lowering expression had come into his face, and he leaned forward
as if to hide it.

'Nothing very bad; but 'Frisco isn't just a heaven on earth, you know,
and it's harder to be a saint there than here,' he answered slowly;
then, as if he had made up his mind to ''fess', as the children used to
say, he sat up, and added rapidly, in a half-defiant, half-shamefaced
way, 'I tried gambling, and it wasn't good for me.'

'Was that how you made your money?'

'Not a penny of it! That's all honest, if speculation isn't a bigger
sort of gambling. I won a lot; but I lost or gave it away, and cut the
whole concern before it got the better of me.'

'Thank heaven for that! Don't try it again; it may have the terrible
fascination for you it has for so many. Keep to your mountains and
prairies, and shun cities, if these things tempt you, Dan. Better lose
your life than your soul, and one such passion leads to worse sins, as
you know better than I.'

Dan nodded, and seeing how troubled she was, said, in a lighter tone,
though still the shadow of that past experience remained:

'Don't be scared; I'm all right now; and a burnt dog dreads the fire. I
don't drink, or do the things you dread; don't care for 'em; but I
get excited, and then this devilish temper of mine is more than I can
manage. Fighting a moose or a buffalo is all right; but when you pitch
into a man, no matter how great a scamp he is, you've got to look out.
I shall kill someone some day; that's all I'm afraid of. I do hate a
sneak!' And Dan brought his fist down on the table with a blow that made
the lamp totter and the books skip.

'That always was your trial, Dan, and I can sympathize with you; for
I've been trying to govern my own temper all my life, and haven't learnt
yet,' said Mrs Jo, with a sigh. 'For heaven's sake, guard your demon
well, and don't let a moment's fury ruin all your life. As I said to
Nat, watch and pray, my dear boy. There is no other help or hope for
human weakness but God's love and patience.'

Tears were in Mrs Jo's eyes as she spoke; for she felt this deeply, and
knew how hard a task it is to rule these bosom sins of ours. Dan looked
touched, also uncomfortable, as he always did when religion of any sort
was mentioned, though he had a simple creed of his own, and tried to
live up to it in his blind way.

'I don't do much praying; don't seem to come handy to me; but I can
watch like a redskin, only it's easier to mount guard over a lur