e, for his faith in Jim
Langford's ability was too strong to be easily shaken. But one thing
he had to give credence to was, that Jim had not shown face at Mrs.
Clunie's since the night of the trouble.

Mrs. Clunie complained that half a dozen times she had chased "that
hauf-witted, saft sannie o' a daftie, ca'ed Laugher, or Smiler or
something," from the back door, and she was sure he was "efter nae
guid."

On the morning of the third day, Phil, stiff and a little wobbly, set
out for the smithy, where big Sol Hanson welcomed him back with an
indulgent grin.

Hanson had learned all about the affray, as everyone else in town
seemed to have done.

"But has anyone seen Langford?" asked Phil in some concern, as they
discussed the matter.

"Oh, Langford go on one big booze," laughed Sol. "He turn up maybe in
about one month, all shot to hell, then he sober up again for long
time."

"But doesn't anyone know where he is?"

"Sure, sometimes!--maybe at Kelowna, then Kamloops. Somebody see him
at Armstrong, then no see him for another while. Best thing you leave
Jim Langford till he gets good and ready to come back. Only make
trouble any other way. Everybody leave big Jim when he goes on a big
toot."

"Well," said Phil with some decision, "I'm going after him anyway, and
I'm going to stay right with him till he's O.K."

"All right, son--please yourself! We are not so busy now, but I
tell you it no damn good. I know Jim Langford, five, maybe six
year,--see!"

Phil set out to make inquiries.

At the Kenora he heard of someone who had seen Jim the day before at
the town of Salmon Arm, between thirty and forty miles away. He took
the stage there, only to find that Langford had left presumably for
Vernock. Back again he came, and it was late at night when he got to
town. On dropping off the stage, he ran into the faithful Smiler.

"Hullo, kid! You see Jim Langford?" he asked.

Smiler nodded.

"Know where he is?"

He nodded again excitedly, hitching up his trousers which were held
round his middle by a piece of cord.

"Might have known it," thought Phil, "and saved myself a lot of
running about.

"Lead on, MacDuff!" he cried. "Show me Jim Langford and I'll give you
two-bits."

Smiler led the way in the darkness, down a side street into the
inevitable and dimly lit Chinatown. Smiler stopped up in front of the
dirty, dingy entrance of a little hall occasionally used for Chinese
theatricals. He pointed inside w