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Magnus
—
the
Governor
—
was
all
of
six
feet
tall
,
and
though
now
well
toward
his
sixtieth
year
,
was
as
erect
as
an
officer
of
cavalry
.
He
was
broad
in
proportion
,
a
fine
commanding
figure
,
imposing
an
immediate
respect
,
impressing
one
with
a
sense
of
gravity
,
of
dignity
and
a
certain
pride
of
race
.
He
was
smooth
-
shaven
,
thin
-
lipped
,
with
a
broad
chin
,
and
a
prominent
hawk
-
like
nose
—
the
characteristic
of
the
family
—
thin
,
with
a
high
bridge
,
such
as
one
sees
in
the
later
portraits
of
the
Duke
of
Wellington
.
His
hair
was
thick
and
iron
-
grey
,
and
had
a
tendency
to
curl
in
a
forward
direction
just
in
front
of
his
ears
.
He
wore
a
top
-
hat
of
grey
,
with
a
wide
brim
,
and
a
frock
coat
,
and
carried
a
cane
with
a
yellowed
ivory
head
.
As
a
young
man
it
had
been
his
ambition
to
represent
his
native
State
—
North
Carolina
—
in
the
United
States
Senate
.
Calhoun
was
his
“
great
man
,
”
but
in
two
successive
campaigns
he
had
been
defeated
.
His
career
checked
in
this
direction
,
he
had
come
to
California
in
the
fifties
.
He
had
known
and
had
been
the
intimate
friend
of
such
men
as
Terry
,
Broderick
,
General
Baker
,
Lick
,
Alvarado
,
Emerich
,
Larkin
,
and
,
above
all
,
of
the
unfortunate
and
misunderstood
Ralston
.
Once
he
had
been
put
forward
as
the
Democratic
candidate
for
governor
,
but
failed
of
election
.
After
this
Magnus
had
definitely
abandoned
politics
and
had
invested
all
his
money
in
the
Corpus
Christi
mines
.
Then
he
had
sold
out
his
interest
at
a
small
profit
—
just
in
time
to
miss
his
chance
of
becoming
a
multi
-
millionaire
in
the
Comstock
boom
—
and
was
looking
for
reinvestments
in
other
lines
when
the
news
that
“
wheat
had
been
discovered
in
California
”
was
passed
from
mouth
to
mouth
.
Practically
it
amounted
to
a
discovery
.
Dr
.
Glenn
’
s
first
harvest
of
wheat
in
Colusa
County
,
quietly
undertaken
but
suddenly
realised
with
dramatic
abruptness
,
gave
a
new
matter
for
reflection
to
the
thinking
men
of
the
New
West
.
California
suddenly
leaped
unheralded
into
the
world
’
s
market
as
a
competitor
in
wheat
production
.
In
a
few
years
her
output
of
wheat
exceeded
the
value
of
her
out
-
put
of
gold
,
and
when
,
later
on
,
the
Pacific
and
Southwestern
Railroad
threw
open
to
settlers
the
rich
lands
of
Tulare
County
—
conceded
to
the
corporation
by
the
government
as
a
bonus
for
the
construction
of
the
road
—
Magnus
had
been
quick
to
seize
the
opportunity
and
had
taken
up
the
ten
thousand
acres
of
Los
Muertos
.
Wherever
he
had
gone
,
Magnus
had
taken
his
family
with
him
.
Lyman
had
been
born
at
Sacramento
during
the
turmoil
and
excitement
of
Derrick
’
s
campaign
for
governor
,
and
Harran
at
Shingle
Springs
,
in
El
Dorado
County
,
six
years
later
.
But
Magnus
was
in
every
sense
the
“
prominent
man
.
”
In
whatever
circle
he
moved
he
was
the
chief
figure
.
Instinctively
other
men
looked
to
him
as
the
leader
.
He
himself
was
proud
of
this
distinction
;
he
assumed
the
grand
manner
very
easily
and
carried
it
well
.
As
a
public
speaker
he
was
one
of
the
last
of
the
followers
of
the
old
school
of
orators
.
He
even
carried
the
diction
and
manner
of
the
rostrum
into
private
life
.
It
was
said
of
him
that
his
most
colloquial
conversation
could
be
taken
down
in
shorthand
and
read
off
as
an
admirable
specimen
of
pure
,
well
-
chosen
English
.
He
loved
to
do
things
upon
a
grand
scale
,
to
preside
,
to
dominate
.
In
his
good
humour
there
was
something
Jovian
.
When
angry
,
everybody
around
him
trembled
.
But
he
had
not
the
genius
for
detail
,
was
not
patient
.
The
certain
grandiose
lavishness
of
his
disposition
occupied
itself
more
with
results
than
with
means
.
He
was
always
ready
to
take
chances
,
to
hazard
everything
on
the
hopes
of
colossal
returns
.
In
the
mining
days
at
Placerville
there
was
no
more
redoubtable
poker
player
in
the
county
.
He
had
been
as
lucky
in
his
mines
as
in
his
gambling
,
sinking
shafts
and
tunnelling
in
violation
of
expert
theory
and
finding
“
pay
”
in
every
case
.
Without
knowing
it
,
he
allowed
himself
to
work
his
ranch
much
as
if
he
was
still
working
his
mine
.
The
old
-
time
spirit
of
’
49
,
hap
-
hazard
,
unscientific
,
persisted
in
his
mind
.
Everything
was
a
gamble
—
who
took
the
greatest
chances
was
most
apt
to
be
the
greatest
winner
.
The
idea
of
manuring
Los
Muertos
,
of
husbanding
his
great
resources
,
he
would
have
scouted
as
niggardly
,
Hebraic
,
ungenerous
.
Magnus
climbed
into
the
buggy
,
helping
himself
with
Harran
’
s
outstretched
hand
which
he
still
held
.
The
two
were
immensely
fond
of
each
other
,
proud
of
each
other
.
They
were
constantly
together
and
Magnus
kept
no
secrets
from
his
favourite
son
.
“
Well
,
boy
.
”
“
Well
,
Governor
.
”
“
I
am
very
pleased
you
came
yourself
,
Harran
.
I
feared
that
you
might
be
too
busy
and
send
Phelps
.
It
was
thoughtful
.
”
