pitched into old Hartwell one night, over
there at the hotel, for some remarks he made about the company."

"Ah," said Houston, "how did you hear of that?"

"There was a friend of mine there, who overheard Hartwell's talk, and
afterward saw you go up and speak to him. Having seen you in our
office, he had a little curiosity as to what was going on. He said
Hartwell cursed you up hill and down, but that you were so damned cool
the old fellow couldn't rattle you. Hartwell told him afterward that
you threatened to compel him to substantiate all he had said, and he
was glad that the old fellow, for once, found somebody that wasn't
afraid of him."

"Oh, no," said Houston, quietly, "I didn't see any reason for being
afraid."

"Well," said Mr. Blaisdell, "I liked your spirit all right, but then,
men like Hartwell are not worth paying any attention to. He is
interested in another company, so of course he tries to run down ours,
and he has a certain clique that he has persuaded to think just as he
does. I never think it best to notice any of his remarks."

"If he had simply made a few remarks," said Houston in reply, "I would
of course have let them remain unnoticed, but he had continued his
harangue for nearly an hour before I spoke to him, so I thought it as
well to have a word with him myself."

"Oh, that was all right, perfectly right on your part, only I have
adopted the policy of letting barking dogs alone."

After a little further conversation, Mr. Blaisdell looked over the
books, and finding everything in satisfactory shape, remarked:

"You seem to have familiarized yourself very thoroughly with the work
so far as you have gone, and in a very short time. You will doubtless
remember, Mr. Houston, that when we engaged you, you were told that we
should probably need your services later at the mines, in assisting
the general superintendent. Morgan's work is increasing lately, and I
have been thinking that I would much prefer to have a trustworthy
person like yourself, assist him, even if we have to employ another
bookkeeper, than to put on an entirely new man at the mines. I am
going out to the mines this afternoon, to see how Morgan is getting
along, and I think that to-morrow we will close the office, and you
had better go out with me, and I will show you the work that I wish
you to have charge of there. It probably will not take all your time,
you will still be in the office more or less, at least enough to
sup