at to say myself. There's such a heap to talk about
it's hard to tell where to begin--but we've got to be friends
though, Mattie--we've just _got_ to be friends. Good Lord! We're
all there's left! Funny, I never thought of such a thing! Well,
blast it! That's enough of such talk! I've brought you a present,
Mattie." He stretched out a leg that reached beyond the limits of
the front porch, and dove into his trousers pocket, bringing out a
buck-skin sack. He fumbled at the knot a minute and then passed it
over saying, "You untie it--your fingers are soopler than mine,"
Miss Mattie's fingers were shaking, but the knots finally came
undone, and from the sack she brought forth a chain of rich, dull
yellow lumps, fashioned into a necklace. It weighed a pound. She
spread it out and looked at it astounded. "Gracious, Will! Is
that _gold_?" she asked.

"That's what," he replied. "The real article, just as it came out
of the ground: I dug it myself. That's the reason I'm here. I'd
never got money enough to go anywheres further than a horse could
carry me if I hadn't taken a fly at placer mining and hit her to
beat h--er--the very mischief."

Miss Mattie looked first at the barbaric, splendid necklace and
then at the barbaric, splendid man. Things grew confused before
her in trying to realise that it was real. What two planets so
separated in their orbits as her world and his? She had the
imagination that is usually lacking in small communities, and the
feeling of a fairy story come true, possessed her.

"And now, Mattie," said he, "I don't know what's manners in this
part of the country, but I'll make free enough on the cousin part
of it to tell you that I could look at some supper without
flinching. I've walked a heap to-day, and I ain't used to walking."

Miss Mattie sprang up, herself again at the chance to offer
hospitality.

"Why, you poor man!" said she. "Of course you're starved! It must
be nearly eight o'clock! I almost forget about eating, living here
alone. You shall have supper directly. Will you come in or sit a
spell outside?"

"Reckon I'll come in," said Red. "Don't want to lose sight of you
now that I've found you."

It was some time since Miss Mattie had felt that anyone had cared
enough for her not to want to lose sight of her, and a delicate
warm bloom went over her cheeks. She hurried into the little
kitchen.

"Mattie!" called Red.

"What is it, Will?" she answered, comi