"Would you perchance like some coffee?"

"I'd like some whiskey if you have it."

"We do-for medicinal purposes," Nichols told her.

Pelham grinned. "And the Sabbath."

Nichols poured. No mention was made of refreshments for Israel, who'd been standing silently ever since the four entered the tent. Nichols gaped as Amanda downed the half cup of liquor in four swift swallows.

The alcohol was cheap and raw. It hurt her throat and stomach at first, but quickly began to exert a soothing effect. Feeling a little stronger, she said, "Israel might like something-"

She didn't miss Nichols' frown. The mulatto noticed too. Amanda realized he was thinking of her welfare when he refused to turn the remark into an issue.

"Thank you anyway, Miz Kent. I'm not hungry or thirsty."

Amanda nodded, addressed the partners. "To business, gentlemen. I came here principally because my cousin has a son in Virginia. I'll probably be going to visit him soon-"

"You wish for Joseph and me to buy out your cousin's interest?" Pelham broke in.

"No, I don't. I intend to take over Jared's third."

Pelham frowned. "Absentee ownership is not too practical. Every partner must share in the work-"

She turned her head toward Israel, who was standing near the table. Despite the condition of his legs, his posture was erect. Amanda suspected that was probably for Nichols' benefit. She knew what the effort must be costing the mulatto.

"Israel has agreed to act as my representative," she said.

Joseph Nichols scratched his nose. "Well now, ma'am, I ought to caution you about one thing. Nigras don't receive a very cordial reception in the diggings-"

"Do they anywhere?" Israel asked. Nichols looked flustered.

"Mr. Nichols," Amanda said, "my cousin told me you're from Georgia-"

"That's true."

"Do you object to working with a man of color? As an equal?"

After a moment Nichols replied, "I can't pretend I've ever done it before. On the other hand, the Nichols family doesn't support the idea that slavery is an immutable institution, or even a good thing. Not all southerners do, you know. Too much fuss about cotton at the expense of everything else has caused the south to lag badly in manufacturing-"

"I should clear up one point," Amanda interrupted. "Israel is a free man. He'll return in a few weeks and work as hard as either of you. For that, he'll be paid a percentage of my cousin's share."

"Joseph-" Pelham confronted his partner. "Can you accept a colored man?"

Amanda shook her head. "There's no question of acceptance. I'm asking how Israel will be treated by-"

"Please, Miz Kent," the mulatto broke in. "Let him answer. If this is to be a going operation-"

Piqued, Nichols said, "It is a going operation."

"All right," Israel replied calmly. "Then if it's to continue as one, we have to be honest about how we feel toward each other. I'll do my portion of the hard labor-that I promise. But I won't sleep outside, or take my meals anywhere but right here."

Nichols reddened again. "I must say you're mighty assertive for a nigra-"

"You'll get used to it."

"Freedom is the law in California," Amanda said. "I assume you know the new government down in Monterey adopted an antislavery clause in the state constitution?"

"Yes," Pelham said, "though we were frankly too busy to vote on the constitution. Not that I could, of course-I'm still a citizen of Her Majesty's country. But I do think it's remarkable that California declared itself a state before your federal union did so-"

"The question remains," Amanda said, "will Israel be welcome, or are you going to cause problems for him? If you are, you'll have problems with me."

Unsmiling, Francis Pelham answered, "Based on Armbruster's fate, Mrs. Kent, I would take that for granted. The decision is really Joseph's."

Nichols scratched his armpit. Shook his head, rose and walked to the coffeepot. Painfully conscious of everyone watching, he poured a cup. Then, slowly, he walked back to Israel.

"It'll take some effort, but I guess I can get used to it." Abruptly, he thrust the cup forward. "You sure you're not thirsty?"

With a grave smile, Israel said, "I believe I am now."

"Then here-help yourself."

Israel took the cup. "Thank you, Mr. Nichols."

"You all have any name besides Israel?"

"I don't," the mulatto admitted. "Some slaves adopted the last names of their masters but I refused."

Nichols looked startled. "You a runaway?"

"Many years ago. I was born on a plantation. My papa was a white man. My mama never told me his name.

She hated him, I guess. I ran away first chance I got. Is any of that important?"

"No, I 'spose it isn't-"

"Definitely not," Pelham said. "We've no time to dwell on past history-we're too bloody busy. It requires four men to work a claim efficiently, you know. Two must dig. A third must alternately shovel the dirt into the hopper of the cradle you saw outside, and pour in water. The fourth man rocks the cradle to filter the dust and flakes down the chute. The gold is caught behind the chute's transverse riffles, while the water and mud wash on-"

Israel nodded. "I'm familiar with placer mining, Mr. Pelham."

"Ah, but Joseph and I don't want to limit ourselves to placer mining." He began to speak with more animation, waving his cup as he paced back and forth. Amanda decided she liked the cut of Jared's partners. Israel too was interested in what the Britisher had to say.

"We're drawing a fine profit out of the claim now. We can do better if we can ever hire a dependable helper."

"Better than a thousand a day?" Amanda asked.

"In my opinion, yes."

