ly casual air, Allen sauntered over to the morose
individual. The man looked up as he approached, and the scowl on his
face deepened.

"Howdy," said Allen, loud enough to cause those near by to turn to look
at him. "How's my old friend Levine this morning?"

"None of your business," snarled the other, with a black look. "Lay off
me, do you hear?"

"Oh, yes, I hear," said Allen, loudly and cheerfully. "I'm quite
exceptionally good at hearing. Shall I tell these friends of ours what
Andy Rawlinson and I happened to hear the other night, beneath these
very trees? Why, Levine, where are you going?" he asked with feigned
surprise, as the other started to take his leave. "Don't you want to
hear----"

"Shut your mouth!" snarled Peter Levine, furiously, then turned and
slunk off, followed by the jeers and catcalls of the crowd.

"You shore hev got his number, boy," said one old timer, admiringly. "He
loves you like the fox loves a trap."

Allen grinned boyishly. "Suits me!" he said cheerfully.

CHAPTER XXV

INNOCENT

"That was good, Allen," said Mr. Nelson appreciatively, as the young
fellow rejoined the group. "You've licked him in fine shape."

"And we want to thank you for the way you have handled things for us,
Allen," added Mrs. Nelson, warmly. "We might have got into all sorts of
trouble if it hadn't been for you."

The young lawyer was tremendously embarrassed by this praise, though
Betty was aglow with it. It was splendid to have her family so fond of
Allen.

The latter noticed her silence, and under cover of the general
conversation commented upon it.

"How feels the millionairess this morning?" he asked lightly, though
Betty felt that there was a deeper meaning hidden behind the words.

"I'm feeling splendid," she answered, her voice vibrating with the joy
of living. "Who wouldn't be--with all this?" and she waved her hand over
the bustling scene.

In spite of the excitement of all these wonderful happenings, the girls,
especially Betty, had thought almost constantly of the poor musician
whom his neighbors called the Hermit of Gold Run.

He never came down to help Dan Higgins and Meggy any more, probably,
Grace said, scared off by the bustle and confusion of the new gold boom.
Meggy had mentioned casually once or twice that she still took food to
the desperate man.

"If he only doesn't give himself up to the authorities before we get
news from the East!" Betty, worried, exclaimed over an