arry.

"Well, a kinder rovin' disposition, I guess. A year ago I was in
Californy, but things didn't pan out very well, so when I read accounts
of the gold fields out here, I jist dropped my pick and started, and
here I am."

"Didn't you find any gold-dust in California?" asked Fletcher, with
sudden interest.

"Well, I found _some_," answered the Yankee, with drawling deliberation,
"but not enough to satisfy me. You see," he added, "I've got two to make
money for."

"And who are those two?" inquired Fletcher.

"The first is my old dad--he's gettin' kinder broken down, and can't
work as well as he could when he was a young man. He's got a
thousand-dollar mortgage on his farm, and I want to pay that off. It'll
kinder ease the old man's mind."

"That a very excellent object, Mr. Stackpole," said Harry, who felt
still more drawn to his plain, ungainly, but evidently good-hearted
companion.

"I think so myself," said Obed simply.

"The other person is your wife, I fancy," said Fletcher.

"I expect she will be my wife when I get forehanded enough," replied
Obed. "It's Suke Stanwood, one of Farmer Stanwood's gals. We was raised
together, and we've been engaged for nigh on to five years."

"Very romantic!" said Fletcher, but there was a veiled sneer in his
tone, as he scanned with contemptuous amusement the ungainly figure of
his Yankee companion.

"I don't know much about such things," said Obed, "but I guess Suke and
I will pull together well."

"You are not exactly a young man," said Fletcher. "You've waited some
time."

"I'm thirty-nine last birthday," said Obed. "I was engaged ten years
ago, but the girl didn't know her own mind, and she ran off with a man
that came along with a photograph saloon. I guess it's just as well, for
she was always rather flighty."

"It is very strange she should have deserted a man of your attractions,"
said Fletcher with a smile.

Harry was indignant at this open ridicule of so honest and worthy a
fellow as Stackpole, and he wondered whether the Yankee would be obtuse
enough not to see it. His doubt was soon solved.

"It looks to me as if you was pokin' fun at me, Fletcher," said Obed,
with a quiet, steady look at the other. "I'm a good-natured fellow in
the main, but I don't stand any nonsense. I know very well I'm a rough
looking chap, and I don't mind your sayin' so, but I aint willin' to be
laughed at."

"My dear fellow," said Fletcher smoothly, "you quite mistake m