ke a paint brush, his
pants ran up on his boots, and bagged at the knees."

"He had just come off the train," hastily interposed Brown, "He hadn't
a moment to dress himself."

"Well, as I say, he wasn't pretty to look at, and they gave him a kind
of frosty reception, too."

"Well, what happened?" inquired Brown, anxious to get over this part of
the description.

"Well, they began firing questions at him hot and fast. He was a little
rattled for a while, but after a bit he got into his stride, put down
his map, laid out his country and began pouring in his facts, till when
they let him out they looked for all the world like a lot of men who
had been struck by a whirlwind and were trying to get back their breath
and other belongings."

"Well, what did they do then?"

"Oh, the thing passed, I guess. I left 'em and went after the man from
the West. I thought I had struck oil. I had visions too."

"Well, did you get him?"

"I did, but there was not any oil. It was rock, hard, cold Scotch
granite. I'm something of a borer, but I tell you what, he turned my
edge. It was no use. He wouldn't talk."

"Good by. Come around and see your man at my rooms," said Brown
heartily. "I'll pump him for you, and you can catch the oil."

"You will, eh? All right, set a mug for me."

"Great boy, that Tommy," said Brown, who was smitten with a sudden
enthusiastic admiration for the reporter. "Clever chap. He'll make his
mark yet."

Helen walked for some distance in silence. "Is--is he--is Mr. Macgregor
with you?" she inquired at length.

"Yes, Mr. Macgregor is with me," mimicked Brown. "Will you send him a
card?"

"Now, Brownie, stop," said Helen in distress. "He has not been home
yet, has he?"

"No. Why?"

"Could you keep him away till about eleven tomorrow?"

"Yes, I suppose I might. He has got to get some clothes and get some of
the wool off him. But why do you ask?"

"Well, I thought I would just run in and dust, and put some flowers up,
and, you know, make it a little more homelike."

"Helen, you're a brick. I had decided to drop you because I didn't love
you, but I am changing my mind."

"Well, do not let him go before eleven. Everything will be right by
that time."

"Good!" said Brown, with an ebullition of rapture, which he immediately
suppressed as Helen's eyes were turned inquiringly upon him. "You see,"
he explained hurriedly, "he has been in the West and will need to get a
lot of things, and that will g