Summary

Chapter 1: Susan arrives in New Almaden. It is a mining camp that houses Cornish, Mexican, and Chinese workers. The manager of the mine lives in an area known as the Hacienda. Oliver finds this area too close to too many people. He has built Susan a home away from everyone else. The cottage is built from the sketches she and Oliver mailed back and forth to one another. Susan fears Oliver will spoil her. She believes this even more so when he gives her a dog to protect her when he is not around.

Susan asks him about the train fare. Oliver did not have the money to send her. The manager of the mine changed his mind about paying for the building of their house so all of Oliver’s money went into building a home for Susan. Mr. Kendall, the manager of...