conversation, asking all the questions herself, yet bearing throughout
a frankness that rejected the idea of any concealment on her own part,
so that we talked of ourselves, of our prospects, of the journey, of
the weather, of each other,--of everything but our host and hostess.
It must be confessed that Miggles's conversation was never elegant,
rarely grammatical, and that at times she employed expletives the use
of which had generally been yielded to our sex. But they were
delivered with such a lighting up of teeth and eyes, and were usually
followed by a laugh--a laugh peculiar to Miggles--so frank and honest
that it seemed to clear the moral atmosphere.

Once during the meal we heard a noise like the rubbing of a heavy body
against the outer walls of the house. This was shortly followed by a
scratching and sniffling at the door. "That's Joaquin," said Miggles,
in reply to our questioning glances; "would you like to see him?"
Before we could answer she had opened the door, and disclosed a half-
grown grizzly, who instantly raised himself on his haunches, with his
fore paws hanging down in the popular attitude of mendicancy, and
looked admiringly at Miggles, with a very singular resemblance in his
manner to Tuba Bill. "That's my watch-dog," said Miggles, in
explanation. "Oh, he don't bite," she added, as the two lady
passengers fluttered into a corner. "Does he, old Toppy?" (the latter
remark being addressed directly to the sagacious Joaquin). "I tell you
what, boys," continued Miggles, after she had fed and closed the door
on Ursa Minor, "you were in big luck that Joaquin wasn't hanging round
when you dropped in to-night."

"Where was he?" asked the Judge.

"With me," said Miggles. "Lord love you! he trots round with me nights