state of his system, which--er--failed to--er--respond to the peculiar
qualities of the medicine, was most becoming to him as a man of honor
and a gentleman. After an hour's delay, both principals being completely
exhausted, and abandoned by the surgeon, who was unreasonably alarmed
at his own condition, Mr. Hawkins and I agreed to remove our men to
Markleville. There, after a further consultation with Mr. Hawkins, an
amicable adjustment of all difficulties, honorable to both parties,
and governed by profound secrecy, was arranged. I believe," added the
colonel, looking around, and setting down his glass, "no gentleman has
yet expressed himself other than satisfied with the result."

Perhaps it was the colonel's manner; but, whatever was the opinion of
Five Forks regarding the intellectual display of Mr. Hawkins in this
affair, there was very little outspoken criticism at the moment. In a
few weeks the whole thing was forgotten, except as part of the necessary
record of Hawkins's blunders, which was already a pretty full one.
Again, some later follies conspired to obliterate the past, until, a
year later, a valuable lead was discovered in the "Blazing Star" tunnel,
in the hill where he lived; and a large sum was offered him for a
portion of his land on the hilltop. Accustomed as Five Forks had become
to the exhibition of his folly, it was with astonishment that they
learned that he resolutely and decidedly refused the offer. The reason
that he gave was still more astounding,--he was about to build.

To build a house upon property available for mining-purposes was
preposterous; to build at all, with a roof already covering him, was
an act of extravagance; to build a house of the style he proposed was
simply madness.

Yet here were facts. The plans were made, and the lumber for the new