he rocky shelf, and, in
time, bugles and morning drumbeats were wafted from it to the decks of
passing ships. For the Federal Government had adjudged the land for its
own use, paid Captain Bunker a handsome sum for its possession, and
had discreetly hidden the little cottage of Mrs. Bunker and its history
forever behind bastion and casemate.

THE TRANSFORMATION OF BUCKEYE CAMP

PART I.

The tiny lights that had been far scattered and intermittent as
fireflies all along the dark stream at last dropped out one by one,
leaving only the three windows of "Parks' Emporium" to pierce the
profoundly wooded banks of the South Fork. So all-pervading was the
darkness that the mere opening of the "Emporium" front door shot out an
illuminating shaft which revealed the whole length of the little main
street of "Buckeye," while the simple passing of a single figure before
one of the windows momentarily eclipsed a third of the settlement. This
undue pre-eminence given to the only three citizens of Buckeye who were
still up at ten o 'clock seemed to be hardly justified by their outward
appearance, which was that of ordinary long-bearded and long-booted
river bar miners. Two sat upon the counter with their hands upon their
knees, the third leaned beside the open window.

It was very quiet. The faint, far barking of a dog, or an occasional
subdued murmur from the river shallows, audible only when the wind rose
slightly, helped to intensify their solitude. So supreme had it become
that when the man at the window at last continued his conversation
meditatively, with his face towards it, he seemed to be taking all
Nature into his confidence.

"The worst thing about it is, that the only way we can keep her out of
the settlement is by the same illegal methods which we deplore in other
camps. We have always boasted that Buckeye could get along without
Vigilance Committees or Regulators."

"Yes, and that was because we started it on the principle of original
selection, which we are only proposing to continue," replied one of
the men on the counter. "So there's nothing wrong about our sending a
deputation to wait upon her, to protest against her settling here, and
give her our reasons."

"Yes, only it has all the impudence without the pluck of the Regulators.
You demand what you are afraid to enforce. Come, Parks, you know she has
all the rights on her side. Look at it squarely. She proposes to open
a store and sell liquor and