cription. He
was as clean and refreshing looking as a madrono-tree in the dust-blown
forest. An odor of scented soap and freshly ironed linen was wafted from
him; there was scarcely a crease in his white waistcoat, nor a speck
upon his varnished shoes. He might have been an auditor of the previous
conversation, so quickly and completely did he seem to take in the
whole situation at a glance. Perhaps there was an extra tilt to his
black-ribboned Panama hat, and a certain dancing devilry in his brown
eyes--which might also have been an answer to adverse criticism.

"When I, his truth to prove, would trifle with my love," he warbled
in general continuance from the doorway. Then dropping cheerfully into
speech, he added, "Well, boys, I am here to welcome the little stranger,
and to trust that the family are doing as well as can be expected. Ah!
there it is! Bless it!" he went on, walking leisurely to the treasure.
"Triplets, too!--and plump at that. Have you had 'em weighed?"

Frankness was an essential quality of Heavy Tree Hill. "We were just
saying, Jack," said an old locator, "that, giving you a fair show
and your own game, you could manage to get away with that pile before
daybreak."

"And I'm just thinking," said Jack cheerfully, "that there were some of
you here that could do that without any such useless preliminary." His
brown eyes rested for a moment on Steptoe, but turning quite abruptly
to Van Loo, he held out his hand. Startled and embarrassed before the
others, the young man at last advanced his, when Jack coolly put his
own, as if forgetfully, in his pocket. "I thought you might like to know
what that little brother of yours is doing," he said to Van Loo, yet
looking at Steptoe. "I found him wandering about the Hill here quite
drunk."

"I have repeatedly warned him"--began Van Loo, reddening.

"Against bad company--I know," suggested Jack gayly; "yet in spite of
all that, I think he owes some of his liquor to Steptoe yonder."

"I never supposed the fool would get drunk over a glass of whiskey
offered in fun," said Steptoe harshly, yet evidently quite as much
disconcerted as angry.

"The trouble with Steptoe," said Hamlin, thoughtfully spanning his slim
waist with both hands as he looked down at his polished shoes, "is that
he has such a soft-hearted liking for all weaknesses. Always wanting
to protect chaps that can't look after themselves, whether it's Whiskey
Dick there when he has a pull on, or som