ecorded
as evidence where the reputation of a gentleman, who cannot defend
himself, is concerned."

"Good God," said the news editor under his breath.

"Humph! A'll put a crimp in that! The Sheriff man is to give evidence
yet! Eleanor, y' better not wait! A'm goin' t' do some plain speakin'
t' y' father's honor, but 'tis not talk for a woman's ears! Y've heard
y'r father defamed."

"Then, I'll wait and hear him cleared," she whispered to Mrs. Williams.
"Will you stay?"

The Sheriff had gone round in front of the table, not too near it for
obvious reasons; for the time of his revenge had come and his rotundity
protruded full blown and swelling. He told how MacDonald had refused
to go down the shaft.

"Do you know any reason for that sudden change of mind?"

"I don't know whether it's the reason or not; but somethin' happened
jes' as he had his leg up to climb in, _might a' made_ him change his
mind! Th' squaw come ridin' all bareheaded, an' mad as a hornet out o'
th' cottonwoods wavin' her hands roarin' crazy! Minit he seen her, he
quit goin' down: said he'd give me a hand at the hoist! I seen what
made him change his mind al' right! She waz ravin' mad, come rampin'
out, then, she seen me, an' kin' o' hiked back ahint the cottonwood;
but I seen her plain! Jes as we commenced unwindin' her--"

"You mean the hoist?"

"Yes, jes' as we began lettin' her down, I sees O'Finnigan come up from
Smelter City trail roarin' drunk, ugly drunk, yellin' 'Hell: he waz
Uncle Sam,' an' all that."

"If y'll not admit the child's story of her father, why d' y' admit
this man's story of him?" demanded Matthews; but the coroner ignored
the interruption and the doughty defender of the law continued.

"I put up with his drunken yellin' till I felt the bucket bump the
first level. Then I sez, 'Now, my gen'leman, hand over that bottle o'
tipperary, an' scat out o' this!' There it is," the Sheriff laid a
black square whiskey bottle on the desk. "He began jawin' an' cuttin'
up gineral. T' make a long story short, I took him by the scruff o'
th' neck and helped him down Smelter City trail an'-an'-an' I jugged
him: that's all; an' there he is yet! When I came back up, this had
happened."

"When you arrested O'Finnigan for drunkenness, where was the woman,
Calamity?"

"Hidin' back among th' cottonwoods! She'd slid off her horse! Jes' as
I turned down the trail, I looked back! She waz comin' peepin' out
from tree t