e _ain't_ I been, you better ask, boss," he said. "I seen more
rotten cities and more rotten towns and more rotten country than you can
shake a stick at; God A'mighty knows what's the good of it--I dunno!
Everybody I seen was strangers to me, never a face I knowed anywhere;
Chicago, Kansas City, St. Louis, Denver--to hell with 'em all, boss; old
Mount Hope's good enough for me!" And the handy-man shrugged his huge
slanting shoulders.

"Don't go so fast, Joe!" Langham cautioned, and his eyes searched the
darkness ahead of them.

"It's a risky business for you, boss," said the handy-man. "You ain't
used to this bridge like me."

"Do you always come this way?" asked Langham.

"Always, in all seasons and all shapes, drunk or sober, winter or
summer," said the handy-man.

"One wouldn't have much chance if he slipped off here to-night," said
Langham with a shudder.

"Mighty little," agreed Montgomery. "Say, step over, boss--we want to
keep in the middle! There--that's better, I was clean outside the rail."

"Can you swim?" asked Langham.

"Never swum a stroke. The dirt's good enough for me; I got a notion that
these here people who are always dippin' themselves are just naturally
filthy. Look at me, a handy-man doing all kinds of odd jobs, who's got a
better right to get dirty--but I leave it alone and it wears off. I'm
blame certain you won't find many people that fool away less money on
soap than just me!" said Joe with evident satisfaction. "The old woman's
up!" he cried, as he caught the glimmer of a light on the shore beyond.

Perhaps unconsciously he quickened his pace.

"Not so fast, Joe!" gasped Langham.

"Oh, all right, boss!" responded Montgomery.

Langham turned to him quickly, but as he did so his foot struck the
cinder ballast of the road-bed.

"Good night, boss!" said Joe, his eyes fixed on the distant light.

"Wait!" said Langham imperiously.

"What for?" demanded Montgomery.

"The water made such a noise I couldn't talk to you out on the bridge,"
began Langham.

"Well, I can't stop now, boss," said the handy-man, turning impatiently
from him.

"Yes, damn you--you can--and will!" and Langham raised his voice to give
weight to his words.

Montgomery rounded up his shoulders.

"Don't you try that, boss! Andy Gilmore could shout me down and cuss me
out, but you can't; and I'll peel the face off you if you lay hands on
me!" He thrust out a grimy fist and menaced Langham with it. There was