ectly, but he had a feeling that he should
want to know Bernique better some fine day, and he was moved to get some
sort of grip upon the old man's interest while the chance lasted. "The
Canaan Tigmores are not as far away as the Boston Mountains, Mr.
Bernique. Much nearer than the Kiamichi. What's your idea about the
Canaan Tigmores--in relation to zinc, Mr. Bernique?"

"Pouf!" The old man made airy rings of smoke from the cigar with which
Steering had furnished him. He would not talk about the Canaan Tigmores
at all. "You will see Mr. Crittenton Madeira in Canaan about all that,"
he said. "And now, sir, I have the regret to leave you. Our roads part
at the sign-post yonder. I ride east."

"Well, tell you what I wish!" cried Steering, with the pertinacity that
was a part of him. "I am on my way to Mr. Crittenton Madeira now, and I
wish you would come to me in Canaan some soon day and let me tell you
the result of my business with him." Time was limited, for the horses
were close to the cross-roads sign-post. "The Canaan Tigmores won't
always belong to old Bruce Grierson, Mr. Bernique!" It was a random
shot, but it told against Bernique's glumness.

"Pouf! The bat-fool! The blind mole!"

"The Canaan Tigmores are entailed, Mr. Bernique! The next owner may have
eyes!"

"God grant!" growled Old Bernique.

"Grey eyes, eh, Mr. Bernique?" Steering flashed his own eyes smilingly
at the French Missourian. The horses were at the sign-post.

"Eh, what?" cried Old Bernique, "is it that----?"

"We shall meet again, Mr. Bernique?"

"I ride east for many a day, I think," said Bernique dubiously.

"But you come back to Canaan?"

"Ah, God in Heaven, yes!" cried the old man then, with a sudden fierce
impetuosity, "I ride east, ride west, ride the wide world ovaire, but
always I come back,--come back to Canaan." He stopped abruptly, as
though afraid of himself, and faced Steering for a silent moment.

Up to the silence, cleaving it gently, musically, there came
unexpectedly the notes of a rollicking song:

"_The taters grow an' grow, they grow!_"

On the instant old Bernique's face relaxed pleasantly. He half grunted,
half laughed. "The potato song!" he cried, his eyes gay, his mouth
twitching. "Mistaire Steering, if you will ride on a little way you will
have fine company. That is the tramp-boy yondaire. He is in the woods
above the gulch there. He will have emerge' to the road presently. The
yong scamp is musical, sair