t and, placing his hands over his heart, ducked down as if a sudden
pain had seized him.) "But imagine my pain and astonishment when I was
informed that the drunken brawl I was witnessing was but a nightly and
common occurrence. I may say I remained for a few minutes, partly out of
curiosity, as I wished to see all kinds of life in this new world for
the sake of a book I am thinking of writing. I therefore took careful
note of the persons present, and was thus able to identify the person
who has just ridden away as one of the chief factors in that evening's
entertainment. He was, in fact, the man who, when he had pocketed all
the money on the gaming-table, arose and, taking out his pistol, shot
out the lights in the room, a most dangerous and irregular proceeding--"

"Yes, and you came within an ace of being shot, pa says. The Kid's a
dead shot, he is, and you were right in the way. Served you right for
going where you had no business!"

"I did not remain longer in that place, as you may imagine," went on West,
ignoring Bud, "for I found it was no place for a--for--a--ah--minister
of the gospel; but I remained long enough to hear from the lips of this
person with whom you have just been walking some of the most terrible
language my ears have ever been permitted to--ah--witness!"

But Margaret had heard all that she intended to listen to on that
subject. With decided tone she interrupted the voluble speaker, who was
evidently enjoying his own eloquence.

"Mr. West, I think you have said all that it is necessary to say. There
are still some things about Mr. Gardley that you evidently do not know,
but I think you are in a fair way to learn them if you stay in this part
of the country long. William, isn't that your mother calling us to
dinner? Let us go in; I'm hungry."

Bud followed her up the walk with a triumphant wink at the discomfited
minister, and they disappeared into the house; but when Margaret went
up to her room and took off her hat in front of the little warped
looking-glass there were angry tears in her eyes. She never felt more
like crying in her life. Chagrin and anger and disappointment were all
struggling in her soul, yet she must not cry, for dinner would be ready
and she must go down. Never should that mean little meddling man see
that his words had pierced her soul.

For, angry as she was at the minister, much as she loathed his petty,
jealous nature and saw through his tale-bearing, something yet