hout a
thing to eat; hunger and hardship only made him the happier, and the
closer he drew his belt the louder he sang."

"He was bound for his 'New Country'!"

"Yes. He didn't know where it lay, but the fret for travel was on him,
and so he drifted and sang, as he had drifted and sung from the foot of
Lake Le Barge."

"That was four years ago," mused Gale, "and he never found his 'New
Country,' did he?"

"No. We tied him down and choked it out of him," Necia laughed. "Dear,
funny old Poleon--he loves me like a brother."

The man opened his lips, then closed them, as if on second thought, and
rose to his feet, for, coming towards them up the trail from the
barracks, he beheld a trim, blue-coated figure. He peered at the
approaching officer a moment, set his jaw more firmly, and disappeared
into the store.

"Well, we have raised our flag-staff," said the Lieutenant as he took a
seat below Necia. "It's like getting settled to keep house."

"Are you lazy?" inquired the girl.

"I dare say I am," he admitted. "I've never had time to find out. Why?"

"Are you going to boss our people around?" she continued, bent on her
own investigation.

"No. Not as long as they behave. In fact, I hardly know what I am to
do. Maybe you can tell me." His smile was peculiarly frank and winning.
"You see, it's my first command, and my instructions, although
comprehensive, are rather vague. I am supposed to see that mining
rights are observed, to take any criminals who kindly offer themselves
up to be arrested, and to sort of handle things that are too tough for
the miners themselves."

"Why, you are a policeman!" said Necia, at which he made a wry face.

"The Department, in its wisdom, would have me, a tenderfoot, adjust
those things that are too knotty for these men who have spent their
lives along the frontier."

"I don't believe you will be very popular with our people," Necia
announced, meditatively.

"No. I can see that already. I wasn't met with any brass-bands, and I
haven't received any engraved silver from the admiring citizens of
Flambeau. That leaves nothing but the women to like me, and, as you are
the only one in camp, you will have to like me very much to make up for
its shortcomings."

She approved of his unusual drawl; it gave him a kind of deliberation
which every move of his long, lithe body belied and every glance of his
eyes contradicted. Moreover, she liked his youth, so clean and fresh
and strange in t