Page:Hard-pan; a story of bonanza fortunes (IA hardpanbonanza00bonnrich).pdf/87

Rh great deal of satisfaction in it. It 's almost as good as having it really happen."

"It sounds very amusing," said Gault, as she paused; "but then, castles in the air," he added, turning to look at her, "are never quite the same as the real thing."

"If you can't get the real thing, you take the castles in the air," she answered, smiling.

"Tell me some more of yours."

"Oh, they 're just silly dreams, and mercenary ones, too. My castles are all built on a foundation of money. It 's a dreadful thing to have to acknowledge, but I 'm afraid I am mercenary. And it 's such a horrid fault to have."

"But is n't it rather a useful one?" he could not forbear asking.

"Not so far. Once I had my palm read by a palmist, and he told me I was going to be very prosperous—to have great riches. That 's one of my best castles in the air. I 'm all the time wondering about it, and where my great riches are coming from."

She spread both hands, palms up, on the table, and studied them as if trying to elicit further secrets from their delicately lined surfaces.

"Great riches!" she repeated. "Where could a person suddenly find great riches? The mining booms are over, and in California