ead the letter several times and his knees shook visibly. He did
not want to pay over such an amount, yet it struck him with terror when
he thought he might possibly be arrested for fast driving. He went to
see Mr. Silas Simms.

"I am very sorry," he began.

"Have you come to pay?" demanded the attorney, curtly.

"Well--er--the fact is--don't you think you are asking rather a stiff
price, Mr. Simms?"

"Not at all! Not at all, sir! I ought to have placed the damages at
three hundred!"

"I'll give you fifty dollars and call it square."

"No, sir, a hundred and fifty! Not a penny less, not one penny! Look
at my nose, sir--all scratched! And my ear! Not a penny less than one
hundred and fifty dollars!" And the lawyer pounded on his desk with his
fist.

"All right then, I'll pay you, but you must give me a receipt in full,"
answered the dude.

He had to wait until the bank opened, that he might cash a check, and
then he paid over the amount demanded. The lawyer drew up a legal paper
discharging him from all further obligations. Felix read it with care
and stowed it in his pocket.

"And now let me give you some advice, Mr. Gussing," said the lawyer,
after the transaction was concluded. "Don't drive such a wild horse
again."

"Depend upon it, I never shall," answered the dude. "It costs too much!"
he added, with a faint smile.

"Are you well acquainted with horses?"

"No."

"Then you had better leave them alone altogether."

"I have already made up my mind to do so."

CHAPTER X.

DAVID BALL FROM MONTANA.

Finding that Joe could be depended upon, Mr. Mallison put him in charge
of all of the boats at the hotel, so that our hero had almost as much
work ashore as on the lake.

During the week following, the events just narrated, many visitors left
the hotel and others came in. Among those to go were Felix Gussing and
the two young ladies. The dude bid our hero a cordial good-bye, for he
now knew Joe quite well.

"Good-bye, Mr. Gussing," said Joe. "I hope we meet again."

"Perhaps we shall, although I generally go to a different place each
summer."

"Well, I don't expect to stay in Riverside all my life."

"I see. If you make a move, I hope you do well," returned Felix.

On the day after the dude left, a man came to the hotel who, somehow,
looked familiar to our hero. He came dressed in a light overcoat and a
slouch hat, and carried a valise and a suit case.

"I've seen him before, but wher