bridge. He had the wide, mobile mouth of the born comedian, and his chin
was as much to the right as his nose was to the left. He was extremely
light and slender in figure and his movements were like quicksilver. His
hair was black and straight and long, especially over the ears, and he
had long, slender, delicate hands, which one noticed at once for their
uncommon flexibility and deftness.

"Supper ready?" asked Gallito, without other greeting.

"Now," replied the other man. He began lifting the food he had been
preparing from the pans, arranging it on various dishes and slipping
them upon the table with a rapidity and noiselessness which suggested
sleight of hand.

Gallito gave a brief nod and advanced toward the two women, bowing low
with Spanish courtesy. A smile, a blending of pleasure and amusement,
softened his grim mouth and keen eyes as he shook hands with one, whom
he introduced to his daughter as Mrs. Nitschkan. About medium height,
she was a powerfully built creature, her open flannel shirt disclosing
the great muscles of her neck and chest. Rings of short, curly brown
hair covered her round head; and small, twinkling blue eyes shone oddly
bright in her deeply tanned face, while her frequent smile displayed
small, milk-white teeth. A short, weather-stained skirt showed her
miner's boots and a man's coat was thrown over her shoulders. A bold,
freebooting Amazon she appeared, standing there in the fire-glow, and
one to whom hardihood was a birth-right.

The other woman towered above her and even above Gallito. She was a
colossal Venus, with a face pink and white as a may-blossom. Tremulous
smiles played about her soft, babyish mouth and a joyous excitement