u a send-off," said Dan.

"Who told them? I kept it quiet--can't stand ceremonies."

"It must have been Rob."

"Confound him! There's no time for kissing. It's fifty miles to Graymount,
and the train is scheduled for noon. Send 'em away."

Dan opened his eyes with horror at the suggestion.

"I ain't takin' risks. You got heaps of time. It's only five o'clock and
the road is good to Graymount."

"More'n Rob's hosses are. That off-side mare's like a sausage on four
crooked sticks."

"Jim! We want Colorado Jim!" was howled up from below.

The much desired went to the window.

"Boys," he bawled, "you all run along home. I gotta catch a train."

His voice was drowned by horrible threats of what they would do if he
didn't hike down immediately. He turned to Dan.

"They're a darn fine lot of boys, but I wish they wouldn't git so worked
up. Where's Emily?"

Emily, who was standing in the doorway, ogling him unseen, came forward.

"There's something to buy a dress with, and see here, don't get a
draughtboard pattern. If there's any money over, buy soap--scented soap."

Emily's eyes almost fell from her head at the sight of the fifty-dollar
note. She rubbed her hands down her dress and took it. Jim had grabbed the
heavy bag and was half-way down the stairs before she could summon enough
breath to murmur the incessant refrain, "Ain't he jest wonderful!"

At the door Jim was grabbed by a dozen hefty pairs of hands and hoisted on
to shoulders. One man took the big bag, and with remarkable skill flung it
clean on the top of the waiting coach, much to Rob's disgust. The
hurtling missile came down like a thunderbolt, and nearly went through the
roof.

"Don't get fresh, boys," pleaded Jim. "These are my Sunday clothes."

They ran him twice up the main street, yelling and whooping like a pack of
wild Indians. A queer awry figure stuck its head from the window of a
tumble-down shop and, seeing the cause of the disturbance, shook his fist
and yelled:

"The sheriff ought to be fired, to allow ..."

A shot from a revolver shivered his shop-window to atoms, and a ten-dollar
note was flung at him. He slammed down the window, realizing that
discretion was the better part of valor. The high-spirited men went on
their way, rousing the whole population as they progressed. After about
twenty minutes of these capers they reached the hotel again. Jim was
praying that the business was over. He fought his way to the ground, but
w