dvanced.
But the boys at Quicksilver were not so thoughtful of Chestnut's
interests as they might have been. They began to buy blacking and
neckties and white shirts, and to patronize the barber.

No one had any opportunity for love-making, for the lady's working hours
were all spent in public, and in a business which caused frequent
interruptions of even the most agreeable conversation.

It soon became understood that certain men had proposed and been
declined, and betting on who would finally capture the lady was the most
popular excitement in camp.

Cool-headed betting men watched closely the countenance of Sunrise (as
some effusive miner had named the new cashier) as each man approached to
pay in his coin or dust, and though they were intensely disgusted by its
revelations, they unhesitatingly offered two to one that Dominie would
be the fortunate man.

To be sure, she saw less of the Dominie than of any one else, for,
though he did not drink, or pay for the liquor consumed by any one else,
he occasionally came in to get a large coin changed, and then it was
noticed that Sunrise regarded him with a sort of earnestness which she
never exhibited toward any one else.

"Too bad!" sighed Cairo Jake. "Somebody ort to tell her that he's only a
preacher, an' she'll only throw herself away ef she takes him. Ef any
stranger wuz to insult her, Dominie wouldn't be man 'nuff to draw on
him."

"Beats thunder, though!" sighed Redbank, "how them preachers kin take
folks in. Thar's Chestnut himself, _he's_ took with Dominie--'stead of
orderin' him out, he talks with him an' her just ez ef he'd as lieve get
rid of her as not."

[Illustration: TOM WALKED RAPIDLY TO THE CASHIER'S DESK, AND GAVE
SUNRISE SEVERAL HEARTY KISSES.]

"Boat's a-comin'!" shouted Cairo Jake, looking toward the place, half a
mile below, where the creek emptied into the river. "See her smoke? Like
'nuff Tom Chafflin's on board. He wuz a-goin' to try to come back by the
first boat, an' of course he's done it--jest his luck. Ef he'd only come
sooner, somebody besides the preacher would hev got her--you kin just
bet your bottom ounce on it. Let's go down an' see ef he's got any
news."

Several miners dropped tools and pans, and followed Jake to the landing,
and gave a hearty welcome to Tom Chafflin.

He certainly looked like anything but a lucky man; he was good-looking,
and seemed smart, but his face wore a dismal expression, which seemed
decidedly out