exceedingly sponged out as to color, and exceedingly profane. It
appeared that there was, indeed, a tree that had fallen in the
"run," but that, far from diverting the overflow into the pit, it had
established "back water," which had forced another outlet. All this
might have been detected at once by any human intellect not distracted
by correspondence with strangers, and enfeebled by habitually scorning
the intellect of its own progenitor. This reckless selfishness had
further only resulted in giving "rheumatics" to that progenitor, who now
required the external administration of opodeldoc to his limbs, and the
internal administration of whiskey. Having thus spoken, Mr. Fairley,
with great promptitude and infantine simplicity, at once bared two legs
of entirely different colors and mutely waited for his daughter to
rub them. If Flip did this all unconsciously, and with the mechanical
dexterity of previous habit, it was because she did not quite understand
the savage eyes and impatient gestures of Lance in his encompassing wig
and blanket, and because it helped her to voice her thought.

"Ye'll never be able to take yer watch at the diamond pit to-night,
Dad," she said; "and I've been reck'nin' you might set the squaw there
instead. I can show her what to do."

But to Flip's momentary discomfiture, her father promptly objected.
"Mebbee I've got suthin' else for her to do. Mebbee I may have my
secrets, too--eh?" he said, with dark significance, at the same time
administering a significant nudge to Lance, which kept up the young
man's exasperation. "No, she'll rest yer a bit just now. I'll set her to
watchin' suthin' else, like as not, when I want her." Flip fell into one
of her suggestive silences. Lance watched her earnestly, mollified by a
single furtive glance from her significant eyes; the rain dashed against
the windows, and occasionally spattered and hissed in the hearth of the