hammer in his hand critically surveying a
somewhat seedy man who was just then offering his services. Savine,
who had a sense of humor, was interested in the scene, and said to his
daughter: "Thurston's busy. We'll just wait until he's through with
that fellow."

Geoffrey, being ignorant of their presence, decided that the applicant,
who said that he was an Englishman, and used to estimating quantities,
would be of little service; but he seldom refused to assist a stranger
in distress.

"I do all the draughting and figuring work myself," he said. "However,
if you are hard up you can earn two dollars a day wheeling broken rock
until you find something better."

The man turned away, apparently not delighted at the prospect of
wheeling rock, and Geoffrey faced about to greet the spectators.

"I don't fancy you'll get much work out of that fellow," observed
Savine.

"I did not expect to see you so soon, and am pleasantly surprised,"
said Geoffrey, who, warned by something in Helen's face, restrained the
answer he was about to make. "You will be tired after your rough ride,
and it is very hot out here. If you will come into my office tent I
can offer you some slight refreshment."

Helen noticed every appointment of the double tent which was singularly
neat and trim. Its flooring of packed twigs gave out a pleasant
aromatic odor. The instruments scattered among the papers on the maple
desk were silver-mounted. The tall, dusty man in toil-stained jean
produced thin glasses, into which he poured mineral waters and
California wine. A tin of English biscuits was passed with the cooling
drinks. Thurston was a curious combination, she fancied, for, having
seen him covered with the grime of hard toil she now beheld him in a
new _role_--that of host.

They chatted for half-an-hour, and then there was an interruption, for
the young Englishman, who had grown tired of wheeling the barrow, stood
outside the tent demanding to see his employer. Geoffrey strode out
into the sunshine.

The stranger said that he had a backache, besides blisters on his
hands, and that wheeling a heavy barrow did not agree with him. He
added, with an easy assurance that drew a frown to the contractor's
face, "It's a considerable come-down for me to have to work hard at
all, and I was told you were generally good to a distressed countryman.
Can't you really give me anything easier?"

"I try to be helpful to my countrymen when they're wor