"It appears to me," said the Scotchman, quietly, "that you set too high a value upon money. You have certainly been very foolish to risk it at the gaming-table, and the loss will no doubt inconvenience you; but was your money all you had to live for?"
The young man regarded Ferguson with some surprise; but his excitement was evidently abated. The quiet tone of the speaker had a favorable effect upon him.
"I didn"t think of it in that light," he admitted.
"Have you no relatives to whom your life is of value?"
"Yes," answered the young man. "I have a mother and sister."
"Would not your death affect them more than the loss of money?"
"Yes."
"It seems to me that to take your life would be to treat them cruelly."
The young man was evidently agitated by contending thoughts.
"I suppose you are right," he said, slowly; "but let me tell you all, and you can judge me better: I arrived in California six months since.
My home is in Ohio, not far from Cincinnati. I was fortunate enough to commence mining at a point on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains where I was almost alone. I "struck it rich," and two days since arrived in San Francisco with over two thousand dollars in gold-dust."
"You were certainly in luck," said Ferguson, surprised.
"I turned it into money, and, in strolling about the city, was lured into that accursed den. I looked on and was fascinated. I thought I would try my luck. I began with a small stake, and kept on till I had lost every dollar. In one hour the fruits of six months" labor are gone.
Do you wonder that I am reduced to despair?"
CHAPTER XXIII.
A NEW SCHEME.
"I see no cause for despair," replied Ferguson, in the same calm tone.
"I have not a penny left out of the two thousand dollars I had only an hour since."
"I understand all that."
"I am a ruined man," said the young man, despondently.
"I don"t admit that. How old are you?"
"Twenty-one."
"You are well and strong, are you not?"
"Oh, yes, I have nothing to complain of on that score."
"Then it appears to me that your loss is not serious. Your capital still remains."
"My capital?" repeated the young man.
"Yes; your strong arms, your education, your capacity to labor."
"But I shall have to begin over again."
"Beginning over again at your age, when, possibly, fifty years of life lie before you, is not such a serious matter. Were I in your situation,--and I am twice as old as you,--I should not thing of despairing. Don"t you think it would be rather foolish for two thousand dollars, which you have been only six months in acc.u.mulating, to throw away fifty years, and all that you can make in that time, thereby bringing a life-long grief to your mother and sister?"
The calm, logical tone of the Scotchman had its effect.
"I see that I was about to add to one piece of folly another far greater," said the young man. "I don"t know who you are, sir, but I heartily thank you and your son for saving my life."
"This is not my son, but my young friend, Thomas Nelson," said Ferguson.
"I am not so fortunate as to have a son."
"Well, G.o.d bless you both, and good-night!"
"Excuse my persistency, but may I ask where you are going?"
"I am not going to repeat my folly of just now, if that is what you mean."
"I did not suspect you of that; but are you sure of a bed anywhere?"
"No; I have no money to pay for one. I shall walk the streets, or possibly lie down in some quiet place. I was accustomed to roughing it at the mines, and can do it again if necessary."
"Tom and I have a room in which you are welcome to find a shelter. I am sorry that our bed is too narrow to hold another."
"Thank you. That will be better than to sleep in the streets. But are you not afraid to make me this offer?"
"Why should I be?"
"I might rob you during the night."
"You might, but you don"t look like one who would so reward confidence."
"You are right. If you had fifty thousand dollars I would not touch a dollar of it. I will accept your offer. How can I repay you for your kindness?"
"There may be a way. We will talk of that this evening."
Nine o"clock found the three collected in the small room which had been hired by Ferguson for himself and Tom.
"My friend," said Ferguson, "you told us that you found a favorable place for mining up in the Sierras."
"Yes, I "struck it rich.""
"I take it for granted that you did not exhaust the wealth of the place?"