er health) had wrought so swift a healing that the surgeon
overflowed with the pride of science, and over the bandages would
explain the human body technically to his wild-eyed and flattered
patient. Thus young Lin heard all about tibia, and comminuted, and other
glorious new words, and when sleepless would rehearse them. Then,
with the bone so nearly knit that the patient might leave the ward
on crutches to sit each morning in Barker's room as a privilege, the
disobedient child of twenty-one had slipped out of the hospital and
hobbled hastily to the hog ranch, where whiskey and variety waited for
a languishing convalescent. Here he grew gay, and was soon carried back
with the leg refractured. Yet Barker's surgical rage was disarmed, the
patient was so forlorn over his doctor's professional chagrin.

"I suppose it ain't no better this morning, Doc?" he had said, humbly,
after a new week of bed and weights.

"Your right leg's going to be shorter. That's all."

"Oh, gosh! I've been and spoiled your comminuted fee-mur! Ain't I a
son-of-a-gun?"

You could not chide such a boy as this; and in time's due course he had
walked jauntily out into the world with legs of equal length after all
and in his stride the slightest halt possible. And Doctor Barker had
missed the child's conversation. To-day his mustache was a perfected
thing, and he in the late end of his twenties.

"He'll wake up about noon to-morrow in a dive, without a cent," said
Barker. "Then he'll come back on a freight and begin over again."

At the Denver station Lin McLean passed through the shoutings and
omnibuses, and came to the beginning of Seventeenth Street, where is the
first saloon. A customer was ordering Hot Scotch; and because he liked
the smell and had not thought of the mixture for a number of years, Lin
took Hot Scotch. Coming out upon the pavement, he looked across and saw
a saloon opposite with brighter globes and windows more prosperous. That
should have been his choice; lemon peel would undoubtedly be fresher
over there; and over he went at once, to begin the whole thing properly.
In such frozen weather no drink could be more timely, and he sat, to
enjoy without haste its mellow fitness. Once again on the pavement, he
looked along the street toward up-town beneath the crisp, cold electric
lights, and three little bootblacks gathered where he stood and cried
"Shine? Shine?" at him. Remembering that you took the third turn to the
right to ge