fixed it would be fit by the
time the train got there to go across; and Wood--he was the agent,
Wood was--sent word over to the Forest Queen to the old gent, who was
the only Pullman passenger, he'd better be coming along.

In five minutes or so he showed up. He wasn't in the best shape, Hill
said, and Santa Fe and the Hen each of 'em was giving him an arm;
though what he seemed to need more'n arms, Hill said, was legs--the
ones he had, judging from the way he couldn't manage 'em, not being in
first-class order and working bad. But he didn't make no exhibition of
himself, and talked right enough--only he spoke sort of short and
scrappy--and the three of 'em was as friendly together as friendly
could be. Hill said he didn't think it was any hurt to listen, things
being the way they was, and he edged up close to 'em--while they stood
waiting for the porter to light up the Pullman--and though he couldn't
quite make sense of all they was saying he did get on to enough of it
to size up pretty close how they'd put the old gent through.

"Although it is for my struggling church, a weak blade of grass in the
desert," Santa Fe was saying when Hill got the range of 'em, "I cannot
but regret having taken from you your splendid contribution to our
parish fund in so unusual, I might almost say in so unseemly, a way.
That I have returned to you a sufficient sum to enable you to
prosecute your journey to its conclusion places you under no
obligation to me. Indeed, I could not have done less--considering the
very liberal loan that you have made to my poor niece to enable her to
return quickly to her helpless babe. As I hardly need tell you, that
loan will be returned promptly--as soon as Mrs. Captain Chiswick gets
East and is able to disentangle her affairs."

"Indeed it will," the Hen put in. "My generous benefactor shall be
squared with if I have to sell my clothes!"

"Mustn't think of such a thing. Catch cold," the old gent said.
"Pleasure's all mine to assist such noble a woman in her unmerited
distress. And now I shall have happiness, and same time sorrow, to
give her fatherly kiss for farewell."

The Hen edged away a little, Hill said, and Santa Fe shortened his
grip a little on the old gent's arm--so his fatherly kissing missed
fire. But he didn't seem to notice, and said to Santa Fe: "Never knew
a minister know cards like you. Wonderful! And wonderful luck what you
held. Played cards a good deal myself. Never could play li