--Mr.--Mr. Posey. Perhaps," she went on, with a little tremor in
her voice, "you can tell me if he is well?"

"Posey!" He stopped some moments at the word and looked in blank
amazement at the delicate, tender, unmistakably honest face that
confronted him. Then he continued hastily: "Never better. Saw him
yesterday morning. You see that green lantern? That's the Buny Visty.
Good-night, ma'am. _I_ stay here--if you should want a friend, you
know. Good-night."

Dora thanked him for his kindness, returned his salutation, and
tripped away with unruffled spirits. She had been so much concerned to
conceal her own agitation as she mentioned the name of her lover that
she had quite overlooked the astonishment with which that name had
seemed to transfix the driver.

As she picked her way along the dark and muddy sidewalk she could
not help complaining a little petulantly to herself because the
stage-office had not been located nearer to that distant green
lantern. But she was not the girl to lose heart now. Bravely she
plodded on, and when at last she was able to discern the words "Buena
Vista" upon the beacon toward which she was toiling, suddenly her
heart gave a great bound, the tears rushed to her eyes, her knees
quaked beneath her, and from her pious soul there went up an earnest
thanksgiving to the dear Father of us all for His great mercy in
bringing her safely to the end of her momentous journey.

It was some minutes before she could so far compose herself as to be
able to proceed; and when she did move forward again, I think a vague
notion of the true character of the Buena Vista began to cast a shadow
upon her ardor. As she came within a couple of rods of the isolated
wooden building in front of which the green lantern was suspended she
was suddenly startled at hearing several shots discharged in quick
succession within, and a minute later three or four men rushed hastily
into the street and hurried away, evidently without noticing her,
though they passed within a few feet of her as she stood, almost
paralyzed with alarm, just outside the door. Her fright was gone in a
moment, however--soon enough, indeed, to enable her to satisfy herself
that none of these fugitives was the man she sought. As the door stood
wide open, there seemed nothing for her to do but enter, which she did
at once. The front apartment of the saloon, though lighted, she found
to be a mere ante-room, bare of all furniture save a few chairs; and