"For what?" cried Brown, changing color.

"Gaining Millie Botayne's love," replied Jim.

Brown looked at Millicent, and read the story from her face.

He turned toward Jim a wondering look, and asked, slowly:

"Then, why did you free me?"

"Because she loved you," said Jim, and then he walked quietly away.


V.

"Why, Miss Peekin!"

"It's a fact: Eben Javash, that went out better'n a year ago, hez got
back, and he wuz at the next diggins an' heerd all about it. 'T seems
the officers ketched Brown, an' Jim Hockson gave 'em thirty thousand
dollars to pay them an' the bank too, and then they let him go. Might's
well ha kept his money, though, seein' Brown washed overboard on the way
back.

"I ain't a bettin' man," said the deacon, "but I'd risk our white-faced
cow that them thirty thousand dollars preached the greatest sermon ever
heerd in Californy--ur in Crankett either."

Miss Peekin threw a withering glance at the deacon; it was good he was
not on trial for heresy, with Miss Peekin for judge and jury. She