s, than
mine is Jenks,--and passed himself off for an unmarried man, and now
there's a woman there has entered suit against him, for breach of
promise."

"Well," said Rutherford, descending from his elevated position, "I
move that we adjourn to the boarding house at once; if I hear any
more such stuff, I'll lose my appetite."

"The mystery to me is," said Houston, when they were started on their
way to the house, "how such a man is allowed to live and do business
in a respectable community."

"Oh," said Morgan carelessly, "he isn't any worse than the rest of
'em, only he's a little more out and out with it; and the rest of 'em
know it, and as long as they all live in glass houses, they don't any
of 'em want to throw any stones."

"It cannot be quite as bad as that," said Houston.

"Well, I've found 'em all about alike, men and women too, for that
matter, though I believe you shut me off from expressing my views
about women."

"But you certainly would not include all women in such an assertion?"
said Houston.

"I don't know why not, as far as my experience goes, they're all off
the same piece."

"Why, man," said Houston indignantly, "what are you talking about? You
had a mother once, you do not mean to traduce her memory?"

For a moment, Morgan was silent, then he replied in a tone that
sounded very unlike his usual voice:

"Yes, I had a mother once, and that is what has made me what I am;
sometime I will tell you about her."

And nothing more was said until they reached the house.

CHAPTER XV.

Friday morning, word was received from Mr. Blaisdell, over the
private wire connecting the office at Silver City with the mines,
that he and Mr. Rivers would be up on the first train with a party of
four, and to have everything in readiness for them; also to make
arrangements for their accommodation at the boarding house. Morgan
had already placed a small force of men at work on the mine, and
after carrying out Mr. Blaisdell's instructions, remained himself at
the mine, superintending the work.

It was one of those perfect days, so frequent among the mountains; a
cloudless sky, and the air so clear that one could see the most
distant mountain peaks with wonderful distinctness. The weather was
again warm, yet the air was cool and invigorating, and aromatic with
the breath of the evergreen forests clothing the sides of the
mountains and foot hills, while everywhere, the spring flowers were
adding their