hen Dutch Pete took a liking to him and offered
him a job, he just naturally had to take it."

"You mean he has been working at something we wouldn't like to know
about?"

"That's the size of it."

"What is this job? It isn't working for you. You wouldn't ask him to do
anything that would be disgraceful."

Kelley did not take time to appreciate this compliment. He made his
plunge. "No. He has been working for--a saloon."

She showed the force of the blow by asking in a horrified tone, "You
don't mean tending bar!"

"Oh no! Not so bad as that," replied Kelley. "Leastways it don't seem so
bad to me. He's been rolling the marble in a roulette wheel."

She stared at him in perplexity. "I don't believe--I--I don't believe I
understand what that is. Just tell me exactly."

"Well, he's been taking care of a roulette layout."

"You mean he has been gambling?"

"Well, no. He hasn't been gambling. At least, not lately. But he
represents the house, you see. He is something like a dealer at faro and
is on a salary."

She comprehended fully now--at least she comprehended enough to settle
back into her seat with a very severe and somber expression on her face.
"That's where his five per day comes from." She mused for a little while
on this, and then suddenly another thought came to her: "What about his
being your partner?"

Kelley saw that it was necessary to go the whole way, and he said,
quietly: "That was all fixed up yesterday. You see, he wanted to save
your mother and you, and he came to me--and wanted me to take him in as
a partner, and--I did it."

"You mean a partner for a day?"

"Yes. He was mighty nervous about your coming, and I told him I would
help him out. Of course, it didn't worry me none, and so I concluded I
would do it."

Her face softened as she pondered upon this. "That was very good of you,
Mr. Kelley."

"Oh no! You see, I kinda like the boy. And then we've been
partners--side partners. We room together."

She looked out of the window, but she saw nothing of the landscape now.
"I understand it all. You want me to take mother away before she finds
out."

"'Pears like that is the best thing for you to do. It would hit her a
good deal harder than it does you."

"It hits me hard enough," she replied. "To think of my brother running a
gambling-machine in a saloon is not especially reassuring. You say he
went into it to carry him over a hard place. I'm afraid you were saving
my feelings in