“My Children:  Monterey is mad with the gold-lust, and our citizens are departing with a haste that threatens depopulation.  Until recently we had small belief in the tales of sudden fortune started by the finds at Marshall’s mill.  Alcalde Colton dispatched a messenger to the American River on the 6th of June, and, though he has not returned, others have brought the news he was sent to gain.  On the 12th a man came into town with a nugget weighing an ounce and all Monterey Buzzed with excitement.  Everyone wanted to test it with acids and microscopes.  An old woman brought her ring and when placed side by side, the metal seemed identical; it was also compared with the gold knob of a cane.  Some declare it a humbug, but it is generally believed to be genuine gold.

“Governor Mason, who has been messing with Alcalde Colton and a naval officer named Lieutenant Lanman, is now compelled to bake his own bread.  The trio roast their coffee and cook what meals they eat.  Even the negro who blacked their boots went gold hunting and returned after a few weeks with $2000.

“Yesterday I met a rough-looking fellow who appeared to be starving.  He had a sack on his shoulder in which was gold-dust and nuggets worth $15,000.  You should have seen him a few hours later—­all perfumed and barbered, with shiny boots; costly, ill-fitting clothes and a marvelous display of jewelry.

“Alcalde Colton is going to the mines next month.  He laughed when he told me of Henry Bee, the alguacil or jailor of San Jose.  This man had charge of ten prisoners, some of whom were Indians, charged with murder.  He tried to turn them over to the alcalde, but the latter was at the mines.  So Bee took his prisoners with him.  It is said their digging has already made him rich and that he’ll let them loose.  There is no one to chide him.  And no one to care.”

Later in the day Sam Brannan and Editor Kemble looked in on the Stanleys.  “It’s sheer insanity!” exploded Kemble.  “The soldiers have gone—­left their wives and their children to starve.  Even the church is locked.  Governor Mason has threatened martial law in the mining regions, which are filled with cutthroats and robbers.  It’s said he contemplates giving furloughs of two or three months to the gold-fevered troops which remain.  Was there ever such idiocy?”

“You’re wrong, Ed,” Brannan told him.  “This gold boom is the biggest thing that’s ever happened.  It’ll bring the world to our door.  Why, Mason has reported that gold enough’s been taken from the mines already to pay for the Mexican war.”

“Bah!” cried Kemble, and stalked out muttering.  Brannan laughed.  “He’s riding his hobby consistently.  But he’ll come down.  So you’ve had no news from Benito?”

“No,” said Inez gloomily.  “Perhaps it is too soon.  Perhaps he has had no luck to tell us of as yet.  But I wish he would write just a line.”

“Well, well, cheer up, my dear,” said Brannan, reassuringly.  “Benito can take care of himself.  Next week I return to my store in the gold lands, and I’ll have an eye out for the lad.  How does your work go, Adrian?”