derived a solace and wisdom precious above all things else. Mary
Lackington was, perhaps, in some particulars mature beyond her years; the
sweetness, the simplicity, and the guilelessness of her character was the
sweetness, the simplicity, and the guilelessness of childhood. Fair and
innocent, this womanly maiden came into the comedy of that mountain
wooing.

Three-fingered Hoover had never been regarded an artful man, but now, all
at once, for the first time in his life, he practised a subtlety. He
became acquainted with Mary Lackington; I am not sure that he did not
meet Sir Charles at the firemen's muster in Pueblo some years before.
Getting acquainted with Miss Mary was no hard thing; the girl flitted
whithersoever she pleased, and she enjoyed chatting with the miners, whom
she found charmingly fresh, original, and manly, and as for the miners,
they simply adored Miss Mary. Sir Charles owed his popularity largely to
his winsome daughter.

Mary was not long in discovering that Three-fingered Hoover had a little
romance all of his own. Maybe some of the other boys told her about it.
At any rate, Mary was charmed, and without hesitation she commanded
Hoover to confess all. How the big, awkward fellow ever got through with
it I for my part can't imagine, but tell her he did--yes, he fairly
unbosomed his secret, and Mary was still more delighted and laughed and
declared that it was the loveliest love story she had ever heard. Right
here was where Hoover's first and only subtlety came in.

"And now, Miss Mary," says he, "you can do me a good turn, and I hope you
will do it. Get acquainted with the lady and work it up with her for me.
Tell her that you know--not that I told you, but that you happen to have
found it out, that I like her--like her better 'n anybody else; that I 'm
the pure stuff; that if anybody ties to me they can find me thar every
time and can bet their last case on me! Don't lay it on too thick, but
sort of let on I 'm O. K. You women understand such things--if you 'll
help me locate this claim I 'm sure everything 'll pan out all right;
will ye?"

The bare thought of promoting a love affair set Mary nearly wild with
enthusiasm. She had read of experiences of this kind, but of course she
had never participated in any. She accepted the commission gayly yet
earnestly. She would seek Miss Woppit at once, and she would be so
discreet in her tactics--yes, she would be as artful as the most ski