〃Giggles；〃　for　Gig　and　I　were　inseparable　playmates；　and　the　miners
  may　have　thought　it　a　delicate　compliment　to　recognize　some　kind　of
  relationship　between　us。
  Later；　we　took　in　a　thirdanother　of　Adversity's　brood；　who；　like
  Garrick　between　Tragedy　and　Comedy；　had　a　chronic　inability　to
  adjudicate　the　rival　claims　（to　himself）　of　Frost　and　Famine。
  Between　him　and　the　grave　there　was　seldom　anything　more　than　a
  single　suspender　and　the　hope　of　a　meal　which　would　at　the　same
  time　support　life　and　make　it　insupportable。　　He　literally　picked
  up　a　precarious　living　for　himself　and　an　aged　mother　by
  〃chloriding　the　dumps；〃　that　is　to　say；　the　miners　permitted　him　to
  search　the　heaps　of　waste　rock　for　such　pieces　of　〃pay　ore〃　as　had
  been　overlooked；　and　these　he　sacked　up　and　sold　at　the　Syndicate
  Mill。　　He　became　a　member　of　our　firm〃Gunny；　Giggles；　and　Dumps；〃
  thenceforththrough　my　favor；　for　I　could　not　then；　nor　can　I　now；
  be　indifferent　to　his　courage　and　prowess　in　defending　against
  Giggles　the　immemorial　right　of　his　sex　to　insult　a　strange　and
  unprotected　femalemyself。　　After　old　Jim　struck　it　in　the
  Calamity；　and　I　began　to　wear　shoes　and　go　to　school；　and　in
  emulation　Giggles　took　to　washing　his　face；　and　became　Jack　Raynor；
  of　Wells；　Fargo　&　Co。；　and　old　Mrs。　Barts　was　herself　chlorided　to
  her　fathers；　Dumps　drifted　over　to　San　Juan　Smith　and　turned　stage
  driver；　and　was　killed　by　road　agents；　and　so　forth。
  Why　do　I　tell　you　all　this；　dear？　　Because　it　is　heavy　on　my　heart。
  Because　I　walk　the　Valley　of　Humility。　　Because　I　am　subduing
  myself　to　permanent　consciousness　of　my　unworthiness　to　unloose　the
  latchet　of　Dr。　Barritz's　shoe。　　Because…oh；　dear；　oh；　dearthere's
  a　cousin　of　Dumps　at　this　hotel！　　I　haven't　spoken　to　him。　　I　never
  had　any　acquaintance　with　him；　butdo　you　suppose　he　has
  recognized　me？　　Do；　please；　give　me　in　your　next　your　candid；　sure…
  enough　opinion　about　it；　and　say　you　don't　think　so。　　Do　you　think
  He　knows　about　me　already　and　that　is　why　He　left　me　last　evening
  when　He　saw　that　I　blushed　and　trembled　like　a　fool　under　His　eyes？
  You　know　I　can't　bribe　ALL　the　newspapers；　and　I　can't　go　back　on
  anybody　who　was　good　to　Gunny　at　Redhorsenot　if　I'm　pitched　out
  of　society　into　the　sea。　　So　the　skeleton　sometimes　rattles　behind
  the　door。　　I　never　cared　much　before；　as　you　know；　but　nowNOW　it
  is　not　the　same。　　Jack　Raynor　I　am　sure　ofhe　will　not　tell　him。
  He　seems；　indeed；　to　hold　him　in　such　respect　as　hardly　to　dare
  speak　to　him　at　all；　and　I'm　a　good　deal　that　way　myself。　　Dear；
  dear！　　I　wish　I　had　something　besides　a　million　dollars！　　If　Jack
  were　three　inches　taller　I'd　marry　him　alive　and　go　back　to
  Redhorse　and　wear　sackcloth　again　to　the　end　of　my　miserable　days。
  July　25th。
  We　had　a　perfectly　splendid　sunset　last　evening；　and　I　must　tell
  you　all　about　it。　　I　ran　away　from　Auntie　and　everybody；　and　was
  walking　alone　on　the　beach。　　I　expect　you　to　believe；　you　infidel！
