, snatched at it and turned it over. Mr.
Putchett's arm suddenly moved; his hand grasped the shell and carried it
toward his lips; his eyes opened for a moment and fell upon the officer,
at the sight of whom Mr. Putchett shivered and closed his eyes again.

"That chill's a bad sign," muttered the captain.

Mr. Putchett's eyes opened once more, and sought little Alice; his face
broke into a faint smile, and she stooped and kissed him. The smile on
his face grew brighter for an instant, then he closed his eyes and
quietly carried the case up to a Court of Final Appeals, before which
the officer showed no desire to give evidence.

Mr. Putchett was buried the next day, and most of the people in the
neighborhood were invited to the funeral. The story went rapidly about
the neighborhood, and in consequence there were present at the funeral a
number of uninvited persons: among these were the cook, bar-keeper and
hostler of the hotel, who stood uncomfortably a little way from the
house until the procession started, when they followed at a respectful
distance in the rear.

When the grave was reached, those who dug it--who were also of those who
carried the bier--were surprised to find the bottom of the coffin-box
strewn and hidden with wild flowers and scraps of evergreen.

The service of the Church of England was read, and as the words, "Ashes
to ashes; dust to dust," were repeated, a bouquet of wild flowers was
tossed over the heads of the mourners and into the grave. Mrs. Blough,
though deeply affected by the services, looked quickly back to see who
was the giver, and saw the officer (who had not been seen before that
day) with such an embarrassed countenance as to leave no room for doubt.
He left before daylight next morning, to catch a very early train: but
persons passing the old graveyard that day beheld on Putchett's grave a
handsome bush of white roses, which bush old Mrs. Gale, living near the
hotel, declared was a darling pot-plant which had been purchased of her
on the previous evening by an ill-favored man who declared he _must_
have it, no matter how much he paid for it.

[Illustration]

THE MEANEST MAN AT BLUGSEY'S.

To miners, whose gold-fever had not reached a ridiculous degree of heat,
Blugsey's was certainly a very satisfactory location. The dirt was rich,
the river ran dry, there was plenty of standing-room on the banks, which
were devoid of rocks, the storekeeper dealt strictly on the square,