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〃'0　my　sainted　Aunt　Jerusha！'　says　he；　'ain't　you　one　of　the　Babes　in　　the　Goods；　W。　　D。？　　Don't　you　know　that　no　Indians　ever　shave？　They　　pull　out　their　whiskers　instead。'

〃'Well；'　says　I；　'that's　just　what　these　razors　would　do　for　'emthey　　wouldn't　have　any　kick　coming　if　they　used　'em　once。'

〃Shane　went　away；　and　I　could　hear　him　laughing　a　block；　if　there　had　　been　any　block。

〃'Tell　'em；'　says　I　to　McClintock；　'it　ain't　money　I　wanttell　'em　　I'll　take　gold…dust。　　Tell　'em　I'll　allow　'em　sixteen　dollars　an　ounce　　for　it　in　trade。　　That's　what　I'm　out　forthe　dust。'

〃Mac　interprets；　and　you'd　have　thought　a　squadron　of　cops　had　charged　　the　crowd　to　disperse　it。　　Every　uncle's　nephew　and　aunt's　niece　of　　'em　faded　away　inside　of　two　minutes。

〃At　the　royal　palace　that　night　me　and　the　King　talked　it　over。

〃'They've　got　the　dust　hid　out　somewhere；'　says　I；　'or　they　wouldn't　　have　been　so　sensitive　about　it。'

〃'They　haven't；'　says　Shane。　　'What's　this　gag　you've　got　about　gold？　　　You　been　reading　Edward　Allen　Poe？　　They　ain't　got　any　gold。'

〃'They　put　it　in　quills；'　says　I；　'and　then　they　empty　it　in　jars；　and　　then　into　sacks　of　twenty…five　pounds　each。　　I　got　it　straight。'

〃'W。　　D。；'　says　Shane；　laughing　and　chewing　his　cigar；　'I　don't　often　　see　a　white　man；　and　I　feel　like　putting　you　on。　　I　don't　think　you'll　　get　away　from　here　alive；　anyhow；　so　I'm　going　to　tell　you。　　Come　over　　here。'

''He　draws　aside　a　silk　fibre　curtain　in　a　corner　of　the　room　and　　shows　me　a　pile　of　buckskin　sacks。

〃'Forty　of　'em；'　says　Shane。　　'One　arroba　in　each　one。　　In　round　　numbers；　220；000　worth　of　gold…dust　you　see　there。　　It's　all　mine。　　　It　belongs　to　the　Grand　Yacuma。　　They　bring　it　all　to　me。　　Two　hundred　　and　twenty　thousand　dollarsthink　of　that；　you　glass…bead　peddler；'　　says　Shane'　and　all　mine。'

〃'Little　good　it　does　you；'　says　I；　contemptuously　and　hatefully。　　　'And　so　you　are　the　government　depository　of　this　gang　of　money…less　　money…makers？　　Don't　you　pay　enough　interest　on　it　to　enable　one　of　　your　depositors　to　buy　an　Augusta　（Maine）　Pullman　carbon　diamond　worth　　200　for　4。85　？'

〃'Listen；'　says　Patrick　Shane；　with　the　sweat　coming　out　on　his　brow。　　　'　I'm　confidant　with　you；　as　you　have；　somehow；　enlisted　my　regards。　　　Did　you　ever；'　he　says；　'feel　the　avoirdupois　power　of　goldnot　the　　troy　weight　of　it；　but　the　sixteen…ounces…to…the…pound　force　of　it？'

〃'Never；'　says　I。　　'I　never　take　in　any　bad　money。'

〃Shane　drops　down　on　the　floor　and　throws　his　arms　over　the　sacks　of　　gold…dust。

〃'I　love　it；；　says　he。　　'I　want　to　feel　the　touch　of　it　day　and　night。　　　It's　my　pleasure　in　life。　　I　come　in　this　room；　and　I'm　a　king　and　a　　rich　man。　　I'll　be　a　millionaire　in　another　year。　　The　pile's　getting　　bigger　every　month。　　I've　got　the　whole　tribe　washing　out　the　sands　in　　the　creeks。　　I'm　the　happiest　man　in　the　world；　W。　　D。　　I　just　want　to　　be　near　this　gold；　and　know　it's　mine　and　it's　increasing　every　day。　　　Now；　you　know；'　says　he；　'why　my　Indians　wouldn't　buy　your　goods。　　　They　can't。　　They　bring　all　the　dust　to　me。　　I'm　their　king。　　I've　　taught　'em　not　to　desire　or　admire。　　You　might　as　well　shut　up　shop。'

