e of us would had to foot it to the ranch, and that one wouldn't
have been me. Huh! Does me good to hear your nonsense gabble again. I
declare it does. When did you get my telegraph?"

"This morning."

"This--morning! Why, I sent it day before yesterday, no, the day
before that. Let me see; to-day's one, yesterday--the funeral,
two--the one--yes, three days ago. John Benton himself gave it into
the telegraph man's hands. Himself."

They mounted and started toward McLeod's Inn, Ninian doing very well,
considering the impatience of his steed and his own limited experience
of the saddle, and the sharpshooter sitting as composedly upon the
back of as restless an animal as could readily be found. It was a bay,
and pranced and curveted to the extent that Nimrod seemed a door-mouse
beside it, and Ninian finally observed:

"That's an undecided sort of beast you have, yourself. Seems to be as
much inclined to go backward as forward."

"Hale's. Name Prince. Was on the mesa with Pedro till he died."

"Pedro dead? I'm sorry. Was it his 'funeral' you meant?"

"Yes. Terrible pity he couldn't have held on till Christmas, his
Navidad, that always meant so much to him. But he couldn't. Things
have changed at Sobrante since you was here. I'm glad you've come. I'm
powerful glad you've come."

"Any new trouble, Ephraim?"

"H'm! I should say. Ghosts, the women think, and scamps for certain.
But it's a long story, and here we are at Aleck's. We mustn't spoil
that good supper of his and talk will keep. We've thirty miles 'twixt
us and bed, 'less you change your mind and stop here, and that should
give time enough to turn a man's mind inside out."

"Were you so certain of my coming that you ordered a special supper,
without hearing?"

"Sure. I took you to be a man and I put myself in your place. In your
place I should have come if I could; and if I couldn't I should have
sent word. Light."

Aleck came out to meet them, and Janet followed, of course. Where one
of that worthy couple was the other was sure to be; and both extended
to the city man such welcome as made him more impressed than ever by
that "home feeling" which had possessed him all day. He returned their
good wishes with heartiness and did full justice to his supper, adding
as a thankful tribute to Janet's fine cookery:

"That's the first thing has passed my lips that hadn't the flavor of
ashes, since many a day. The doctor was right."

"Glad to hear any doctor eve