Francis and Palmer held the same political
faith. The former came of a distinguished Democratic family, so that the
old man's protection and loyalty had been bestowed upon him upon his
arrival in the gold fields twenty years before. Furthermore, the old man
had proved the unfailing honesty of the younger man. Jew bankers, in
blowing dirt and impurities from gold dust offered for sale, were not
over-careful about blowing away gold dust, too, which would be caught on
buckskin placed out of sight behind the counter. Palmer's dust was very
fine, and more than once he had suffered through such sharp practice,
only to vow he never would suffer so again. In Francis he had found a
strictly honest banker, whose virtue he was inclined to attribute to
correct political principles, overlooking the moral delinquencies of
other Democratic neighbors. But the old man, through long years of
experience with human nature in California, had grown extremely cautious
and secretive. Probably no one would ever have been the wiser in regard
to his old sweetheart and her sad history except for the escape of
Cummins' murderers. And now it was not necessary that any man other than
Keeler should know.
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