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had　not　included　coroners'　inquests　in　its　experience；　in　giving

the　body　a　speedy　and　secure　burial　from　predatory　animals　he　did

what　one　frontiersman　would　do　for　anotherwhat　he　hoped　might　be

done　for　him。　　If　his　previous　unaccountable　feelings　returned

occasionally；　it　was　not　from　that；　but　rather　from　some　uneasiness

in　regard　to　his　late　guest's　possible　feelings；　and　a　regret　that

he　had　not　been　here　at　the　finding　of　the　body。　　That　it　would　in

some　way　have　explained　his　own　accident　he　did　not　doubt。



The　boat　did　not　〃slow　up〃　the　next　night；　but　passed　as　usual；　yet

three　or　four　days　elapsed　before　he　could　look　forward　to　its

coming　with　his　old　extravagant　and　half…exalted　curiositywhich

was　his　nearest　approach　to　imagination。　　He　was　then　able　to

examine　it　more　closely；　for　the　appearance　of　the　stranger　whom　he

now　began　to　call　〃his　friend〃　in　his　verbal　communings　with

himselfbut　whom　he　did　not　seem　destined　to　again　discover；　until

one　day；　to　his　astonishment；　a　couple　of　fine　horses　were　brought

to　his　clearing　by　a　stock…drover。　　They　had　been　〃ordered〃　to　be

left　there。　　in　vain　Morse　expostulated　and　questioned。



〃Your　name's　Martin　Morse；　ain't　it？〃　said　the　drover；　with

business　brusqueness；　〃and　I　reckon　there　ain't　no　other　man　o'

that　name　around　here？〃



〃No；〃　said　Morse。



〃Well；　then；　they're　YOURS。〃



〃But　who　sent　them？〃　insisted　Morse。　　〃What　was　his　name；　and　where

does　he　live？〃



〃I　didn't　know　ez　I　was　called　upon　to　give　the　pedigree　o'

