e taken
and retaken. The departing miner had to dress in his splendid but
ill-fitting new garments and to bid an affectionate farewell to his
partner, then had to dress in his old clothes again for some bit that
had been forgotten, only to don the new suit for close-ups. At another
time Merton Gill might have resented this tediously drawn-out affair
which was keeping him from his rest, for he had come to look upon this
structure as one having rights in it after a certain hour, but a sight
of the razor which had not been touched allayed any possible feeling of
irritation.

It was nine-thirty before the big lights jarred finally off and the
director said, "That's all, boys." Then he turned to call, "Jimmie! Hey,
Jimmie! Where's that prop-rustler gone to now?"

"Here, Mr. Burke, yes, sir."

"We've finished the shack stuff. Let's see--" He looked at the watch on
his wrist--"That'll be all for tonight. Strike this first thing tomorrow
morning."

"Yes, sir," said Jimmie. The door was closed and the men walked away.
Merton trailed them a bit, not remaining too pointedly near the cabin.
He circled around through Fifth Avenue to regain the place.

Softly he let himself in and groped through the dark until his hand
closed upon the abandoned razor. Satisfying himself that fresh blades
had accompanied it, he made ready for bed. He knew it was to be his last
night in this shelter. The director had told Jimmie to strike it first
thing in the morning. The cabin would still be there, but it would
contain no homely furniture, no chairs, no table, no wash-basin, no
safety-razor and, most vital of lacks--it would be devoid of blankets.

Yet this knowledge did not dismay him. He slept peacefully after praying
that something good would happen to him. He put it that way very simply.
He had placed himself, it seemed, where things could only happen to him.
He was, he felt, beyond bringing them about.

CHAPTER IX. MORE WAYS THAN ONE

Early he was up to bathe and shave. He shaved close to make it last
longer, until his tender face reddened under the scraping. Probably he
would not find another cabin in which a miner would part with his beard
for an Eastern trip. Probably he would have to go to the barber the next
time. He also succeeded, with soap and water, in removing a stain from
his collar. It was still a decent collar; not immaculate, perhaps, but
entirely possible.

This day he took eggs with his breakfast, intending to wh