eal. Sometimes he goes to St. Louis. I have heard that he sometimes
even visits New York."

"And is he not recognized?"

"No; he looks like anything but an outlaw. If you should see him you
might think him a prosperous merchant, or banker."

"That's curious!" said Herbert.

"The fact is," said the colonel, "when you travel by stage-coaches
in these solitudes you have to take the chances. Now I carry my money
concealed in an inner pocket, where it isn't very likely to be found. Of
course I have another wallet, just for show, and I give that up when I
have to."

There was a stout, florid gentleman present, who listened to the
above conversation with ill-disguised nervousness. He was a New York
capitalist, of German birth, going out to inspect a mine in which he
proposed purchasing an interest. His name was Conrad Stiefel.

"Good gracious!" said he, "I had no idea a man ran such a risk, or I
would have stayed at home. I decidedly object to being robbed."

"Men are robbed in a different way in New York," said George Melville.

"How do you mean, Mr. Melville?"

"By defaulting clerks, absconding cashiers, swindlers of excellent
social position."

"Oh, we don't mind those things," said Mr. Stiefel. "We can look out
for ourselves. But when a man points at you with a revolver, that is
terrible!"

"I hope, my dear sir, you take good care of your money."

"That I do," said Stiefel, complacently. "I carry it in a belt around my
waist. That's a good place, hey?"

"I commend your prudence, sir," said the colonel. "You are evidently a
wise and judicious man."

"They won't think of looking there, hey?" laughed Stiefel.

"I should say not."

"You may think what you like, Mr. Stiefel," said a tall, thin passenger,
who looked like a book peddler, "but I contend that my money is in a
safer place than yours."

"Indeed, Mr. Parker, I should like to know where you keep it," said Col.
Warner, pleasantly.

"You can't get at it without taking off my stockings," said the tall
man, looking about him in a self-satisfied manner.

"Very good, 'pon my soul!" said the colonel. "I really don't know but I
shall adopt your hiding place. I am an old traveler, but not too old to
adopt new ideas when I meet with good ones."

"I think you would find it to your interest, Colonel," said Parker,
looking flattered.

"Well, well," said the colonel, genially, "suppose we change the
subject. There isn't much chance of our being called upo