revenge, bloodshed,
feuds, anarchy. Result: More expense, more taxes, more bribing, more
bribers, more oppression to recoup the cost of officeholding. _Caveat
pre-emptor_--let the homesteader beware!

That unhappy time is now past and done with.

"Lyn! Lyn! Edith! Do come here and see what Adam Forbes has brought
in," grumbled Uncle Dan. "Another cowboy, and you just got rid of Tom
Bourbonia. It does beat all!"

Mr. Fenderson, uttering the above complaint, stood on his porch in the
light from his open door and struck hands with two men there; after
which he slapped them violently on the back.

"Come in!" cried Lyn from the doorway. Her eyes were shining. She
dropped a curtsy. "'Come in, come in--ye shall fare most kind!'"

"Don't you believe Uncle Dan," said Edith. "We tried every way to make
Tommy stay over--didn't we, Lyn?"

The story is not able to give an exact record of the next minutes. Of
the five young people--for Mr. Hobby Lull was there, as prophesied--of
the five young people, five were talking at once; and Uncle Dan, above
them all, boomed directions to Danjunior as to the horses of his
visitors.

"Daniel! Stop that noise!" said Aunt Peg severely. "You boys come on
in the house. Mr. Charlie, I'm glad to see you."

"Now, here!" protested Forbes. "Isn't anybody going to be glad to see
me?"

"But, Adam, we can see you any time," explained Edith. "While Mr.
See--"

"Her eyes went twinkle, twinkle, but her nose went 'Sniff! Sniff!'"
said Adam dolefully. "Excuse me if I seem to interrupt."

"But Mr. See--"

"Charlie," said See.

"But Charlie makes himself a stranger. We haven't seen you for six
months, Mr. See."

"Charlie," said Mr. See again. "Six months and eight days."

Mr. Hobby Lull sighed dreamily. "Dear me! It doesn't seem over two
weeks!"

A mesquite fire crackled in the friendly room. The night air bore no
chill; it was the meaning of that fire to be cheerful; the wide old
fireplace was the heart of the house. Adam Forbes spread his fingers
to the blaze and sighed luxuriously.

"Charlie, when you build your house you want a fireplace like this in
every room. Hob, who's going to sell Charlie a farm?"

"What's the matter with yours?"

Adam appeared a little disconcerted at this suggestion. "That idea
hadn't struck me, exactly," he confessed. "But it may come to that
yet. Lots of things may happen. I might find my placer gold, say.
Didn't know I was fixing to find a gold mine, did