buyers；〃　said　the　drover　dryly；　〃but　the　horses　is　'Morgan；'　you

can　bet　your　life。〃　　He　grinned　as　he　rode　away。



That　Captain　Jack　sent　them；　and　that　it　was　a　natural　prelude　to

his　again　visiting　him；　Morse　did　not　doubt；　and　for　a　few　days　he

lived　in　that　dream。　　But　Captain　Jack　did　not　come。　　The　animals

were　of　great　service　to　him　in　〃rounding　up〃　the　stock　he　now

easily　took　in　for　pasturage；　and　saved　him　the　necessity　of　having

a　partner　or　a　hired　man。　　The　idea　that　this　superior　gentleman　in

fine　clothes　might　ever　appear　to　him　in　the　former　capacity　had

even　flitted　through　his　brain；　but　he　had　rejected　it　with　a　sigh。

But　the　thought　that；　with　luck　and　industry；　he　himself　might；　in

course　of　time；　approximate　to　Captain　Jack's　evident　station；　DID

occur　to　him；　and　was　an　incentive　to　energy。　　Yet　it　was　quite

distinct　from　the　ordinary　working　man's　ambition　of　wealth　and

state。　　It　was　only　that　it　might　make　him　more　worthy　of　his

friend。　　The　great　world　was　still　as　it　had　appeared　to　him　in　the

passing　boata　thing　to　wonder　atto　be　aboveand　to　criticize。



For　all　that；　he　prospered　in　his　occupation。　　But　one　day　he　woke

with　listless　limbs　and　feet　that　scarcely　carried　him　through　his

daily　labors。　　At　night　his　listlessness　changed　to　active　pain　and

a　feverishness　that　seemed　to　impel　him　toward　the　fateful　river；

as　if　his　one　aim　in　life　was　to　drink　up　its　waters　and　bathe　in

its　yellow　stream。　　But　whenever　he　seemed　to　attempt　it；　strange

dreams　assailed　him　of　dead　bodies　arising　with　swollen　and

distorted　lips　to　touch　his　own　as　he　strove　to　drink；　or　of　his

mysterious　guest　battling　with　him　in　its　current；　and　driving　him

ashore。　　Again；　when　he　essayed　to　bathe　his　parched　and　crackling

limbs　in　its　flood；　he　would　be　confronted　with　the　dazzling　lights

of　the　motionless　steamboat　and　the　glare　of　stony　eyesuntil　he

fled　in　aimless　terror。　　How　long　this　lasted　he　knew　not；　until

one　morning　he　awoke　in　his　new　cabin　with　a　strange　man　sitting　by

his　bed　and　a　Negress　in　the　doorway。



〃You've　had　a　sharp　attack　of　'tule　fever；'〃　said　the　stranger；

dropping　Morse's　listless　wrist　and　answering　his　questioning　eyes；

〃but　you're　all　right　now；　and　will　pull　through。〃



〃Who　are　you？〃　stammered　Morse　feebly。



〃Dr。　Duchesne；　of　Sacramento。〃



〃How　did　you　come　here？〃



〃I　was　ordered　to　come　to　you　and　bring　a　nurse；　as　you　were　alone。

There　she　is。〃　　He　pointed　to　the　smiling　Negress。



〃WHO　ordered　you？〃



The　doctor　smiled　with　professional　tolerance。　　〃One　of　your

friends；　of　course。〃



〃But　what　was　his　name？〃



〃Really；　I　don't　remember。　　But　don't　distress　yourself。　　He　has

settled　for　everything　right　royally。　　You　have　only　to　get　strong

now。　　My　duty　is　ended；　and　I　can　safely　leave　you　with　the　nurse。

Only　when　you　are　strong　again；　I　sayand　HE　sayskeep　back

farther　from　the　river。〃



And　that　was　all　he　knew。　　For　even　the　nurse　who　attended　him

through　the　first　days　of　his　brief　convalescence　would　tell　him

nothing　more。　　He　quickly　got　rid　of　her　and　resumed　his　work；　for

a　new　and　strange　phase　of　his　simple；　childish　affection　for　his

benefactor；　partly　superinduced　by　his　illness；　was　affecting　him。

He　was　beginning　to　feel　the　pain　of　an　unequal　friendship；　he　was

dimly　conscious　that　his　mysterious　guest　was　only　coldly　returning

his　hospitality　and　benefits；　while　holding　aloof　from　any

association　with　himand　indicating　the　immeasurable　distance　that

separated　their　future　intercourse。　　He　had　withheld　any　kind

message　or　sympathetic　greeting；　he　had　kept　back　even　his　NAME。

The　shy；　proud；　ignorant　heart　of　the　frontiersman　swelled　beneath

the　fancied　slight；　which　left　him　helpless　alike　of　reproach　or

resentment。　　He　could　not　return　the　horses；　although　in　a　fit　of

childish　indignation　he　had　resolved　not　to　use　them；　he　could　not

reimburse　him　for　the　doctor's　bill；　although　he　had　sent　away　the

nurse。



He　took　a　foolish　satisfaction　in　not　moving　back　from　the　river；

with　a　faint　hope　that　his　ignoring　of　Captain　Jack's　advice　might

mysteriously　be　conveyed　to　him。　　He　even　thought　of　selling　out

