er. But it seemed to the child more affectionate and
thoughtful. He had previously at parting submitted to be kissed by
Pansy with stately tolerance and an immediate resumption of his loftiest
manner. On this present leave-taking he laid his straight closely shaven
lips on the crown of her dark head, and as her small arms clipped his
neck, drew her closely to his side. The child uttered a slight cry; the
colonel hurriedly put his hand to his breast. Her round cheek had
come in contact with his derringer--a small weapon of beauty and
precision--which invariably nestled also at his side, in his waistcoat
pocket. The child laughed; so did the colonel, but his cheek flushed
mightily.

It was four months later, and a turbulent night. The early rains,
driven by a strong southwester against the upper windows of the Magnolia
Restaurant, sometimes blurred the radiance of the bright lights within,
and the roar of the encompassing pines at times drowned the sounds
of song and laughter that rose from a private supper room. Even the
clattering arrival and departure of the Sacramento stage coach, which
disturbed the depths below, did not affect these upper revelers. For
Colonel Starbottle, Jack Hamlin, Judge Beeswinger, and Jo Wynyard,
assisted by Mesdames Montague, Montmorency, Bellefield, and "Tinky"
Clifford, of the "Western Star Combination Troupe," then performing "on
tour," were holding "high jinks" in the supper room. The colonel had
been of late moody, irritable, and easily upset. In the words of a
friend and admirer, "he was kam only at twelve paces."

In a lull in the general tumult a Chinese waiter was seen at the door
vainly endeavoring to attract the attention of the colonel by signs
and interjections. Mr. Hamlin's quick eye first caught sight of the
intruder. "Come in, Confucius," said Jack pleasantly; "you're a trifle
late for a regular turn, but any little thing in the way of knife
swallowing"--

"Lill missee to see connle! Waitee waitee, bottom side housee,"
interrupted the Chinaman, dividing his speech between Jack and the
colonel.

"What! ANOTHER lady? This is no place for me!" said Jack, rising with
finely simulated decorum.

"Ask her up," chirped "Tinky" Clifford.

But at this moment the door opened against the Chinaman, and a small
figure in a cloak and hat, dripping with raindrops, glided swiftly in.
After a moment's half-frightened, half-admiring glance at the party,
she darted forward with a little