Mrs. Berryn's portrait.

"Mister, yer right," said he; "here's yer property, an' I'll apologize,
er drink, er fight--er apologize, _an_' drink, _an'_ fight, whichever is
yer style. Fust, however, ef ye'll drop that pistol, I'll drink myself,
considerin'--never mind. Denominate yer pizen, gentlemen," said he, as
the audience crowded to the bar.

"Buffle," whispered the barkeeper, who knew the great man by sight,
"he's a littler man than you."

"I know it, boss," replied Buffle, most brazenly. "He sez he don't
drink."

"Never saw him _here_ before--there, he's goin' out now," said the
barkeeper.

Buffle turned and dashed through the crowd; all who held glasses quickly
laid them down and followed.

"Stand back, the hull crowd uv yer," said Buffle; "this ain't no
fight--me an' the gentleman got private bizness." And, laying his hand
on Berryn's shoulder, he said, "What are yer doin' here, when yer know a
lady like that?"

"Suffering hell for abusing heaven,'" replied Berryn, passionately.

"Then why don't yer go back?" inquired Buffle.

"Because I've got no money; all luck has failed me ever since I left
home--shipwreck, hunger, poverty--"

"Come back a minute," interrupted Buffle. "I forgot to come down with
the dust for the drinks. Now I tell yer what--I want yer to go back to
my camp--I've got plenty uv gold, an' it's no good to me, only fur
gamblin' an' drinkin'; yer welcome to enough uv it to git yerself home,
an' git on yer feet when yer get thar."

Berryn looked doubtingly at him as they entered the saloon.

"P'r'aps somebody here ken tell this gentleman my name?" said Buffle.

"Buffle!" said several voices in chorus.

"Bully! Now, p'r'aps you same fellers ken tell him ef I'm a man uv my
word?"

"You bet," responded the same chorus.

"An' now, p'r'aps some uv yer'll sell me a good hoss, pervidin' yer
don't want him stole mighty sudden?"

Several men invited attention to their respective animals, tied near the
door. Promptly selecting one, paying for it, and settling with the
barkeeper, and mounting his own horse while Berryn mounted the new one,
the two men galloped away, leaving the bystanders lost in astonishment,
from which they only recovered after almost superhuman industry on the
part of the barkeeper.

* * * * *

One evening, when the daily labors and household cares of the Pat Pocket
Gulchites had ended, the residents of that quiet village were
congrega