replied,
"but we must talk low, for walls sometimes have ears," and placing a
chair for his friend near his own, he proceeded to tell him of his
object in coming out to the mining camp, of the work which he had
accomplished, and of his plans for what yet remained to be done.
Rutherford listened with much interest, deepening into admiration for
his friend.

"And now," said Houston, in conclusion, "you will see why I could not
very well reveal my identity to you when we first met. I knew you as
soon as I saw your card, but I was a stranger in this part of the
country, with a certain role to play, uncertain of success, and, not
knowing what difficulties or obstacles I might meet, thought there
would be less danger of unexpected complications, if you thought me
just what I appeared to be."

"You thought about right, too," said Rutherford, "for I'm awfully
careless about anything of that kind, always putting my foot in it,
you know; and I don't see how you ever could come out here, a perfect
stranger, and carry everything along as smoothly as you have. Well, I
remember I was awfully mixed there on the train, when you told me you
had come out here to work for that company, for I thought all the time
that if you were not a gentleman, then I never saw one; and it's lucky
I did have sense enough to think of that, or I might have made a
confounded chump of myself."

"You would have cut me, would you?" asked Houston, laughing, "I was
looking out for that, and would have considered it a rich joke if you
had."

"Rather too rich, I should say," said Rutherford, coloring. "Mort has
always ridiculed me for that sort of thing, and told me I'd make a
precious fool of myself some day; I don't intend to be snobbish,
though he says I am, but that's just my way somehow, unless I happen
to like a person. Mort is different from me; he will get along with
all sorts of people, you know, but I never could."

"You are all right," answered Houston, "you are a little conscious of
your blue blood now and then, but as you grow older you will think
less about that, and you have as good a heart as Morton, when a person
is fortunate enough to find it."

"Say," said Rutherford, suddenly, "if you and Mort were class mates,
you must have known Van Dorn."

"Certainly," said Houston, smilingly watching the blue coils of
smoke from his cigar, "and when I first saw him with the Winters
party, I knew my little game was up, unless I got my work in very