Bernardino, and he insisted on keeping only a half interest, even
though Dad fought him about it. You see, Dad didn't have the
reputation of being the squarest man in San Bernardino for nothing.




Chapter Two


My mother's family had never approved of her marriage with Dad, but
Dad, poor and running a hardware shop or a livery-stable, and Dad
with a fortune in his hands were two very different people--from
their standpoint, at least; so as soon as Olaf and the three burros
struck it rich, Dad sold his livery-stable, and mammy Rachel and I
were bundled off to Ninette's relations in New Orleans. I didn't
like it a bit at first, but one can get used to anything in time.
Ninette's maiden sister, Miss Marie Madeline Antoinette Hortense
Prevost, was awfully nice to me; so was grandmere Prevost. I lived
with them till I was sixteen, when I was sent to France.

If I wanted to (and you would let me) I could personally conduct you
to Paris, where if you were ten feet tall and not averse to staring,
you could look over a certain gray stone wall on the Boulevard des
Invalides, and see me pacing sedately up and down the gravel walks
in the garden of the Convent of the Sacred Heart. That is, you could
have seen me three years ago. I'm not there now, thank goodness! I'm
in California.

And just one word before we go any further any further. I don't want