a time in a cabin that he built.  He thought that he could be happy with nature, an’ find comfort fer his great heart-ache in the loneliness of the wild.  But he soon found out his mistake.  He needed human companionship more’n he could git from his little child.  After a while he jined himself to a band of Injuns, became their leader, an’ ruled ’em with a strong hand.  Fer a time this gave him some comfort, an’ he believed that sich a life was all that he could desire.  He had his books, an’ when he wished he could talk with the natives, whose lingo he soon larned.”

Samson paused and gazed for a few minutes steadfastly into the fire.  Reynolds had listened to every word and he could not tolerate the least delay.  A startling thought had come suddenly into his mind which stirred him to a high pitch of excitement.

“Go on,” he ordered.  “Finish your story.”

Samson aroused from his reverie, and looked keenly into the young man’s eager eyes.

“Whar was I?” he asked.  “Oh, yes, I remember.  It was jist whar Redmond had settled down among the Injuns.  Me mind was wanderin’ a bit, due, no doubt, to old age.  Well, Redmond tried to find peace an’ contentment in the little village.  From the loopholes of retreat he did watch the ways of civilization, an’ the more he watched, the more dissatisfied he became.  He longed fer the companionship of people of his own kind, fer between him an’ the Injuns thar was too wide a gap.  He needed the company of white people, an’ that he did not have.  He did not care to visit the outside world fer fear of bein’ recognized.  Then something happened which made a great change.”

“What was it?” Glen eagerly asked, for she, too, was intensely interested.

“It was the discovery of gold in the very region whar Redmond thought he was secure from all contact with civilized life.  The miners flocked into the place, pokin’ their noses into every hole an’ corner, until Redmond found it necessary to keep them at arm’s length an’ at the same time strike terror into their hearts, that he might protect his Injuns from their evil influence.”

“Why, that’s just like daddy,” Glen remarked.  “He won’t allow the miners to come to Glen West.”

“Sure, sure.  Any man would have done the same as Redmond did.  Thar was nuthin’ else fer him to do.  But after the miners came, he had a great longin’ to meet ’em, an’ talk to ’em in a friendly way.  At first he didn’t know how to manage this without bein’ found out.  But by a lucky chance he came across an old Injun, who had once been a great medicine-man, an’ was a mighty good hand at makin’ disguises.  So he fixed up Redmond in sich a way that no one could tell but what he was a real old sourdough prospector who had spent most of his life lookin’ fer gold.”

A half suppressed exclamation from Reynolds caused Samson to turn quickly in his direction.

“Hey, anything wrong?” he asked.  “Ye seem to be somewhat excited.  Nuthin’ serious, I hope?”