〃'I'll　tell　you　what　you　are；'　says　I。　　'You're　a　plain；　contemptible　　miser。　　You　preach　supply　and　you　forget　demand。　　Now；　supply；'　I　goes　　on；　'is　never　anything　but　supply。　　On　the　contrary；'　says　I；　'demand　　is　a　much　broader　syllogism　and　assertion。　　Demand　includes　the　rights　　of　our　women　and　children；　and　charity　and　friendship；　and　even　a　　little　begging　on　the　street　corners。　　They've　both　got　to　harmonize　　equally。　　And　I've　got　a　few　things　up　my　commercial　sleeve　yet；'　says　　I；　'that　may　jostle　your　preconceived　ideas　of　politics　and　economy。

〃The　next　morning　I　had　McClintock　bring　tip　another　mule…load　of　　goods　to　the　plaza　and　open　it　up。　　The　people　gathered　around　the　　same　as　before。

〃I　got　out　the　finest　line　of　necklaces；　bracelets；　hair…combs；　and　　earrings　that　I　carried；　and　had　the　women　put　'em　on。　　And　then　I　　played　trumps。

〃Out　of　my　last　pack　I　opened　up　a　half　gross　of　hand…mirrors；　with　　solid　tinfoil　backs；　and　passed　'em　around　among　the　ladies。　　That　was　　the　first　introduction　of　looking…glasses　among　the　Peche　Indians。

〃Shane　walks　by　with　his　big　laugh。

〃'Business　looking　up　any？'　he　asks。

〃'It's　looking　at　itself　right　now；'　says　I。

〃By…and…by　a　kind　of　a　murmur　goes　through　the　crowd。　　The　women　had　　looked　into　the　magic　crystal　and　seen　that　they　were　beautiful；　and　　was　confiding　the　secret　to　the　men。　　The　men　seemed　to　be　urging　the　　lack　of　money　and　the　hard　times　just　before　the　election；　but　their　　excuses　didn't　go。

〃Then　was　my　time。

〃I　called　McClintock　away　from　an　animated　conversation　with　his　mules　　and　told　him　to　do　some　interpreting。

〃'Tell　'em；'　says　I；　'that　gold…dust　will　buy　for　them　these　befitting　　ornaments　for　kings　and　queens　of　the　earth。　　Tell　'em　the　yellow　sand　　they　wash　out　of　the　waters　for　the　High　Sanctified　Yacomay　and　Chop　　Suey　of　the　tribe　will　buy　the　precious　jewels　and　charms　that　will　　make　them　beautiful　and　preserve　and　pickle　them　from　evil　spirits。　　　Tell　'em　the　Pittsburg　banks　are　paying　four　per　cent。　　interest　on　　deposits　by　mail；　while　this　get…rich…frequently　custodian　of　the　　public　funds　ain't　even　paying　attention。　　Keep　telling　'em；　Mac；'　　says　I；　'to　let　the　gold…dust　family　do　their　work。　　Talk　to　'em　like　　a　born　anti…Bryanite；'　says　I。　　'Remind　'em　that　Tom　Watson's　gone　　back　to　Georgia；'　says　I。

〃McClintock　waves　his　hand　affectionately　at　one　of　his　mules；　and　　then　hurls　a　few　stickfuls　of　minion　type　at　the　mob　of　shoppers。

〃A　gutta…percha　Indian　man；　with　a　lady　hanging　on　his　arm；　with　three　　strings　of　my　fish…scale　jewelry　and　imitation　marble　beads　around　her　　neck；　stands　up　on　a　block　of　stone　and　makes　a　talk　that　sounds　like　　a　man　shaking　dice　in　a　box　to　fill　aces　and　sixes。

〃'He　says；'　says　McClintock；　'that　the　people　not　know　that　gold…dust　　will　buy　their　things。　　The　women　very　mad。　　The　Grand　Yacuma　tell　　them　it　no　good　but　for　keep　to　make　bad　spirits　keep　away。'

〃'You　can't　keep　bad　spirits　away　from　money；'　says　I。

〃'They　say；'　goes　on　McClintock；　'the　Yacuma　fool　them。　　They　raise　　plenty　row。'

〃'Going！　Going！'　says　I。　　'Gold…dust　or　cash　takes　the　entire　stock。　　　The　dust　weighed　before　you；　and　taken　at　sixteen　dollars　the　ounce　the　highest　price　on　the　Gaudymala　coast。'

〃Then　the　crowd　disperses　all　of　a　sudden；　and　I　don't　know　what's　up。　　　Mac　and　me　packs　away　the　hand…mirrors　and　jewelry　they　had　handed　　back　to　us；　and　we　had　the　mules　back　to　the　corral　they　had　set　apart　　for　our　garage。

〃While　we　was　there　we　hear　great　noises　of　shouting；　and　down　across　　the　plaza　runs　Patrick　Shane；　hotfoot；　with　his　clothes　ripped　half　　off；　and　scratches　on　his　face　like　a　cat　had　fought　him　hard　for　　every　one　of　its　lives。

