"Simply because I didn't name it," replied Madame Midas, bluntly;
"but if the lead is rich, the name doesn't matter much."

"Of course not," broke in Kitty, impatiently, being anxious to see
the nugget. "Do open the box; I'm dying to see it."

"Katherine! Katherine!" said Marchurst, reprovingly, as Vandeloup
opened the box, "how you do exaggerate--ah!" he broke off his
exhortation suddenly, for the box was open, and the great mass of
gold was glittering in its depths. 'Wonderful!'

'What a size!' cried Kitty, clapping her hands as Vandeloup lifted
it out and placed it on the table; 'how much is it worth?'

'About twelve hundred pounds,' said Madame, quietly, though her
heart throbbed with pride as she looked at her nugget; 'it weighs
three hundred ounces.'

'Wonderful!' reiterated the old man, passing his thin hand lightly
over the rough surface; 'verily the Lord hath hidden great treasure
in the entrails of the earth, and the Pactolus would seem to be a
land of Ophir when it yields such wealth as this.'

The nugget was duly admired by everyone, and then Brown and Jane,
who formed the household of Marchurst, were called in to look at it.
They both expressed such astonishment and wonder, that Marchurst
felt himself compelled to admonish them against prizing the
treasures of earth above those of heaven. Vandeloup, afraid that
they were in for a sermon, beckoned quietly to Kitty, and they both
stealthily left the room, while Marchurst, with Brown, Jane, and