e cured must be endured, my father and
I tackled the job ourselves, working early and late, and we were making
very good progress, all things considered, when we had the misfortune to
break a small casting in our mowing-machine; a mishap which would
probably entail a delay of several days until we could get the piece
replaced.

It was just before noon that this happened, and we had brought the
machine up to the wagon-shed and had put up the horses, when, on
stepping out of the stable, we were accosted by a tall, black haired,
blue eyed young fellow of about my own age, who asked if he could get a
job with us.

"Yes, you can," replied my father, promptly; and then, remembering the
accident to the machine, he added, "at least, you can as soon as I get
this casting replaced," holding out the broken piece as he spoke.

"May I look at it?" asked the young fellow; and taking it in his hand he
went on: "I see you have a blacksmith-shop over there; I think I can
duplicate this for you if you'll let me try: I was a blacksmith's
apprentice only a month ago."

"Do you think you can? Well, you shall certainly be allowed to try. But
come in now: dinner will be ready in five minutes; you shall try your
hand at blacksmithing afterwards. What's your name?"

"Joe Garnier," replied the boy. "I come from Iowa. I was going to
Leadville, but I met so many men coming back, with tales of what numbers
of idle men there were up there unable to get work, that, hearing of a
place called Sulphide as a rising camp, I decided to go there instead.
This is the right way to get there, isn't it?"

"Yes, this is the way to Sulphide. Did you expect to get work as a
miner?"

"Well, I intended to take any work I could get, but if you can give me
employment here, I'd a good deal rather work out in the sun than down in
a hole in the ground."

"You replace that casting if you can, and I'll give you work for a
month, at least, and longer if we get on well together."

"Thank you," said the stranger; and with that we went into the house.

The newcomer started well: he won my mother's good opinion at once by
wiping his boots carefully before entering, and by giving himself a
sousing good wash at the pump before sitting down to table. It was plain
he was no ordinary tramp--though, for that matter, the genus "tramp" had
not yet invaded the three-year-old state of Colorado--for his manners
were good; while his clear blue eyes, in contrast with his brown f