The people at Mud Gulch knew the colonel well, and made it a rule never to be astonished at anything he did; but they made an exception to the rule when the colonel canvassed the principal bar-rooms for men who wished to purchase a horse; and when a gambler, who was flush, obtained Tipsie in exchange for twenty slugs—­only a thousand dollars, when the colonel had always said that there wasn’t gold enough on top of the ground to buy her—­Mud Gulch experienced a decided sensation.

One or two enterprising persons speedily discovered that the colonel was not in a communicative mood, so every one retired to his favorite saloon, and bet according to his own opinion of the colonel’s motives and actions.

But when the colonel, after remaining in a barber-shop for half an hour, emerged with his face clean shaven and his hair neatly trimmed and parted, betting was so wild that a cool-headed sporting man speedily made a fortune by betting against every theory that was advanced.

Then the colonel made a tour of the stores, and fitted himself to a new suit of clothes, carefully eschewing all of the generous patterns and pronounced colors so dear to the average miner.  He bought a new hat, put on a pair of boots, and pruned his finger-nails, and, stranger than all, he mildly but firmly declined all invitations to drink.

As the colonel stood in the door of the principal saloon, where the stage always stopped, the Challenge Hill constable was seen to approach the colonel, and tap him on the shoulder, upon which all men who had bet that the colonel was dodging somebody claimed the stakes.  But those who stood near the colonel heard the constable say: 

“Colonel, I take it all back, an’ I own up fair an’ square.  When I seed you git out of Challenge Hill, it come to me all of a sudden that you might be in the road-agent business, so I followed you—­duty, you know.  But after I seed you sell Tipsie, I knowed I was on the wrong trail.  I wouldn’t suspect you now if all the stages in the State was robbed; an’ I’ll give you satisfaction any way you want it.”

“It’s all right,” said the colonel, with a smile.  The constable afterward said that nobody had any idea of how curiously the colonel smiled when his beard was off.  “Give this fifty to Jim Perkins fust time yer see him?  I’m leavin’ the State.”

Suddenly the stage pulled up at the door with a crash, and the male passengers hurried into the saloon, in a state of utter indignation and impecuniosity.

The story of the robbery attracted everybody, and during the excitement the colonel slipped quietly out, and opened the door of the stage.  The old lady started, and cried: 

“George!”

And the colonel, jumping into the stage, and putting his arms tenderly about the trembling form of the old lady, exclaimed: 

“Mother!”

[Illustration:  THE OLD LADY CRIED, “GEORGE!” AND THE COLONEL EXCLAIMED, “MOTHER!”]