quantities. Often I've stopped to talk with him as he brought a
wheelbarrow load of dirt out of the tunnel to the edge of the little old
dump.

"'Yep, I'se 'bout to fin' heaps an' heaps o' gol',' he'd say as he pulled
at his stubby gray whiskers. 'Marse Spruce-tree, yondah, he done tole me
to jes' keep a diggin' an' I'd sho fin' gol'. When I 'se jes' 'bout to
gib up, an' I does sometimes, yes, sah, I does, ole Marse Spruce-tree he
jes' stan' up yondah on de hillside an' laff an' say, "Why, Rufus, yuse
is altogedder wufless." Ole Brer Rabbit, he nod he haid an' 'spress
heself same way. "Jes keep a diggin', Unc' Rufus," he say, "Jes' keep a
diggin'." They sho is gol' in this yere ole world if ye jes' keeps a
diggin'.'

"He'd sing all day as he worked, and never seemed to lose faith; but when
the canyon road was extended, and the inn built, it took away the quiet
and solitude from the place. The old man just picked up his belongings
and went farther back into the mountains--no one knew where; but
somewhere, I suspect, he is still talking aloud to the trees and making
friends with the wild things, still giving his life to digging up dreams
and living for hopes that will never be realized. It's a strange disease,
this gold fever. I've never had it, but I've heard Old Ben at the Inn
tell how it's nearly impossible for a man to go back to his work in the
city after he has once seen the golden glitter and dug the precious
metal from the earth."

Willis had remained very quiet all through the story. A strange sadness
seemed to have settled upon his spirit. Several times Mr. Allen addressed
him, but upon receiving no reply turned and looked closely into the boy's
face. His head was thrown back, and he seemed to be lost in the beauty of