you."
Sincerity and persistency in a man goes a great way with even the best
of women. Mrs. Price, who had at first received Spindler's request as an
amusing originality, now began to incline secretly towards it. And, of
course, began to suggest objections.
"I'm afraid it won't do," she said thoughtfully, awakening to the fact
that it would do and could be done. "You see, I've promised to spend
Christmas at Sacramento with my nieces from Baltimore. And then there's
Mrs. Saltover and my sister to consult."
But here Spindler's simple face showed such signs of distress that the
widow declared she would "think it over,"--a process which the sanguine
Spindler seemed to consider so nearly akin to talking it over that Mrs.
Price began to believe it herself, as he hopefully departed.
She "thought it over" sufficiently to go to Sacramento and excuse
herself to her nieces. But here she permitted herself to "talk it over,"
to the infinite delight of those Baltimore girls, who thought this
extravaganza of Spindler's "so Californian and eccentric!" So that it
was not strange that presently the news came back to Rough and Ready,
and his old associates learned for the first time that he had never seen
his relatives, and that they would be doubly strangers. This did not
increase his popularity; neither, I grieve to say, did the intelligence
that his relatives were probably poor, and that the Reverend Mr.
Saltover had approved of his course, and had likened it to the rich
man's feast, to which the halt and blind were invited. Indeed, the
allusion was supposed to add hypocrisy and a bid for popularity to
Spindler's defection, for it was argued that he might have feasted
"Wall-eyed Joe" or "Tangle-foot Billy,"--who had once been "chawed" by
a bear while prospecting,--if he had been sincere. Howbeit, Spindler's
faith was oblivious to these criticisms, in his joy at Mr. Saltover's
adhesion to his plans and the loan of Mrs. Price as a hostess. In
fact, he proposed to her that the invitation should also convey that
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