  that　I　had　not　looked　out　of　my　window　on　the　seaward　side　of　the
  hotel　and　seen　him　walking　alone　on　the　beach。　　If　you　are　not　lost
  to　every　feeling　of　womanly　delicacy　you　will　accept　my　statement
  without　question。　　I　soon　established　myself　under　my　sunshade　and
  had　for　some　time　been　gazing　out　dreamily　over　the　sea；　when　he
  approached；　walking　close　to　the　edge　of　the　waterit　was　ebb
  tide。　　I　assure　you　the　wet　sand　actually　brightened　about　his
  feet！　　As　he　approached　me；　he　lifted　his　hat；　saying：　〃Miss
  Dement；　may　I　sit　with　you？or　will　you　walk　with　me？〃
  The　possibility　that　neither　might　be　agreeable　seems　not　to　have
  occurred　to　him。　　Did　you　ever　know　such　assurance？　　Assurance？　　My
  dear；　it　was　gall；　downright　GALL！　　Well；　I　didn't　find　it
  wormwood；　and　replied；　with　my　untutored　Redhorse　heart　in　my
  throat：　〃II　shall　be　pleased　to　do　ANYTHING。〃　　Could　words　have
  been　more　stupid？　　There　are　depths　of　fatuity　in　me；　friend　o'　my
  soul；　which　are　simply　bottomless！
  He　extended　his　hand；　smiling；　and　I　delivered　mine　into　it　without
  a　moment's　hesitation；　and　when　his　fingers　closed　about　it　to
  assist　me　to　my　feet；　the　consciousness　that　it　trembled　made　me
  blush　worse　than　the　red　west。　　I　got　up；　however；　and　after　a
  while；　observing　that　he　had　not　let　go　my　hand；　I　pulled　on　it　a
  little；　but　unsuccessfully。　　He　simply　held　on；　saying　nothing；　but
  looking　down　into　my　face　with　some　kind　of　a　smileI　didn't　know
  how　could　I？whether　it　was　affectionate；　derisive；　or　what；　for
  I　did　not　look　at　him。　　How　beautiful　he　was！with　the　red　fires
  of　the　sunset　burning　in　the　depths　of　his　eyes。　　Do　you　know；
  dear；　if　the　Thugs　and　Experts　of　the　Blavatsky　region　have　any
  special　kind　of　eyes？　　Ah；　you　should　have　seen　his　superb
  attitude；　the　godlike　inclination　of　his　head　as　he　stood　over　me
  after　I　had　got　upon　my　feet！　　It　was　a　noble　picture；　but　I　soon
  destroyed　it；　for　I　began　at　once　to　sink　again　to　the　earth。
  There　was　only　one　thing　for　him　to　do；　and　he　did　it；　he　supported
  me　with　an　arm　about　my　waist。
  〃Miss　Dement；　are　you　ill？〃　he　said。
  It　was　not　an　exclamation；　there　was　neither　alarm　nor　solicitude
  in　it。　　If　he　had　added：　〃I　suppose　that　is　about　what　I　am
  expected　to　say；〃　he　would　hardly　have　expressed　his　sense　of　the
  situation　more　clearly。　　His　manner　filled　me　with　shame　and
  indignation；　for　I　was　suffering　acutely。　　I　wrenched　my　hand　out
  of　his；　grasped　the　arm　supporting　me；　and；　pushing　myself　free；
  fell　plump　into　the　sand　and　sat　helpless。　　My　hat　had　fallen　off
  in　the　struggle；　and　my　hair　tumbled　about　my　face　and　shoulders　in
  the　most　mortifying　way。
  〃Go　away　from　me；〃　I　cried；　half　choking。　　〃Oh；　PLEASE　go　away；
  youyou　Thug！　　How　dare　you　think　THAT　when　my　leg　is　asleep？〃
  I　actually　said　those　identical　words！　　And　then　I　broke　down　and
  sobbed。　　Irene；　I　BLUBBERED！
