was in March, if I remember rightly, and a
terrible muddy, raw spell, with the roads bad
for hauling her things to town. And here
let me say, Ambrosch did the right thing.
He went to Black Hawk and bought her a
set of plated silver in a purple velvet box,
good enough for her station. He gave her
three hundred dollars in money; I saw the
check. He'd collected her wages all those
first years she worked out, and it was but
right. I shook him by the hand in this room.
'You're behaving like a man, Ambrosch,'
I said, 'and I'm glad to see it, son.'

"'T was a cold, raw day he drove her and
her three trunks into Black Hawk to take
the night train for Denver -- the boxes had
been shipped before. He stopped the wagon
here, and she ran in to tell me goodbye. She
threw her arms around me and kissed me,
and thanked me for all I'd done for her. She
was so happy she was crying and laughing
at the same time, and her red cheeks was all
wet with rain.

"'You're surely handsome enough for any
man,' I said, looking her over.

"She laughed kind of flighty like, and
whispered, 'goodbye, dear house!' and then

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