le. "You pulled me up too short, Mr. Barker;
I'm a business man, but hang it all! what's that among friends? If you
reckoned I GAVE MY WORD at two hundred--why, I'm there! Say no more
about it--the claim's yours. I'll make you out a bill of sale at once."

"But," hesitated Barker, "you see I haven't got the money yet, and--"

"Money!" echoed Carter bluntly, "what's that among friends? Gimme your
note at thirty days--that's good enough for ME. An' we'll settle the
whole thing now--nothing like finishing a job while you're about it."
And before the bewildered and doubtful visitor could protest, he had
filled up a promissory note for Barker's signature and himself signed a
bill of sale for the property. "And I reckon, Mr. Barker, you'd like
to take your partners by surprise about this little gift of yours," he
added smilingly. "Well, my messenger is starting for the Gulch in five
minutes; he's going by your cabin, and he can just drop this bill o'
sale, as a kind o' settled fact, on 'em afore they can say anything,
see! There's nothing like actin' on the spot in these sort of things.
And don't you hurry 'bout them either! You see, you sorter owe us
a friendly call--havin' always dropped inter the hotel only as a
customer--so ye'll stop here over luncheon, and I reckon, as the old
woman is busy, why Kitty will try to make the time pass till then by
playin' for you on her new pianner."

Delighted, yet bewildered by the unexpected invitation and opportunity,
Barker mechanically signed the promissory note, and as mechanically
addressed the envelope of the bill of sale to Demorest, which Carter
gave to the messenger. Then he followed his host across the hall to the
apartment known as "Miss Kitty's parlor." He had often heard of it as a
sanctum impervious to the ordinary guest. Whatever functions the young
girl assumed at the hotel and among her father's boarders, it was
vaguely understood that she dropped them on crossing that sacred
threshold, and became "MISS Carter." The county judge had been
entertained there, and the wife of the bank manager. Barker's admission
there was consequently an unprecedented honor.

He cast his eyes timidly round the room, redolent and suggestive in
various charming little ways of the young girl's presence. There was
the cottage piano which had been brought up in sections on the backs of
mules from the foot of the mountain; there was a crayon head of Minerva
done by the fair occupant at the age