Staples' own lips, and were due to the sudden pressure of Mr.
Medliker's arm around his throat.The teamster was irascible and prompt through much mule-driving, and his arm was, from the same reason, strong and sinewy.Mr.Staples felt himself garroted and dragged from the room, and only came to under the stars outside, with the hoarse voice of Mr.Medliker in his ears:--"You're a minister of the gospel, I know, but ef ye say another word to my Johnny, I'll knock the gospel stuffin' out of ye.Ye hear me! I'VE DRIVEN MULES AFORE!"He then strode back into the room."Ye needn't answer, Johnny, he's gone."But so, too, had Johnny, for he never answered the question in this world, nor, please God, was he required to in the next.He lay still and dead.The community was scandalized the next day when Mr.Medliker sent for a minister from Sacramento to officiate at his child's funeral, in place of Mr.Staples, and then the subject was dropped.
But the influence of Johnny's hidden treasure still remained as a superstition in the locality.Prospecting parties were continually made up to discover the unknown claim, but always from evidence and data altogether apocryphal.It was even alleged that a miner had one night seen the little figures of Johnny and Florry walking over the hilltop, hand in hand, but that they had vanished among the stars at the very moment he thought he had discovered their secret.