miss Douglas," she said, "there is a gentleman in the parlor who wishes to see you."

 

Her heart gave a great bound. Who could it be but Richard Dewey who would call upon her?

 

"Did he give his name?" she asked, in agitation.

 

"No; he said you would know him."

 

"It must be Richard," she said to herself; and, controlling her agitation as well as she could, she descended to the parlor. She paused a moment before opening the door to regain her self-possession. Then, with an effort, she turned the knob, and entering the room, found herself face to face with Orton Campbell!

 

It was so unexpected and so bitter a disappointment that an expression of blank dismay overspread her face, and she sank into the nearest chair without venturing on a single word of greeting.

 

"You didn't expect to see me, Miss Douglas?" said Orton, enjoying the effect of his appearance, for he had never deceived himself with the thought that his father's ward would be glad to see him.

 

By this time Florence had regained her self-possession, and with it came back scorn for the man whose object in pursuing her she well understood to be love of her fortune, not of herself.

 

"You are entirely right, Mr. Campbell," she answered. "You are the last person I expected to see."

 

"You don't appear very glad to see me," he continued.

 

"Why should I appear so? You know very well that I am not glad to see you," said the heiress, frankly.

 

"That is complimentary," said Orton, rather provoked, though he knew very well in advance that such was her feeling.

 

"I suppose you didn't come here for compliments, Mr. Campbell?" said Florence, coldly.

 

"You are right: I didn't."

 

"May I ask if you are in San Francisco on business?"

 

"You take things very coolly, I must say, Miss Douglas. Certainly you cannot be ignorant of my motive in coming here at great personal inconvenience."

 

"I hope I have nothing to do with your reason."

 

"You are the sole reason."

 

"I am sorry to hear it."

 

"I came to remonstrate with you on the very unwise step you took in running away from your legal guardian."

 

"My legal guardian, as you call him, though I look upon him as such only as far as my property is concerned, rendered the step necessary."

 

"I don't see how."

 

"In plain terms, Mr. Orton Campbell, I believe that you and your father entered into a conspiracy to keep my fortune in the family by inducing me to become your wife."

 

"I certainly did ask you to become my wife, but it was not because of your fortune," answered the young man.

 

Florence's lip curled. She thoroughly d............