thered timbers sagged.

There were a few tents, some wagons and picketed horses, and there were
a great many machines parked at will. But, from the height, it all
looked like the miniature scene of a panoramic model, the houses
cardboard, the horses and wagons toys of tin. The horses were the only
moving objects, no smoke curled yet from the chimneys.

Here and there unbroken glass in the windows flung back the sun. A door
opened and a midget in shirtsleeves came out, stretching arms, palpably
yawning. Suddenly smoke jetted from a tumbled chimney, other puffs
followed and steady vapors mounted. Ant-like men emerged from every
house, gathered in little knots, busied themselves with the horses,
hurried back to breakfasts. Faint sounds came up to the travelers.

"W'udn't think that place had been dead as a cemetery fo' years?"
commented Sandy. "Stahted up overnight like an old engine. That's the
hotel, with the high front. Furniture all in it an' in the cabins. Most
of the fixtures left in the saloons, an' there was a plenty of them. Two
hotels, five restyronts, seven gamblin' houses, twenty-two saloons an'
the rest sleepin' cabins. That was Dynamite. When they git it dusted off
and started up it'll run ortermatic."

"Cuttin' out the saloons," said Miranda.

"I'm not so sure of that," said Mormon, turning in his seat. "You-all
want to remember, ma'am, that this is an unco'porated town an' that's
there's allus a shortage of law an' order for a whiles wherever there's
a strike, gold, oil or whatever 'tis. Eighty per cent. of the rush is a
hard-shelled lot an' erlong with 'em is a smaller bunch that thrives
best when things is run haphazard. There'll be licker down there, an'
it'll sure be quickfire licker at that. If you warn't the kind you are,"
added Mormon, "I'd tell you that down there ain't no place fo' a woman?"

"Meanin'?" snapped Miranda Bailey. But there was a gleam in her eye that
showed of a compliment accepted.

"Meanin'," said Mormon "that, ef you'll take it 'thout offense, you-all
air plumb up-to-date. When wimmen took up the ballot I figger they
wasn't on'y ready fo' equal rights, they knew how to git 'em. 'Side from
the shootin' end of it, I'd say you was as well equipped as any man to
look out fo' yore own interests."

"Thanks," replied Miranda. "I suppose you mean that as a compliment.
Also I know one end of a gun from another an' I can hit a barn if it
ain't flyin'. Ed, what you stoppin' fer?"

"