easily, noting the decidedly negative poise of the
other's head. "I've got a tolerable sweet tooth, I have. Recollect
the taffy I made over on Preacher Creek that time? I declare! how time
does fly! That was all of six years ago if it's a day. More'n that,
surely. Seven, by the Jimcracky! But ez I was sayin', I'd ruther do
without my plug of 'Star' than sugar. An' about that sugar? Got my
dogs outside. Better go round to the warehouse an' git it, eh? Pretty
good idea."

But he saw the "No" shaping on Jacob Welse's lips, and hurried on
before it could be uttered.

"Now, I don't want to hog it. Wouldn't do that fer the world. So if
yer short, I can put up with seventy-five--" (he studied the other's
face), "an' I might do with fifty. I 'preciate your position, an' I
ain't low-down critter enough to pester--"

"What's the good of spilling words, Dave? We haven't a pound of sugar
to spare--"

"Ez I was sayin', I ain't no hog; an' seein' 's it's you, Welse, I'll
make to scrimp along on twenty-five--"

"Not an ounce!"

"Not the least leetle mite? Well, well, don't git het up. We'll jest
fergit I ast you fer any, an' I'll drop round some likelier time. So
long. Say!" He threw his jaw to one side and seemed to stiffen the
muscles of his ear as he listened intently. "That's the Laura's
whistle. She's startin' soon. Goin' to see her off? Come along."

Jacob Welse pulled on his bearskin coat and mittens, and they passed
through the outer offices into the main store. So large was it, that
the tenscore purchasers before the counters made no apparent crowd.
Many were serious-faced, and more than one looked darkly at the head of
the company as he passed. The clerks were selling everything except
grub, and it was grub that was in demand. "Holding it for a rise.
Famine prices," a red-whiskered miner sneered. Jacob Welse heard it,
but took no notice. He expected to hear it many times and more
unpleasantly ere the scare was over.

On the sidewalk he stopped to glance over the public bulletins posted
against the side of the building. Dogs lost, found, and for sale
occupied some space, but the rest was devoted to notices of sales of
outfits. The timid were already growing frightened. Outfits of five
hundred pounds were offering at a dollar a pound, without flour;
others, with flour, at a dollar and a half. Jacob Welse saw Melton
talking with an anxious-faced newcomer, and the satisfaction displaye