e the fire, shook his wet clothes like a Newfoundland dog, and sat
down. Yet he was by no means churlish nor coarse-looking, and this act
was rather one of easy-going, selfish, youthful familiarity than of
rudeness. The cabin of Uncles Billy and Jim was considered a public
right or "common" of the camp. Conferences between individual miners
were appointed there. "I'll meet you at Uncle Billy's" was a common
tryst. Added to this was a tacit claim upon the partners' arbitrative
powers, or the equal right to request them to step outside if the
interviews were of a private nature. Yet there was never any objection
on the part of the partners, and to-night there was not a shadow of
resentment of this intrusion in the patient, good-humored, tolerant
eyes of Uncles Jim and Billy as they gazed at their guest. Perhaps
there was a slight gleam of relief in Uncle Jim's when he found that
the guest was unaccompanied by any one, and that it was not a tryst.
It would have been unpleasant for the two partners to have stayed out
in the rain while their guests were exchanging private confidences in
their cabin. While there might have been no limit to their good will,
there might have been some to their capacity for exposure.

Uncle Jim drew a huge log from beside the hearth and sat on the driest
end of it, while their guest occupied the stool. The young man,
without turning away from his discontented, peevish brooding over the
fire, vaguely reached backward for the whiskey-bottle and Uncle Billy's
tin cup, to which he was assisted by the latter's hospitable hand. But
on setting down the cup his eye caught sight of the pill-box.

"Wot's that?" he said, with gloomy scorn. "Rat poison?"

"Quinine pills--agin ager," said Uncle Jim. "The newest thing out.
Keeps out damp like Injin-rubber! Take one to follow yer whiskey. Me
and Uncle Billy wouldn't think o' settin' down, quiet like, in the
evening arter work, without 'em. Take one--ye'r welcome! We keep 'em
out here for the boys."

Accustomed as the partners were to adopt and wear each other's opinions
before folks, as they did each other's clothing, Uncle Billy was,
nevertheless, astonished and delighted at Uncle Jim's enthusiasm over
_his_ pills. The guest took one and swallowed it.

"Mighty bitter!" he said, glancing at his hosts with the quick
Californian suspicion of some practical joke. But the honest faces of
the partners reassured him.

"That bitterness ye tast