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IsawtheSoutherner’shandgriphishatashewasturningitround。Hehelditstillnow，andhisotherhandfounditandgraduallycrumpledthesoftcrownin。Itmeanteverythingtohim:
recognition，higherstation，betterfortune，aseparatehouseofhisown，and——perhaps——onestepnearertothewomanhewanted。I
don’tknowwhatwordshemighthavesaidtotheJudgehadtheybeenalone，buttheJudgehadchosentodoitinourpresence，thewholethingfrombeginningtoend。TheVirginiansatwiththedampcomingoutonhisforehead，andhiseyesdroppedfromhisemployer’s。
“Thankyu’，“waswhathemanagedatlasttosay。
“Well，now，I’mgreatlyrelieved！“exclaimedtheJudge，risingatonce。Hespokewithhaste，andlightly。“That’sexcellent。Iwasinsomethingofahole，“hesaidtoOgdenandme；“andthisgivesmeonethinglesstothinkof。Savesmealotofparticulars，“hejocoselyaddedtotheVirginian，whowasnowalsostandingup。“Beginrightoff。Leavethebunkhouse。Thegentlemenwon’tmindyoursleepinginyourownhouse。“
Thushedismissedhisnewforemangayly。Butthenewforeman，whenhegotoutside，turnedbackforonegruffword，——“I’lltrytopleaseyu’。“Thatwasall。Hewasgoneinthedarkness。Buttherewaslightenoughforme，lookingafterhim，toseehimlayhishandonashoulder-highgateandvaultitasifhehadbeenthewind。Soundsofcheeringcametousafewmomentslaterfromthebunkhouse。Evidentlyhehad“begunrightaway，“astheJudgehaddirected。Hehadtoldhisfortunetohisbrothercow-punchers，andthiswastheiranswer。
“IwonderifTrampasisshoutingtoo？“inquiredOgden。
“Hm！“saidtheJudge。“ThatisoneoftheparticularsIwashmyhandsof。“
Iknewthatheentirelymeantit。Iknew，oncehisdecisiontakenofappointingtheVirginianhislieutenantforgoodandall，that，likeawisecommander-in-chief，hewouldtrusthislieutenanttotakecareofhisownbusiness。
“Well，“Ogdenpursuedwithinterest，“haven’tyoulandedTrampasplumpathismercy？“
ThephrasetickledtheJudge。“ThatiswhereI’velandedhim！“hedeclared。“AndhereisDr。MacBride。“
Thundersatimminentuponthemissionary’sbrow。Manyweretobeathismercysoon。Butforushehadsunshinestill。“Iamtrulysorrytobeturningyouupsidedown，“hesaidimportantly。“Butitseemsthebestplaceformyservice。“Hespokeofthetablespushedbackandthechairsgatheredinthehall，wherethestormwouldpresentlybreakuponthecongregation。“Eight-thirty？heinquired。
Thiswasthehourappointed，anditwasonlytwentyminutesoff。
Wethrewtheunsmokedfractionsofourcigarsaway，andreturnedtoofferourservicestotheladies。Thisamusedtheladies。Theyhaddonewithoutus。Allwasreadyinthehall。
“Wegotthecooktohelpus，“Mrs。Ogdentoldme，“soasnottodisturbyourcigars。Inspiteofthecow-boys，Istillrecognizemyowncountry。“
“Inthecook？“Iratherdenselyasked。
“Oh，no！Idon’thaveaChinaman。It’sinthelengthofafter-dinnercigars。“
“Hadyoubeensmoking，“Ireturned，“youwouldhavefoundthemshortthisevening。“
“Youmakeitworse，“saidthelady；“wehavehadnothingbutDr。
MacBride。“
We’llsharehimwithyounow，“Iexclaimed。“Hasheannouncedhistext？I’vegotoneforhint，“saidMollyWood，joiningus。Shestoodontiptoeandspokeitcomicallyinourears。“’Isaidinmyhaste，Allmenareliars。’“Thismadeusmerryaswestoodamongthechairsinthecongestedhall。
Ilefttheladies，andsoughtthebunkhouse。Ihadheardthecheers，butIwascuriousalsotoseethemen，andhowtheyweretakingit。Therewasbutlittlefortheeye。Therewasmuchnoiseintheroom。Theyweregettingreadytocometochurch，——brushingtheirhair，shaving，andmakingthemselvesclean，amidtalkoccasionallyprofaneandcontinuouslydiverting。
“Well，I’maChristian，anyway，“onedeclared。
“I’maMormon，Iguess，“saidanother。
“IbelongtotheKnightsofPythias，“saidathird。
“I’maMohammedist，“saidafourth；“IhopeIain’tgoin’tohearnothin’toshockme。“
Andtheywentonwiththeirjoking。ButTrampaswasoutofthejoking。Helayonhi
