“I seed you again, to-night, with Bill Shuter’s daughter,” began Joe at last, breaking a silence that had begun to grow painful to him.

The reference to the girl caused a flush to steal over Harry’s face, and he said, as he sat down by the big fellow’s side, “You are very good, old fellow, to take the interest you do in me.  I should have been in a queer way now had it not been for you; yet, old chap, I cannot bring myself to believe that Nellie Shuter and her father are as bad as you have hinted several times.”  As he concluded he walked to the opening of the tent and looked out:  it was still raining heavily.  “I guess, Joe,” he went on awkwardly, without turning, “that I shall take a run over to Shuter’s store for a little while.”

“I’d like to say a few words to you before you go.”

Harry turned good-humoredly, and sat down on the bench again.

Covering his companion’s knee with his great hand, Joe said gravely, as he looked down into his face:  “I’ve not had much edication, as you know, Harry; but I’ve larned a mighty lot that schools don’t teach, and one thing that I’ve got a mighty good hold of is sizin’ up people, and if ever I met a bad egg Bill Shuter’s one.  You must know something about him yourself by this time, for he got you to gamble, and he’s well-nigh won all you’ve made since you came to camp.  If he’d won it fairly it’d been bad enough—­seein’ you were a greenhorn—­but in my heart I believe he cheats you.  I’ve tried to catch him at it, but he’s too mighty sharp.”

Joe’s sombre countenance and equally sombre words were more than Harry could stand, and leaning his head against the giant’s shoulder, he laughed incredulously.

“I happen to know,” Joe went on doggedly, when his companion’s laughter had died away, “that you don’t gamble because you love it; but to please his daughter Nellie, who”—­his remarks were interrupted by Harry springing to his feet and nervously pacing the tent.

But Joe had warmed up to his subject, and was not to be stopped; “As I said,” he went on, “you gamble only to please his daughter, who is in league with her father.  I’ve heard that she’s told others, that are as sweet on her as you, that the best way to keep the old wolf quiet, and allow her to be courted, is to gamble with him.  I tell you, Harry, that she’s foolin’ you, and that in truth she’s as bad as he is, and—­”

The interruption this time was effective enough:  “It’s cowardly of you, Joe Swan, to speak of her like that.”  Harry’s eyes were gleaming with anger.  “You are presuming on the kindnesses you have done me,” he went on, halting in front of him, “and if her father and a few of his friends had been here, you would not have dared to speak in that manner.  You know I love Nellie Shuter, and nothing you can say will make me break with her.”

With this he almost ran out of the tent, leaving Joe dragging at his heavy blonde moustache and gazing at the patches in the canvas tent.