feteria and the cheerful
activities of the lot were drawing to a close. Extra people from the
various stages were hurrying to the big dressing room, whence they would
presently stream, slips in hand, toward the cashier's window. Belated
principals came in from their work to resume their choice street
garments and be driven off in choice motor cars.

Merton Gill in deep thought traversed the street between the big stages
and the dressing rooms. Still in deep thought he retraced his steps, and
at the front office turned off to the right on a road that led to the
deserted street of the Western town. His head bowed in thought he went
down this silent thoroughfare, his footsteps echoing along the way lined
by the closed shops. The Happy Days Saloon and Joe--Buy or Sell, the
pool-room and the restaurant, alike slept for want of custom. He felt
again the eeriness of this desertion, and hurried on past the silent
places.

Emerging from the lower end of this street he came upon a log cabin
where activity still survived. He joined the group before its door.
Inside two cameras were recording some drama of the rude frontier. Over
glowing coals in the stone fireplace a beautiful young girl prepared
food in a long-handled frying pan. At a table in the room's centre two
bearded miners seemed to be appraising a buckskin pouch of nuggets,
pouring them from hand to hand. A candle stuck in a bottle flickered
beside them. They were honest, kindly faced miners, roughly dressed and
heavily bearded, but it could be seen that they had hearts of gold. The
beautiful young girl, who wore a simple dress of blue calico, and whose
hair hung about her fair face in curls of a radiant buff, now served
them food and poured steaming coffee from a large pot.

The miners seemed loth to eat, being excited by the gold nuggets. They
must have struck it rich that day, Merton Gill divined, and now with
wealth untold they would be planning to send the girl East to school.
They both patted her affectionately, keeping from her the great surprise
they had in store.

The girl was arch with them, and prettily kissed each upon his bald
head. Merton at once saw that she would be the daughter of neither; she
would be their ward. And perhaps they weren't planning to send her to
school. Perhaps they were going to send her to fashionable relatives in
the East, where she would unwittingly become the rival of her beautiful
but cold-hearted cousin for the hand of a rich y