The Wedge of Gold

d the great craft grew strangely unsteady. Browning was a good sailor, but Sedgwick found it was all he could do to maintain his equanimity. "Jack," he said at last, "th

a steer and ride him. If you miss, you are liable to be trodden to death. If you strike fairly, then the trick is to see how long you can hold on. It is rough exercise, but I believe it is

aves were breaking down, and by the time night came on the ship was running nea

s the beautiful spectacle of another ship as grand as their own, that swept close by them on its way to New York. Its whole 500 feet of length was a blaze of light, and as the Titans whis

an animated conversation sprang up in the smoking room. An American was declaring that his

of the manufacturers of little England were more than

le basis, from material well-nigh worthless in itself, the Frenchman could, by infusing French

n the ground. Look at it now! Tried by fire and fused with labor, it has grown into this marvelous structure. England's greatness and wealth are due, primarily, all to her mining. Her civilization can be measured by her progress in reducing metals. She will begin to fall behind soon, for America has, in addition to such mines as England possesses, endless mines of gold an

much spirit, until Sedgwick, who had been reading through it a

They had as fair prospects as did Rome, but ninety of the hundred are forgotten; the other ten are remembered but as inferior nations. It was the stock of men

other to the west. One finds its final home in the Gulf of Mexico, the other in the Pacific. The one takes on other streams, its volume steadily swells; before it flows far its channel is hewed throu

hen it finds its grave in the Gulf, so foul are its wate

untains that tear its waters into foam, and at last in mighty throes, on the stormy bar it finds its grave in the roaring ocean. Its existence is one long, mighty struggle; there are awful chasms in its path into which it i

wealth and power; at last, they become in one way a blessing, in another a terror; but in the meantim

t their course is run, those who trace them through their careers, with uncovered heads are bound to say that they kept their integrity to t

untain in the hills, out of which flows another stream as large and fair as either of the others. It, too, goes tumbling down the mountain g

d brave; they rush on exultingly at first, but the quicksands of vice

orn great. Those who succeed are those who are g

e of rich mines or fields, but of the sovereign genius of the men of norther

r the home of Browning in Devonshire. They arrived at the village at midnight and

I go and prospect the croppings about here a little. It is a good while since

with old Jenvie, and they have all moved to London, and are running a banking and brokerage establishment. I have their address and we will chase t

was sure to pick up the sorriest old mustang on the range for a running mate. Your Rose would be mor

ean that mustang story to go for an e

alled you Jack, she was just a sill

, you ought to have been here then. By

to cut you out when we see her, unless, as is quite possible, s

to face that infernal possibility when I cannot help it

ing their after-breakfast cigars-Nevada-

church last, Browni

d deal remiss in t

lty, and you will see more friend

said Browning, "and we shal

tel, and proceeded to the old church that Br

youth, how he was given to boating and steeple-chasing, and staying out nights and worrying the old father, until finally he ran away. "Photographing you, Jack,"

as a general rush for Browning, for the whole congregation recognized him, though the almost beardless boy that went away had returned in the full flush of manhood. He was overwhelmed with greetings and co

but one. That one was Sedgwick. Near him was a woman who had a long red scarf doubled and flung carelessly over her shoulder. In an instant Sedgwick had thrown off his coat, snatched the scarf from the woman and dashed out of the crowd directly toward the coming terror. He shouted and shook the scarf, and the bull, seeing it, rushed directly for it. As he struck the scarf, like a

uffled cry to tie his forelegs, Browning seized the scarf

d said, "Let us get out of this, old man. You told me this wa

earn that trick?

ould be in the sump, or in a drift where the air would be bad in a minute. That was a big fellow, but he had a ring in his nose, which made me the mor

as. I am sorry it happened, but I am glad you did it. I

ay's paper it was magnified beyond all proportions. Fortunately, the printers got both the name

that Browning had been hoping to make money enough to purchase. Browning explaine

because of callers on Browning and his friend, and would take nothing of his guests except