Nichols said, "I heard Chinee boys are showing up in some of the camps, Francis. Hard workers. Maybe we'd have better luck with one of them-"

"And I wouldn't feel so outnumbered," Israel said. Nichols actually chuckled.

"A possibility," Pelham agreed. "My point is this, Mrs. Kent. If there is abundant gold in and along the rivers of California, it follows that it must wash down from somewhere. The Mexicans are undoubtedly correct when they speak about a veta madre."

"A mother vein?"

"The boys around here call it mother lode," Nichols told her.

"Go on, Mr. Pelham."

"Men are already striking off for the slopes of the Sierras. The land's for the taking-no one's quite thrashed out the laws of ownership as yet. Separating gold from the quartz rock will require heavier equipment, however-"

"You've studied the subject, haven't you, Mr. Pelham?"

"I have. I did not leave my relatives-the city where I was born-and the pittance I earned in the drapery shop in order to enjoy a holiday in America. I came here for a purpose."

"Excellent."

"As soon as Joseph and I-"

"And Israel," she said.

"Quite so. As soon as we can lay up sufficient funds and hire trustworthy chaps to work this claim under the supervision of one of us, the other two will go to the mountains. As you undoubtedly know, the size of claims is settled by the common consent of those who arrive first. It's my plan to locate a promising site no one's discovered, and set the limits to suit ourselves." Pelham smiled. "Naturally we'll require your approval of such a venture, Mrs. Kent. But I gather from your remark of a few moments ago, you would not be averse to a speculative expedition-?"

"I wouldn't. If there's more money to be made, I insist you go."

"Capital!"

"The one thing we aren't going to do," Nichols declared, "is squander gold from here or the mountains on alcohol, games of chance and traveling prosti-fast women," he amended, beet-colored. "Like Francis, my home's a long way off-and not worth going back to, either. A big combine from Atlanta put up a general store four times the size of the mine and just half a mile away. Drove me out of business. I suffered the miseries of the damned on the Overland Trail. I dosed myself with gunpowder and Dr. Zoril's cure-all medicine and wore one of those blasted asafetida bags to prevent the cholera. Until I got used to the stinking alkali water, I thought a chamber pot would be my life's companion. We never saw an Indian-not one-but I was always scared of being murdered by some fool handling a gun without knowing how. One man in our train thought he heard an Indian whoop, jerked his rifle out of the wagon barrel first and shot himself to death. Why, there were guns popping day and night!"

"I've heard the overland route is trying," Amanda said.

"Disillusioning would be more like it. I had to throw out most of the heavy goods I freighted from Georgia to Missouri with the last of my savings. I dumped a Franklin stove, a pile of furniture-anyone can find California just by following the trail of abandoned bedroom suites! But I got here, by heaven. I carved my name on Independence Rock, crossed the mountain ranges and even survived the stench of the rotting carcasses of horses and mules that collapsed in the Humboldt Sink. After all I went through, I'm not going to behave like that stupid Armbruster, throwing his dust away as fast as we paid him. I don't mind telling you we had some fierce conbobberations concerning his errant ways-"

"Conbobberations?" Amanda repeated.

Amused, Pelham said, "Arguments. If it's English they speak in this part of America, they're jolly well inventing it more quickly than I can learn it. However, Joseph addresses a valid point. I've observed that those who strike it rich, as the saying goes, need more than a spot of luck. Success requires ample perspiration and a diligent, scientific approach. We can control those two factors. If we also have luck when we move to the higher elevations, we could all be exceedingly wealthy. At very least, this claim alone should keep us comfortable for a long time."

"Comfortable isn't good enough, Mr. Pelham. I prefer rich."

He saluted her with his cup. "We shall do our best to shower you with gold, dear lady."

"My cousin's son is a preacher. I don't think he'll have much use for it. But I do, believe me."

At that, Israel stared down into his cup, visibly unhappy.

v

Amanda stood up. "Do they serve dinners at that so-called hotel on the main street?"

"The Bear Flag?" Nichols said. "You bet-pretty good ones."

"Outrageously overpriced, though," Pelham added.

"I'll pay the bill, so let's not worry about price. Since I have to be there for court at five, we might as well go up to the hotel now. We can eat and discuss more of the details of this-"

She noticed Nichols studying his muddied boots.

"You're not hungry, Mr. Nichols?"

"Ma'am"-a quick glance at Israel-"please, now, don't anyone be insulted, but the Bear Flag has a policy-that is-" Scarlet again, he stopped.

"Joseph means they don't serve persons of color," Pelham said quietly.

Weary as she was, Amanda still spoke firmly. "I think they'll suspend their policy"-she moved her right hand to the butt of her holstered revolver-"just about as quickly as that jury of miners will clear me when I tell my story."

"God save me"-Pelham grinned-"you are a determined woman."

"Miz Kent usually gets whatever she goes after," Israel said. A second later he added, "Sometimes that can be downright harmful to a person."

He didn't mean the remark as a joke. Amanda knew she should call him down for it. With Nichols present, she concealed her anger and didn't.

That Israel spoke the truth was a risk she'd already accepted.

Chapter VI.

The Parting

i