But what was that mystery, and why was the ring
secondary to himself? Why was so much stress laid upon his finding it?
"You see," said Drummond, as if answering his unspoken thought, "that
'ar gal--for it is a gal in course--hez read all about it in the papers,
and hez sort o' took a shine to ye. It don't make a bit o' difference
who in thunder Cass IS or WAZ, for I reckon she's kicked him over by
this time--"
"Sarved him right, too, for losing the girl's ring and then lying low
and keeping dark about it," interrupted a sympathizer.
"And she's just weakened over the romantic, high-toned way you stuck
to it," continued Drummond, forgetting the sarcasms he had previously
hurled at this romance. Indeed, the whole camp, by this time, had become
convinced that it had fostered and developed a chivalrous devotion which
was now on the point of pecuniary realization. It was generally accepted
that "she" was the daughter of this banker, and also felt that in
the circumstances the happy father could not do less than develop the
resources of Blazing Star at once. Even if there were no relationship,
what opportunity could be more fit for presenting to capital a locality
that even produced engagement rings, and, as Jim Fauquier put it, "the
men ez knew how to keep 'em." It was this sympathetic Virginian who took
Cass aside with the following generous suggestion: "If you find that you
and the old gal couldn't hitch hosses, owin' to your not likin' red hair
or a game leg" (it may be here recorded that Blazing Star had, for
no reason whatever, attributed these unprepossessing qualities to the
mysterious advertiser), "you might let ME in.
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