the way. You see, you don't understand me--I don't
think you did in Californy."

"Then he did save her?"

"Of course. Don't you see she was all right. If he'd missed her, I'd
have chipped in. Thar warn't no sense in my doing his duty onless he
failed."

Somehow the story got out. The Man from Solano as a butt became more
popular than ever, and of course received invitations to burlesque
receptions, and naturally met a great many people whom otherwise he
would not have seen. It was observed also that his seven hundred
dollars were steadily growing, and that he seemed to be getting on in
his business. Certain California stocks which I had seen quietly
interred in the old days in the tombs of their fathers were magically
revived; and I remember, as one who has seen a ghost, to have been
shocked as I looked over the quotations one morning to have seen the
ghostly face of the "Dead Beat Beach Mining Co.," rouged and plastered,
looking out from the columns of the morning paper. At last a few
people began to respect, or suspect, the Man from Solano. At last,
suspicion culminated with this incident:--

He had long expressed a wish to belong to a certain "fash'n'ble" club,
and with a view of burlesque he was invited to visit the club, where a
series of ridiculous entertainments were given him, winding up with a
card party. As I passed the steps of the club-house early next
morning, I overheard two or three members talking excitedly,--

"He cleaned everybody out." "Why, he must have raked in nigh on
$40,000."

"Who?" I asked.

"The Man from Solano."

As I turned away, one of the gentlemen, a victim, noted for his
sporting propensities, followed me, and laying his hand on my
shoulders, asked:--

"Tell me fairly now. What business did your friend follow in
California?"

"He was a shepherd."

"A what?"

"A shepherd. Tended his flocks on the honey-scented hills of Solano."

"Well, all I can say is, d--n your California pastorals!"

THE OFFICE SEEKER

He asked me if I had ever seen the "Remus Sentinel."

I replied that I had not, and would have added that I did not even know
where Remus was, when he continued by saying it was strange the hotel
proprietor did not keep the "Sentinel" on his files, and that he,
himself, should write to the editor about it. He would not have spoken
about it, but he, himself, had been an humble member of the profession
to which I belonged, and had often written for