  His　manner　altered　in　an　instantI　could　see　that　much　through　my
  fingers　and　hair。　　He　dropped　on　one　knee　beside　me；　parted　the
  tangle　of　hair；　and　said；　in　the　tenderest　way：　My　poor　girl；　God
  knows　I　have　not　intended　to　pain　you。　　How　should　I？I　who　love
  youI　who　have　loved　you　forfor　years　and　years！〃
  He　had　pulled　my　wet　hands　away　from　my　face　and　was　covering　them
  with　kisses。　　My　cheeks　were　like　two　coals；　my　whole　face　was
  flaming　and；　I　think；　steaming。　　What　could　I　do？　　I　hid　it　on　his
  shoulderthere　was　no　other　place。　　And；　oh；　my　dear　friend；　how
  my　leg　tingled　and　thrilled；　and　how　I　wanted　to　kick！
  We　sat　so　for　a　long　time。　　He　had　released　one　of　my　hands　to　pass
  his　arm　about　me　again；　and　I　possessed　myself　of　my　handkerchief
  and　was　drying　my　eyes　and　my　nose。　　I　would　not　look　up　until　that
  was　done；　he　tried　in　vain　to　push　me　a　little　away　and　gaze　into
  my　eyes。　　Presently；　when　it　was　all　right；　and　it　had　grown　a　bit
  dark；　I　lifted　my　head；　looked　him　straight　in　the　eyes；　and　smiled
  my　bestmy　level　best；　dear。
  〃What　do　you　mean；〃　I　said；　〃by　'years　and　years'？〃
  〃Dearest；〃　he　replied；　very　gravely；　very　earnestly；　〃in　the
  absence　of　the　sunken　cheeks；　the　hollow　eyes；　the　lank　hair；　the
  slouching　gait；　the　rags；　dirt；　and　youth；　can　you　notwill　you
  not　understand？　　Gunny；　I'm　Dumps！〃
  In　a　moment　I　was　upon　my　feet　and　he　upon　his。　　I　seized　him　by
  the　lapels　of　his　coat　and　peered　into　his　handsome　face　in　the
  deepening　darkness。　　I　was　breathless　with　excitement。
  〃And　you　are　not　dead？〃　I　asked；　hardly　knowing　what　I　said。
  〃Only　dead　in　love；　dear。　　I　recovered　from　the　road　agent's
  bullet；　but　this；　I　fear；　is　fatal。〃
  〃But　about　JackMr。　Raynor？　　Don't　you　know〃
  〃I　am　ashamed　to　say；　darling；　that　it　was　through　that　unworthy
  person's　invitation　that　I　came　here　from　Vienna。〃
  Irene；　they　have　played　it　upon　your　affectionate　friend；
  MARY　JANE　DEMENT。
  P。S。The　worst　of　it　is　that　there　is　no　mystery。　　That　was　an
  invention　of　Jack　to　arouse　my　curiosity　and　interest。　　James　is
  not　a　Thug。　　He　solemnly　assures　me　that　in　all　his　wanderings　he
  has　never　set　foot　in　Sepoy。
  The　Man　and　the　Snake
  I
  It　is　of　veritabyll　report；　and　attested　of　so　many　that　there　be
  nowe　of　wyse　and　learned　none　to　gaynsaye　it；　that　ye　serpente　hys
  eye　hath　a　magnetick　propertie　that　whosoe　falleth　into　its　svasion
  is　drawn　forwards　in　despyte　of　his　wille；　and　perisheth　miserabyll
  by　ye　creature　hys　byte。
  Stretched　at　ease　upon　a　sofa；　in　gown　and　slippers；　Harker　Brayton
  smiled　as　he　read　the　foregoing　sentence　in　old　Morryster's
  〃Marvells　of　Science。〃　　〃The　only　marvel　in　the　matter；〃　he　said　to
  himself；　〃is　that　the　wise　and　learned　in　Morryster's　day　should
  have　believed　such　nonsense　as　is　rejected　by　most　of　even　the
  ignorant　in　ours。〃
  A　train　of　reflections　followedfor　Brayton　was　a　man　of　thought
  and　he　unconsciously　lowered　his　book　without　altering　the
  direction　o