as rather pleased at this. True there was a bit of
ambition and a grain of cunning too in the Parson's nature, which made
the free, wild men of the mountains look upon him sometimes with less
favor than they did on Sandy. Still some of them liked him, and all were
glad that the Widow was to have a home at last.

But somehow the wedding did not come on as soon as was expected, and the
Widow kept on rubbing, rubbing, day after day, week after week, as if
nothing of the kind was ever to happen to her.

Late in the Fall, one evening, as the men stood in a semicircle in the
Howling Wilderness saloon, with their backs to the blazing log fire,
Sandy brought his fist down emphatically on the bar, as he took part in
the conversation, and, turning to the crowd, said:

"It's an everlastin' and a burnin' shame!"

He rested his right elbow on the bar, and drew the back of his left hand
across his mouth, as if embarrassed, and again began:

"It's a breathin' and a burnin' shame, I say, that the woman has got for
to go on in this way, a washin' of duds for us fellows of this here
camp. If this here camp can't afford one lady in its precincts, why,
then I shall pull up stakes and go to where the tall cedars cast their
shadows over the coyote, and the coyote howls and howls--and--and--"

He wiped his mouth again, and broke down utterly. But he had said
enough. A responsive chord was touched, and the men fairly sprang to
their feet with delight at the thought.

Some of the best things in life are like leads of gold--we come upon
them in a kind of sudden discovery.

The Parson's eyes twinkled with delight. "I move that Sandy take the
chair for this occasion, and second the motion, and plank down twenty
ounces for the Widow."

Sandy removed his slouch hat, blushed behind his beard at the new
dignity, and said:

"Bully for you! I raise you five ounces and ante the dust."

Here he drew a long, heavy purse from his pocket, and passed it over to
the bar-keeper, who thereby became treasurer of the enterprise without
further remark. The Parson's eye twinkled again.

"I see your five ounces and go you ten better."

"Called," said Sandy, and he pecked at the bar-keeper, which little
motion of the head meant that that further amount was to be weighed from
the purse for the benefit of the Widow.

One by one the boys came forward; and, as the enterprise got noised
about the camp, they came down to the Howling Wilderness saloon till
f