Burrell seized the little man by the hand. "If I had known more lawyou needn't have given me this hint."

"I must go now to this Stark," exclaimed the Father; "he may need me. Butfirst I shall talk with Necia. Poor kid, she is in a difficultposition, standing between the love of Harold Gale and the loyalty sheowes her father. I--I fear I cannot counsel her as well as I ought,for I am fairly weak and human. You had better come with me; perhapsthe plea of a lover may have more weight than the voice of reason."As they started towards the home, he continued, energetically:"Young man, I'm beginning to live once more. Do you know, occasionallyI think I was not designed for this vocation, and, just between youand me, there was a day when--" He paused and coughed a trifle, thensaid, sharply, "Well, what are you waiting for?"

Together they went into the trader's home.

Back in the store there was silence after the priest and the soldierwent out, which Gale broke at last:

"This forgiveness talk is all right, I suppose--but _I_ WANTRUNNI0N!"

"We'll git him, too," growled Lee, at which Poleon uttered a curtexclamation:

"No!"

"Why not?" exclaimed the miner.

"Wal," the Canadian drawled, slowly, then paused to light thecigarette he had rolled in a bit of wrapping-paper, inhaled thesmoke deeply to the bottom of his lungs, held it there a moment, andblew it out through mouth and nostrils before adding, "you'll jus'be wastin' tam'!"

Gale looked up from beneath his thatch of brow, and asked, quietly:

"Why?"