〃'They're　looting　the　treasury；　W。　　D。；'　he　sings　out。　　'They're　going　　to　kill　me　and　you；　too。　　Unlimber　a　couple　of　mules　at　once。　　We'll　　have　to　make　a　get…away　in　a　couple　of　minutes。'

〃'They've　found　out；'　says　I；'　the　truth　about　the　law　of　supply　and　　demand。'

〃'It's　the　women；　mostly；'　says　the　King。　　'And　they　used　to　admire　me　　so！'

〃'They　hadn't　seen　looking…glasses　then；'　says　I。

〃'They've　got　knives　and　hatchets；'　says　Shane；　'hurry　！'

〃'Take　that　roan　mule；'　says　I。　　'You　and　your　law　of　supply！　　I'll　　ride　the　dun；　for　he's　two　knots　per　hour　the　faster。　　The　roan　has　a　　stiff　knee；　but　he　may　make　it；'　says　I。　　'If　you'd　included　　reciprocity　in　your　political　platform　I　might　have　given　you　the　　dun；'　says　I。

〃Shane　and　McClintock　and　me　mounted　our　mules　and　rode　across　the　　rawhide　bridge　just　as　the　Peches　reached　the　other　side　and　began　　firing　stones　and　long　knives　at　us。　　We　cut　the　thongs　that　held　up　　our　end　of　the　bridge　and　headed　for　the　coast。〃

A　tall；　bulky　policeman　came　into　Finch's　shop　at　that　moment　and　leaned　an　elbow　on　the　showcase。　　Finch　nodded　　at　him　friendly。

〃I　heard　down　at　Casey's；〃　said　the　cop；　in　rumbling；　husky　tones；　　〃that　there　was　going　to　be　a　picnic　of　the　Hat…Cleaners'　Union　over　　at　Bergen　Beach；　Sunday。　　Is　that　right？〃

〃Sure；〃　said　Finch。　　〃There'll　be　a　dandy　time。〃

〃Gimme　five　tickets；〃　said　the　cop；　throwing　a　five…dollar　bill　on　the　　showcase。

〃Why；''　said　Finch；　〃ain't　you　going　it　a　little　too〃

〃Go　to　h！〃　said　the　cop。　　〃You　got　'em　to　sell；　ain't　you？　　　Somebody's　got　to　buy　'em。　　Wish　I　could　go　along。〃

I　was　glad　to　See　Finch　so　well　thought　of　in　his　neighborhood。

And　then　in　came　a　wee　girl　of　seven；　with　dirty　face　and　pure　blue　　eyes　and　a　smutched　and　insufficient　dress。

〃Mamma　says；〃　she　recited　shrilly；　〃that　you　must　give　me　eighty　cents　　for　the　grocer　and　nineteen　for　the　milkman　and　five　cents　for　me　to　　buy　hokey…pokey　withbut　she　didn't　say　that；〃　the　elf　concluded；　　with　a　hopeful　but　honest　grin。

Finch　shelled　out　the　money；　counting　it　twice；　but　I　noticed　that　the　　total　sum　that　the　small　girl　received　was　one　dollar　and　four　cents。

〃That's　the　right　kind　of　a　law；〃　remarked　Finch；　as　he　carefully　　broke　some　of　the　stitches　of　my　hatband　so　that　it　would　assuredly　　come　off　within　a　few　days〃the　law　of　supply　and　demand。　　But　　they've　both　got　to　work　together。　　I'll　bet；〃　he　went　on；　with　his　　dry　smile；　〃she'll　get　jelly　beans　with　that　nickelshe　likes　'em。　　　What's　supply　if　there's　no　demand　for　it？〃

〃What　ever　became　of　the　King？〃　I　asked；　curiously。　''Oh；　I　might　have　told　you；〃　said　Finch。　　〃That　was　Shane　came　in　and　　bought　the　tickets。　　He　came　back　with　me；　and　he's　on　the　force　now。〃




BURIED　TREASURE



There　are　many　kinds　of　fools。　　Now；　will　everybody　please　sit　still　　until　they　are　called　upon　specifically　to　rise？

I　had　been　every　kind　of　fool　except　one。　　I　had　expended　my　　patrimony；　pretended　my　matrimony；　played　poker；　lawn…tennis；　and　　bucket…shopsparted　soon　with　my　money　in　many　ways。　　But　there　　remained　one　rule　of　the　wearer　of　cap　and　bells　that　I　had　not　　played。　　That　was　the　Seeker　after　Buried　Treasure。　　To　few　does　the　　delectable　furor　come。　　But　of　all　the　would…be　followers　in　the　hoo