the Girl turned to Johnson with:

"I haven't lived? That's good!"

Johnson's next words were insinuating, but his voice was cold in
comparison with the fervent tones of a moment previous.

"Oh, you know!" was what he said, seating himself at the poker table.

"No, I don't," contradicted the Girl, taking a seat opposite him.

"Yes, you do," he insisted.

"Well, say it's an even chance I do an' an even chance I don't," she
parried.

Once more the passion in the man was stirring.

"I mean," he explained in a voice that barely reached her, "life for all
it's worth, to the uttermost, to the last drop in the cup, so that it
atones for what's gone before, or may come after."

The Girl's face wore a puzzled look as she answered:

"No, I don't believe I know what you mean by them words. Is it a--" She
cut her sentence short, and springing up, cried out: "Oh, Lord--Oh,
excuse me, I sat on my gun!"

Johnson looked at her, genuine amusement depicted on his face.

"Look here," said the Girl, suddenly perching herself upon the table,
"I'm goin' to make you an offer."

"An offer?" Johnson fairly snatched the words out of her mouth. "You're
going to make me an offer?"

"It's this," declared the Girl with a pleased look on her face. "If ever
you need to be staked--"

Johnson eyed her uncomprehendingly.

"Which o' course you don't," she hastened to add. "Name your price. It's
yours jest for the style I git from you an' the deportment."

"Deportment? Me?" A half-grin formed over Johnson's face as he asked the
question; then he said: "Well, I never heard before that my society was
so desirable. Apart from the financial aspect of this matter, I--"

"Say," broke in the Girl, gazing at him in helpless admiration, "ain't
that great? Ain't that great? Oh, you got to let me stand treat!"

"No, really I would prefer not to take anything," responded Johnson,
putting a restraining hand on her as she was about to leap from the
table.

At that moment Nick's hurried footsteps reached their ears. Turning, the
Girl, with a swift gesture, waved him back. There was a brief silence,
then Johnson spoke:

"Say, Girl, you're like finding some new kind of flower."

A slight laugh of confusion was his answer. The next moment, however,
she went on, speaking very slowly and seriously: "Well, we're kind o'
rough up here, but we're reachin' out."

Johnson noted immediately the change in her voice. There was no
mistaking the genuineness