simply a part of the dining-room, a red calico curtain,
almost always drawn aside, forming the line of division between the two
apartments. Here the men employed in the stables, the drivers, and
whatever passengers waited over for the morning stages congregated to
pass the evening; and the smoking, drinking, and card-playing were
interspersed with many a thrilling, blood-curdling story of the road.

Mary Jane's ideas of propriety would not permit her to cross the curtain
line at such times, but standing within its folds, partly concealed, she
would strain her ears to catch every detail of the narrative, oblivious
of work or of Aunt Marthy's displeasure, until warned by Nathaniel to
"Git along, Mol, and do up yer chores."

Thus she first learned of Joe Marshall's exploits, and his bravery
elicited her admiration.

Joe drove the stage between Nevada City and Camptonville, a distance of
twenty miles, including a dangerous mountain-trail. Nobody knew anything
about his antecedents, but he was considered "the whip" of the hour, and
his daring feats were oftener recounted than those of any other mountain
Jehu. In short, his comrades regarded him as an honor to the
"profession." Mary Jane did more: she fell in love with him in spite of
her aunt's frequently expressed disapproval.

"Girls always have a fancy for these good-lookin', rakish kind of
fellers that don't care a fig for anybody," said Mrs. Parkenson; "but,
take my word for it, Joe'll be slinkin' off one of these fine days and
makin' love to some other girl; then you'll just break your heart over
him," she added, with a violent shake of the curls in her niece's
direction.

Mrs. Parkenson's warning was not prompted by dislike of Joe, but, with
an eye to the main chance, she had set her heart on bringing Dick Bowles
into her family. Dick was the driver of the You Bet stage, and he had
prospects in the shape of a wealthy uncle in the East who had promised
to make him sole heir to his entire fortune.

"Dick ain't so very good-lookin', I'll allow," Mrs. Parkenson would add,
by way of comparison; "but he's more of a man than Joe, as anybody might
see with half an eye. Besides, he's clean gone on you, Mary Jane, and he
don't mind if the hull world knows it; but that Joe's indifference jest
riles me all over. He's nuthin' but a beardless, pretty, good-natured,
kind-hearted, careless boy--that's what he is," she added with a low
chuckle, "though he will persist in declar