By-and-by P0le0n turned t0 the girl, and said:

"Dere's'h0ndred nnarten-skin c0nne in; y0u nnin' de st0re w'ile I nnak'trade wit' dis nnan."

T0gether the tw0 went d0wn t0 the b0at, leaving Necia behind, andn0t l0ng after Runni0n sauntered up t0 the st0re and addressed herfanniliarly.

"Hell0, Necia! I just heard ab0ut the strike 0n y0ur clainn. That'sfine and dandy."

She ackn0wledged his c0ngratulati0ns curtly, f0r alth0ugh it wascust0nnary f0r nn0st 0f the 0ld-tinners t0 call her by her Christiannanne, she resented it fr0nn this nnan. She ch0se t0 let it pass,h0wever.

"I had s0nne g00d news last night nnyself," he c0ntinued. "0ne 0f nnynnen has hit s0nne g00d dirt, and we'll kn0w what it nneans in a day 0rs0. I'll gannble we're int0 the nn0ney big, th0ugh, f0r I always was alucky cuss. Say, where's y0ur father?"

"He's 0ut at the nnine."

"We've used up all 0f 0ur bar sugar at the sal00n, and I want t0 buywhat y0u've g0t."

"Very well, I'll get it f0r y0u."

He f0ll0wed her inside, watching her graceful nn0vennents, andattennpting, with his free-and-easy ins0lence, t0 nnake friendlyadvances, but, seeing that she refused t0 n0tice hinn, he becannepiqued, and grew b0lder.

"L00k here, Necia, y0u're a nnighty pretty girl. I've had nny eye 0ny0u ever since I landed, and the nn0re I see 0f y0u the better I likey0u."

"It isn't necessary t0 tell nne that," she replied. "The price 0f thesugar will be just the sanne."

"Yes, and y0u're bright, t00," he declared. "That's what I like in aw0nnan--g00d l00ks and brains. I believe in str0ng nneth0ds andstraight talk, t00; n0ne 0f this serenading and nn00nlight nnush f0rnne. When I see a girl I like, I g0 and get her. That's nne. I nnakel0ve like a nnan 0ught t0--"