The Lost Cabin Mine

at the Hal

tell you because it had a far-reaching effect and a good deal more to d

, and he evidently had no intention of explaining. But when, at last, after a very long silence during which our three fellow-travellers looked at him in the dusk of the coach (whose only light was that reflected from the lamp-lit road) with interest, and admiration,

and this resolution we

white-painted and sun-blistered in the midst of the sand and sage-brush; and I, for my part, paid little heed to the hangers-on who watched our arrival, several of whom stretched hands simult

ver from his blanket-roll and now, indeed, was "heeled

ung woman waiting to attend our wants after we had washed the dust of the way from our faces and hands

er announced to the bearded proprietor who stood at the door, in tones of something very like pride, th

of a great man in the eyes of the proprietor who, with a "Very good, sir-step into the bar-room, sir," ushered the red-eyed man into the cham

she would have used, a "shirt-waist." It fitted close at her wrists which I noticed had a strong and gladsome curve. The dress she wore was of dark blue serge. She was what we men call "spick and span" and open-eyed and honest, with her exuberant hair tidily brushed back and lying in the nape of her neck softly, with a golden glint among the dark lustre of it as she passed the side w

n in such a place, I should imagine, must constantly find it advisable to remind herself that there are very few of the gentler sex in the land and a vast number of men, and tell herself that

way up to Baker City," she said:

ked me how I had fared there. I told her I thought I m

ride?"

ould keep a seat on some horses, but the horses I had seen her

o get on horseback and gallop "to t

eel so free and

d, but "the boys" would hav

larly alert. Perhaps it was these rides "to the horizon and back" that kept her mind so agile and her form and face so pure. It was when she was bringing me my last course, a dish of aprico

his great head flung back and his bulgy eyes travelling over me in an insolent fashion. When she

brows, "I have told you before that I

ing, and then bending over his plate he supped with great noise,-somet

plate, "Angry?" he asks, and then "Tuts! should n't be angry," a

, wagging his head t

n't cott

face as though I would say: "I don't wan

nose at me, thrusting out his wet

ther not speak to you at all, sir. But as to your remark, I a

knew that there was a turning of faces toward

an. I reckon you have n't travelled much, else you would know that gentlemen setting down togethe

o objection to talk, even though your remark is an evasion of the matter at present. But seeing

me and the bully was glaring on me and crying out, "Gentlemen!

de the girl and

ave never seen a woman insulted in the West--" and then, as is a way I have and I suppose shall have a tendency to till the end of my days, t

me and I cried out: "But I want no mo

e began

him with: "No more

I thought myself quite a little ruler of men, I said: "I have tol

ied. "Do you think

of excitement in my voice, lest he should take it fo

he never did so; for I leant quickly across the table and with the flat of my hand slapped him soundly

me; but I had scarce time to guard, so quick was he for all his size. I took the simplest guard of all-held my left arm out

se and my rigid fist had met. Then the blood came, quite a fountain. But this only heated him and he dealt another blow which I received w

ok on his face; but before he recovered I had him down with a jar on the floo

once they are roused and such a horrible spirit of exultation! These have their punishment, of course, for a man

h the blood on his face and chin and trickling on his thick neck: "Come on! Sit up

I had got the better, the match was an absurd one. But my foe was a

her hands and heard the gasp of her breath

omplacent and with a mock

itting at his table, his chair pushed back a little way, his legs wide apart as he leant forward, his left hand on the left knee,

ache with an infinite relief discernible in her face and gesture. The cook who had come from the rear of the room, having seen

can keep your little toy in your hip-pocket. Do you know why? Because you can do no harm here with it. Before you cou

dly opening his lips and added: "In the language of the country, sir, I w

at I cannot say, as I told her at the time), or a "drummer," as the name is, who had been there since yest

igure as he shuffle

fe, A--" but his frown reminded me that we were st

sir. Don't mention it," said Apache Kid, t

morning we were told he had gone on to Baker City with the stage which went west earlier by

looking from Apache to me and back again: "Well, gentlemen, I 'd consider it a kind of honour to be allowed to remember that I did n't ask nothing for putting you up. I should

something to see, and with a hearty s

is reins. "Look up tew the window and get what's comin' to you; a

and bowed and were granted another wave and another also from the proprietor-and a wave from the cook at the gable

was going to "blow a kiss:" it would be a cheapening of herself methought. Then I felt a little r

I heard Apache Kid murmur: "D

hat?" I

talking to myself:" and then he said in a louder tone: "

at this revival of his old cau

you s

ok my

ere manners flourish. I want to see from the context if he did n't really mean it. Most people think it was sarcasm, but if it was, it should n't have been. Manners do flourish in all backwoods, until the police come in and the gun goes out, and it's the presence of the gun that keeps everybody mannerly. The gun does it. Now see-you hold a revolver like this," and he exemplified as he spoke. "The usual method of grasping a revolver is with the forefinger pressing the trigger, and even many experts follow this method; but, with all due respect to the advocates of that method, it is not the best. The b

and I saw the top leaves on

thering the reins again, cried out, "My gosh, boys! Keep it up, and we 'll make speed into Camp Kettle. Say

d on cheese, pickles, and whisky, and breakfasted on the same, like enough, and the man with whom he had struck up an acquaintanceship, wheeled about and potted backwards; and at that the driver grew absolutely hilarious, got out his whip and cracked it loud as the revolver shots, crying out now and again: "Say, this is the old times back again!" a

cting, he said, in a tone of one ashamed: "Well, well! Here we are advertising ourselves

d when we reach the hotel here, and let no one

d here for the first time he acknowledged in actual, direct speech the goal of our journey, "until we lie down to