ed by Helen and Blake.

"Grab your partners, boys," the sheriff cried, pointing to the chairs.
There was a hasty piling of belts and guns on the ground, and after much
confusion all were seated.

The sheriff arose: "Boys, Mrs. Shields wants me to tell you how pleased
she is to have you all here. She has felt plumb sorry about you and she
shore has shuddered at the thought of a Chinee cook----"

"Which same we all do--it's chronic," interposed Jim to laughter.

"She wants you to make yourselves at home," continued the sheriff, "learn
the lay of the land around this range and never forget the trail leading
here, because she insists that when any of you come to town you have
simply got to pay us a visit and see if there is a piece of pie or cake
to eat before you go back to that cook. And Tom says that he'll fire
the first man who renigs----"

"I'm going to carry the mail hereafter!" cried Bud, scowling fiercely at
Joe.

"Not if I can shoot first, you don't!" retorted the mail carrier. "I was
just a-wondering if it wouldn't be better to come in twice a week for it
instead of once. We might get more letters."

"We'll bid for your job next year," laughed Silent.

"Before I coax you to eat," continued the sheriff, "I----"

"Wrong word, Sheriff," interposed Humble. "Not coax, but force."

"I am going to ask you to reverse things a little, and drink a standing
toast to the man who saved the stage, to the man who saved Miss Ritchie
and my sisters and who made this dinner possible. This would be far from a
happy day but for him. I want you to drink to the long life and happiness
of The Orphan. All up!"

The clink of glasses was lost in the spontaneous cheer which burst from
the lips of the former outlaw's new friends, and he sat confused and
embarrassed with a sudden timidity, his face crimson.

"Speech!" cried Jim, the others joining in the cry. "Speech! Speech!"

Finally, after some urging, The Orphan slowly arose to his feet, a foolish
smile playing about his lips.

"It wasn't anything," he said deprecatingly. "You all would have done it,
every one of you. But I'm glad it was me. I'm glad I was on hand, although
it wasn't anything to make all this fuss about," and he dropped suddenly
into his seat, feeling hot and uncomfortable.

"Well, we have different ideas about its being nothing," replied the
sheriff. "Now, boys, a toast to Bill Halloway," he requested. "Bill
couldn't get here to-day, but we mustn't forge