ight th

his left. Although he himself was almost six feet in height, he seemed small by the side of this stranger,

," he continued, "an' it ain't everyo

ore interested in hearing the man's delibe

k hasn't a ghost of a chance fer lif

replied, as he watched the cloud g

ence whether they're hangin' over the water or over one's l

u thin

n' run when a good big blazin' laugh gits after it. An' that's what we

you tr

l ye of many a squabble that's been settled by the means of a

t time in many a day. He could not help it, for this stranger

onder a little while ago, I consider it my duty to act like the sun an' drive it away. Th

ay with those men who h

er the lifting of the f

t I mean. It mea

now who t

ecting mebbe, on some of the islands along the coast, an' s

mers always p

herhood of man, ye see, back of it all, an' ye'll find that spirit stronger the farther north ye go

ou mean?" Reynolds

hem missionary c

ed. "What make

olemncoly face, an'

come north lookin' abou

of his way, an' to con

overly pop'l

y n

ty notions about the way men s

should make themselves

hat

, an' not bein' too

that they would be popular, and that they were

He ever said about the matter," and the

y would be hated of all men for His name's s

ant assent. "But that was a long t

ges; you can't change that. If it is evil and full of vil

em missionary chaps?" and the

," was the em

like a parson, though.

Book in the world? My mother taught it to me when I was a child, and I learned a great deal about it when I went to Sunday school. I did not val

ung man? Wall, that's sartin

I enlisted at the be

through

, showing a great scar. "I have several

glad I've met ye. Got

his nature to speak about himself, especially to a stranger, and he was determined to say nothing

ke?" he sud

nd at it. Good

ve a smoke now. I am just i

ds of tobacco, making it impossible to see clearly across the room. No one paid any heed to the two as they entered, sat down in one corner of the room, filled and lighted their pipes

ked, thinking that the old

brief and abse

with keen interest and in a lofty dominating manner. Reynolds did not like his appearance, and the more he studied him the stronger became his repugnance. It was not only the low brutal face that compelled this feeling, but th

e chea

m n

re a

As the word "liar" rang out, a sudden silence followed, and at once hands rested upon butts of revolvers concealed in four hip-pockets. But b

o-o-o-ow. Bow-wow

erfect was the imitation, and so humorous the expression upon the face of the old man, that the onlookers burst into a hearty laugh, which caused t

t his place and strode over to w

med, gripping him firmly by

t, Curly. Who else did y

d that cat-call,

this isn't the first scrape

h-- did ye drop from, Sam? I

, or else I don't know what 'ud have happened. Better leave cards alone, Curly

-- fools' fault

urly. That's jist what kids allus do. An' cut out

a cigarette. He cast a furtive glance at Reynold

ked. "An' why was ye driftin' out under that fog

s he again glanced toward Reynolds. "I mean, I thought that the fog-bank

e anyt

arved in the bargain. I

, we wouldn't

e after all, Curly. You was allus

tarving. If they'd only leave the Gos

dose of

to church with the Indians. I've had enough to last me

I thought ye was

new strike at Big Draw, an' dec

ll hit it

't altogether the gold

ething more

imag

e was eager now. "She'll not escape me this ti

as a peculiar note in Samson's voice which Reyn

ss thinks he's got a regular Gibraltar behind those hills

n thar, have ye?

es out of her nest somet

s that it?" Samson ask

doesn't run across the likes of her every

rded by a lion that ain't to be fooled with. He's got claws that reach from sun-up to sun-down as several smarter ones than you have found out to their sorrow. Leave him al

nd gambling in other parts of the steamer. It was a beautiful evening, with scarcely a ripple disturbing the surface of the water. The air was mild, and when the sun went down, the moon rose big and cheery above the dense dark forest away to the right. Reynolds thought over the conversati

s the cause of the sudden pallor that had come upon her face? Had Curly anything to do with her agitation, and was it possible that she was the girl to whom he referred? As this idea flashed into his mind, he sat bolt upright in his chair. It did seem reason

s she stood looking straight before her. A cloak was thrown carelessly over her shoulders, and her head was bare. What a perfect picture of gracefulness she presented to the admiring young man as he watched her

certainties. But standing there before him was his guiding star, the one girl in all the world who unconsciously had inspired and stirred him

s near. Reynolds remained a long time after she had gone. It was good to be there on such a night