."

He stopped for a moment and peered at other men who were passing
them.

"I think it my duty to do something in that regard," he said, quietly.
"I believe I shall get Mrs. Meredith to call a meeting out in front of
her place. Nearly every man of the camp goes there at some time or
another, in the course of the evening. Perhaps I could--"

Again he stopped, as if thinking of the best plan.

"I see," interpolated the miner, almost as his younger companion was
about to offer the same suggestion. "Let her send out word that every
man in the camp is wanted. Then you give them the last news and get
them to do what they can. That's right."

"It is the best way," asserted Dick, agreeing with the project. "You
can do more than any one. They all respect and know you."

They left him to make his way toward the High Light and stood at the
borders of little gatherings on the street, gleaning other details of
the tragedy, for nearly an hour, and then were attracted by a sound
below them. Men were calling to one another. Out in front of the High
Light two torches flared, their flames glowing steadily in the still
night air and lighting the faces of those who gathered toward them.
They went with the street current and again found themselves in a
crowd; but it was not so dense as that first one they had encountered.
Men stood in groups, thoughtfully, with hands in pockets, their harsh,
strong faces rendered soft by the light. They talked together with a
quiet and sad sympathy, as if in that hour they were all of one family
up there in the heart of the mountains from which they tore their hard
livelihood. There was a stir from the nearest store and a voice
called, "Here, Doc! Here's a couple of boxes for you to stand on so
they can see you when you talk."

Men were carrying some large packing cases, or tumbling them end over
end, with hollow, booming noises, to form a crude platform. The boxes
clashed together. Two men holding the torches climbed up on them and
they saw two others boosting the doctor upward. At sight of him there
was a restraining hiss passed round through the gathering crowd,
commanding silence. He waited for it to become complete.

"Men," he said, "you have all heard the news. Thirty-three of our
fellows died over across the divide, or are dying now. God knows
which! God grant they went quickly!"

He stopped and although not a trained orator, the pause could have
been no more effective. Dick looked around