oincides with mine, Mister Clark.

"Now," I added briskly, "tell me your business, or get out. I have
other work to do."

He raised his hand and leaned across the counter, as if to clutch me by
the throat, and a terrible paw of a hand it was, too. But, evidently,
he thought better of it.

Not that I fancied for a moment that he was afraid of me at all,
because I knew quite well that he was not.

He sat down on a box and watched me closely, sizing me up at every
angle as I busied myself adjusting some tins on the shelves that were
in no way in need of adjustment.

"Guess you think I pay men to take picnics for the good of their health
down to this one-horse outfit."

"I have not wasted any thoughts on you at all, so far, Mr. Clark," I
replied.

"Why'n the hell didn't you fill my order yesterday?"

"Was it your order?"

"'Course it was. Wrote it out myself, every bit of it."

"Well,--you're a rotten writer, Mr. Clark."

"Oh!--can it. What kind of a tin-pot way of doin' business was that?
What was this damned place started for anyway, if not for the
convenience of the Camps?"

"I suppose you think I ought to know your writing?" I asked.
"Well,--Mr. Clark, even if I had known it, I would not have accepted
the order as it was. My positive instructions are that all camp orders
have to be filled only on receipt of a stamped and signed document on
the Company's business form for that purpose. And that's the only way
goods will go out from here, whether for Joe Clark or for any one else."

"And what if I ain't got an order with me now? Guess you'll turn me
down same as you did the others yesterday?"

"That is just what I would have to do."

"The hell you would!" He put his hand into his pocket and brought out
some papers, one of which he threw on the counter. "There's your
blasted order. Get a wiggle on, for I ain't here on a pleasure
jaunt,--not by a damn sight. I'll be back in an hour for them goods."

"Better make it an hour and a half. It's a big order and it will not
be ready a minute sooner."

"Gosh!" he growled, as he strode out, "some store-clerk,---I don't
think."

I filled the requirements of Camp No. 2 to the best of my ability,
packing up the goods and making everything as secure as necessary for
the boat trip. I had the stuff all piled nicely on the veranda and was
sitting on the steps contemplating and admiring the job, when the
dinghy came back with Joe Clark in the stern as be