modestly and quietly, at a decent
gait, down a trail where most would prefer to walk, and to "hang on" to
something at that.

At first Jim felt irritated by the interruption. He wanted to luxuriate
in misery: still he was a vigorous, healthy man, and the cheery
good-fellowship of Bud soon made away with that feeling.

"Well, how they coming, Jimmy?" queried the young giant. "Hit her yet?"

"Hit--well, much caloric,"--replied Jim. "I've begun to believe there
ain't a durned thing here."

"You're looking kind of owly, old man--what's up? Don't you feel well?"

"Oh, Bud I I'm sick of everything this day--I don't believe in the
constitution of the United States, including the thirteenth amendment,
nor the ten commandments, nor the attraction of gravitation, nor anything
else--it's all a damned lie."

"No wonder you get like that, mousing around here without a chance to
yappi with a feller critter. 'Nough to make you locoed.

"Jump it for a spell. Go up town. Get loaded. Get horribly loaded. Break
somebody's window, and tell the folks you're a Sweet Briar zephyr come to
blow out their lights. Go ahead and do it. When your hair stops pulling
you'll feel like a new man."

Jim thought the advice sound, yet a strange feeling had developed in him,
in his isolation; it was that the eye of Anne was always on him. He had
fallen into a habit, which becomes a superstition when a man is alone, of
acting as though she were there in person.

However, he didn't feel called upon to offer Bud that explanation of his
refusal. He conveyed the idea in one brief word.

"Busted," said he.

"Busted?" retorted Bud warmly. "Busted? Not much, you ain't busted whilst
that little package is there, bet cher life! You call for what you want,
and the cashier will make good."

"Ah, Bud! How'll I ever pay you back? Keep it, man, keep it," replied Jim
in a disheartened voice.

"Say, you ain't got no call to worry about that part of it--there's where
my troubles begin," returned Bud. "Now, you take these two bucks and jab
'em in your jeans--Go on, now! Do as I tell you, or damned if I don't
lick you and make you take 'em! What's the good of money if it ain't to
help a friend out with? I don't care who gets drunk on it, just so long
as they have a good time.

"Boy, you'll be sailing up the track regardless of orders, with your
boiler full of suds, if you don't get out in the scramble for a while."

"Lord! I'd like to see a railroad train! H