efore, uttered the characteristic speech: "Wot are you
goin' to hit a man fur, when he's down, s-a-a-y?"

The look, the drawl, the action, the readiness, and above all the
downright courage of the little woman, had its effect. A roar of
sympathetic applause followed the act. "Cut and run while you can," she
whispered hurriedly over her one shoulder, without altering the other's
attitude of pert and saucy defiance toward the audience. But even as she
spoke the poet tottered and sank fainting upon the stage. Then she threw
a despairing whisper behind the scenes, "Ring down the curtain."

There was a slight movement of opposition in the audience, but among
them rose the burly shoulders of Yuba Bill, the tall, erect figure of
Henry York of Sandy Bar, and the colorless, determined face of John
Oakhurst. The curtain came down.

Behind it knelt the "California Pet" beside the prostrate poet. "Bring
me some water. Run for a doctor. Stop!! CLEAR OUT, ALL OF YOU!"

She had unloosed the gaudy cravat and opened the shirt-collar of the
insensible figure before her. Then she burst into an hysterical laugh.

"Manuela!"

Her tiring-woman, a Mexican half-breed, came toward her.

"Help me with him to my dressing-room, quick; then stand outside and
wait. If any one questions you, tell them he's gone. Do you hear? HE's
gone."

The old woman did as she was bade. In a few moments the audience had
departed. Before morning so also had the "California Pet," Manuela,
and--the poet of Sierra Flat.

But, alas! with them also had departed the fair fame of the "California
Pet." Only a few, and these it is to be feared of not the best moral
character themselves, still had faith in the stainless honor of their
favorite actress. "It was a mighty foolish thing to do, but it'll all
come out right yet." On the other hand, a majority gave her full credit
and approbation for her undoubted pluck and gallantry, but deplored that
she should have thrown it away upon a worthless object. To elect for
a lover the despised and ridiculed vagrant of Sierra Flat, who had not
even the manliness to stand up in his own defence, was not only evidence
of inherent moral depravity, but was an insult to the community. Colonel
Starbottle saw in it only another instance of the extreme frailty of the
sex; he had known similar cases; and remembered distinctly, sir, how a
well-known Philadelphia heiress, one of the finest women that ever rode
in her kerridge, that, gad,