ance
between the miners and their employers, he was generally found to be at
the bottom of it. A naturally quarrelsome disposition was intensified by
intemperance. In the attack upon the circus tents he found himself in
his element. His ignominious defeat made him ugly and revengeful.

His wife was dead, but he had one child, Janet, a girl of thirteen, who
cooked for him and took care of his cabin. The poor girl had a hard time
of it, but she endeavored so far as possible to avoid trouble with her
brutal parent.

It was near ten o'clock when Hayden came home after locking Kit in the
deserted cabin. He had gone away without supper, but late as it was,
Janet had something hot ready for him on the stove.

"Well, Janet, child, have you my supper ready?" he said, not
unpleasantly, for his victory over Kit and the meditated revenge of the
next day had put him in good humor.

"Yes, father; it's on the stove and ready to dish up."

"Lay the table, then, for I'm main tired and hungry."

The little girl quickly spread the cloth, and Dick Hayden ate like a
voracious animal.

When supper was over he sat back in his chair and lit a pipe. A
comfortable supper made him loquacious.

"Well, Janet, you don't ask where I've been."

"Was it to the circus, father?"

"Yes."

"How did you like the show?"

"I didn't see it," he growled, a frown gathering upon his brow.

"And why not, father?"

"Because we had a fight to get in free, and got the worst of it."

"They must be main strong, then, those circus men."

"Strong!" repeated Hayden, scornfully. "Well, mayhap they are, but we'd
have bested them but for the giant."

"The giant! Is it the big man I saw in the parade?"

"Yes; he's as strong as three men. He flung me down as easily as I'd
throw a boy."

"Then he must have been strong, for you're a powerful man, father."

"There isn't a man as works in the mine'll compare with me, lass," said
Hayden, proudly; "but all the same I'm no match for a monster."

"Tell me about it, father," said Janet, with natural curiosity.

Dick Hayden went on to describe the fight around the ticket stand, and
how he had slipped away, intending to cut the ropes of the tent and let
it down on the heads of the spectators gathered inside.

"I'd have done it, too," he added, "but for a kid."

"I thought just now you said it was the giant."

"And I stick to it, lass; but this boy saw what I was doing, and brought
the giant to the spot. I