his　location　and　abandoning　it；　that　he　might　escape　the　cold

surveillance　of　his　heartless　friend。　　All　this　was　undoubtedly

childishbut　there　is　an　irrepressible　simplicity　of　youth　in　all

deep　feeling；　and　the　worldly　inexperience　of　the　frontiersman　left

him　as　innocent　as　a　child。　　In　this　phase　of　his　unrequited

affection　he　even　went　so　far　as　to　seek　some　news　of　Captain　Jack

at　Sacramento；　and；　following　out　his　foolish　quest；　even　to　take

the　steamboat　from　thence　to　Stockton。



What　happened　to　him　then　was　perhaps　the　common　experience　of　such

natures。　　Once　upon　the　boat　the　illusion　of　the　great　world　it

contained　for　him　utterly　vanished。　　He　found　it　noisy；　formal；

insincere；　andhad　he　ever　understood　or　used　the　word　in　his

limited　vocabularyVULGAR。　　Rather；　perhaps；　it　seemed　to　him　that

the　prevailing　sentiment　and　action　of　those　who　frequented　itand

for　whom　it　was　builtwere　of　a　lower　grade　than　his　own。　　And；

strangely　enough；　this　gave　him　none　of　his　former　sense　of

critical　superiority；　but　only　of　his　own　utter　and　complete

isolation。　　He　wandered　in　his　rough　frontiersman's　clothes　from

deck　to　cabin；　from　airy　galleries　to　long　saloons；　alone；

unchallenged；　unrecognized；　as　if　he　were　again　haunting　it　only　in

spirit；　as　he　had　so　often　done　in　his　dreams。



His　presence　on　the　fringe　of　some　voluble　crowd　caused　no

interruption；　to　him　their　speech　was　almost　foreign　in　its

allusions　to　things　he　did　not　understand；　or；　worse；　seemed

inconsistent　with　their　eagerness　and　excitement。　　How　different

from　all　this　were　his　old　recollections　of　slowly　oncoming　teams；

uplifted　above　the　level　horizon　of　the　plains　in　his　former

wanderings；　the　few　sauntering　figures　that　met　him　as　man　to　man；

and　exchanged　the　chronicle　of　the　road；　the　record　of　Indian

tracks；　the　finding　of　a　spring；　the　discovery　of　pasturage；　with

the　lazy；　restful　hospitality　of　the　night！　　And　how　fierce　here

this　continual　struggle　for　dominance　and　existence；　even　in　this

lull　of　passage。　　For　above　all　and　through　all　he　was　conscious　of

the　feverish　haste　of　speed　and　exertion。



The　boat　trembled；　vibrated；　and　shook　with　every　stroke　of　the

ponderous　piston。　　The　laughter　of　the　crowd；　the　exchange　of

gossip　and　news；　the　banquet　at　the　long　table；　the　newspapers　and

books　in　the　reading…room；　even　the　luxurious　couches　in　the

staterooms；　were　all　dominated；　thrilled；　and　pulsating　with　the

perpetual　throb　of　the　demon　of　hurry　and　unrest。　　And　when　at　last

a　horrible　fascination　dragged　him　into　the　engine　room；　and　he　saw

the　cruel　relentless　machinery　at　work；　he　seemed　to　recognize　and

understand　some　intelligent　but　pitiless　Moloch；　who　was　dragging

this　feverish　world　at　its　heels。



Later　he　was　seated　in　a　corner　of　the　hurricane　deck；　whence　he

could　view　the　monotonous　banks　of　the　river；　yet；　perhaps　by

certain　signs　unobservable　to　others；　he　knew　he　was　approaching

his　own　locality。　　He　knew　that　his　cabin　and　clearing　would　be

undiscernible　behind　the　fringe　of　willows　on　the　bank；　but　he

already　distinguished　the　points　where　a　few　cottonwoods　struggled

into　a　promontory　of　lighter　foliage　beyond　them。　　Here　voices　fell

upon　his　ear；　and　he　was　suddenly　aware　that　two　men　had　lazily

crossed　over　from　the　other　side　of　the　boat；　and　were　standing

before　him　looking　upon　the　bank。



〃It　was　about　here；　I　reckon；〃　said　one；　listlessly；　as　if

continuing　a　previous　lagging　conversation；　〃that　it　must　have

happened。　　For　it　was　after　we　were　making　for　the　bend　we've　just

passed　that　the　deputy；　goin'　to　the　stateroom　below　us；　found　the

door　locked　and　the　window　open。　　But　both　menJack　Despard　and

Seth　Hall；　the　sheriffweren't　to　be　found。　　Not　a　trace　of　'em。

The　boat　was　searched；　but　all　for　nothing。　　The　idea　is　that　the

sheriff；　arter　getting　his　prisoner　comf'ble　in　the　stateroom；　took

off　Jack's　handcuffs　and　locked　the　door；　that　Jack；　who　was　mighty

desp'rate；　bolted　through　the　window　into　the　river；　and　the

sheriff；　who　was　no　slouch；　arter　him。　　Others　allowfor　the

chairs　and　things　was　all　tossed　about　in　the　stateroomthat　the

two　men　clinched　THAR；