“I shouldn’t guess it was the liveliest place in the world, by the look of it,” said Red.  “And as far as that’s concerned, I kinder don’t know what to say myself.  There’s such a heap to talk about it’s hard to tell where to begin—­but we’ve got to be friends though, Mattie—­we’ve just got to be friends.  Good Lord!  We’re all there’s left!  Funny, I never thought of such a thing!  Well, blast it!  That’s enough of such talk!  I’ve brought you a present, Mattie.”  He stretched out a leg that reached beyond the limits of the front porch, and dove into his trousers pocket, bringing out a buck-skin sack.  He fumbled at the knot a minute and then passed it over saying, “You untie it—­your fingers are soopler than mine,” Miss Mattie’s fingers were shaking, but the knots finally came undone, and from the sack she brought forth a chain of rich, dull yellow lumps, fashioned into a necklace.  It weighed a pound.  She spread it out and looked at it astounded.  “Gracious, Will!  Is that gold?” she asked.

“That’s what,” he replied.  “The real article, just as it came out of the ground:  I dug it myself.  That’s the reason I’m here.  I’d never got money enough to go anywheres further than a horse could carry me if I hadn’t taken a fly at placer mining and hit her to beat h—­er—­the very mischief.”

Miss Mattie looked first at the barbaric, splendid necklace and then at the barbaric, splendid man.  Things grew confused before her in trying to realise that it was real.  What two planets so separated in their orbits as her world and his?  She had the imagination that is usually lacking in small communities, and the feeling of a fairy story come true, possessed her.

“And now, Mattie,” said he, “I don’t know what’s manners in this part of the country, but I’ll make free enough on the cousin part of it to tell you that I could look at some supper without flinching.  I’ve walked a heap to-day, and I ain’t used to walking.”

Miss Mattie sprang up, herself again at the chance to offer hospitality.

“Why, you poor man!” said she.  “Of course you’re starved!  It must be nearly eight o’clock!  I almost forget about eating, living here alone.  You shall have supper directly.  Will you come in or sit a spell outside?”

“Reckon I’ll come in,” said Red.  “Don’t want to lose sight of you now that I’ve found you.”

It was some time since Miss Mattie had felt that anyone had cared enough for her not to want to lose sight of her, and a delicate warm bloom went over her cheeks.  She hurried into the little kitchen.

“Mattie!” called Red.

“What is it, Will?” she answered, coming to the door.

“Can I smoke in this little house?”

“Cer—­tainly!  Sit right down and make yourself comfortable.  Don’t you remember what a smoker father was?”

Red tried the different chairs with his hand.  They were not a stalwart lot.  Finally he spied the home-made rocker in the corner.  “There’s the lad for me,” he said, drawing it out.  “Got to be kinder careful how you throw two-hundred-fifty pounds around.”