"That feller Toledo's dead in love with yer--uv course you know it,
though 'tain't likely he's told yer.' All I want to say 'bout him is,
drop him kindly. He's been took so bad sence you come, that he's stopped
drinkin' an' chewin' an' smokin' an' cussin', an' he hasn't played a
game at The Nugget sence the first singin'-school night. Mebbe this all
ain't much to you, but you've read 'bout that woman that was spoke well
uv fur doin' what she could. He's the fust feller I've ever seen in the
diggin's that went back on all the comforts uv life, an'--an' I've been
a young man myself, an' know how big a claim it's been fur him to work.
I ain't got the heart to see him spiled now; but he _will_ be ef, when
yer hev to drop him, yer don't do it kindly. An'--just one thing
more--the quicker he's out of his misery the better."

The old jail-bird screwed a tear out of his eye with a dirty knuckle,
and departed abruptly, leaving the little teacher just about ready to
cry herself.

But before she was quite ready, another knock startled her.

She opened the door, and let in Toledo himself.

"Good-evin', marm," said he, gravely. "I just come in to make my last
'fficial call, seein' I'm goin' away to-morrer. Ez there anything the
schoolhouse wants I ken git an' send from 'Frisco?"

"Going away!" ejaculated the teacher, heedless of the remainder of
Toledo's sentence.

"Yes, marm; goin' away fur good. Fact is, I've been tryin' to behave
myself lately, an' I find I need more company at it than I git about the