nd he felt it incumbent
upon him to display his most amiable side.

"Say," he chuckled, "the bark of the old tree's held some dollars of
mine in its time. It's a hell of a good thing that tree has a yarn to
it. The folks 'ud sure fetch it down for the new church if it hadn't.
I'd say it would be awkward. We'd need a new cache for our orders
and--dollars."

Charlie shook his head.

"Guess they won't cut it down," he said easily. "They're scared of the
superstition."

O'Brien abandoned his smile and became confidential.

"Ain't you--worried some, Fyles gettin' around?"

For a moment Charlie made no answer. The smile abruptly died out of
his eyes, and a marked change came over his whole expression. He
suddenly seemed to be making an effort to throw off the effects of the
whisky he had consumed. He straightened himself up, and his mouth
hardened. The cigarette lolling between his lips became firmly
gripped. O'Brien, watching the change in him, suddenly saw his hands
clench at his sides, and understood the sudden access of resentment
which the mention of Fyles's name stirred in the man. He read into
what he beheld something of the real character of the "sharp," as he
understood it.

Charlie's reply came at last. It came briefly and coldly, and O'Brien
felt the sting of the rebuff.

"Guess I can look after myself," he said.

Then, without another word, he turned away, and walked out of the
saloon.

CHAPTER XV

ADVENTURES IN THE NIGHT

Big Brother Bill changed his mind after all. He did not go to
O'Brien's saloon. At least not when he left the Seton's house. Truth
to tell, his unanticipated visit to Helen Seton's home had inspired
him with a distaste for exploring the less savory corners of this
beautiful valley. For the time, at least, it had become a sort of
Garden of Eden, in which he had discovered his Eve, and he had no
desire to dispel the illusion by unnecessary contact with a grade of
creatures whose existence therein could only mar the beauties and
delights of his dream.

So, instead of carrying out his original intention, full of pleasant
dreaming, he made his way back toward his brother's home, hoping to
find him returned so that he could pour out his enthusiastic feelings
for the benefit of ears he felt would be sympathetic.

As he came to the clearing where he had first discovered Helen,
however, his purpose underwent a further modification. His sentimental
feelings getting the better