“Who says so?” laughed Handsome Harry.

“My foppish friend,” spoke up The Senator, “the reputation of Grizzley Bob says so.  A reputation that is the terror and admiration of every mining camp in the mountains.  A dead shot, a sure thing with the knife, a heart to succor the oppressed and often to protect the shiftless,” acridly.

“I thank you, Senator!  Your species of implication is worthy the splendor of your mighty apparel.  The old swallow-tail retains its pristine glory, I perceive, though your other habiliments have one by one yielded to the ravages of time, and been replaced by the rough and ready garments of the frontier.  Perchance — "

“Hall, have I got to make you let go of this pore devil!” Bob’s powerful figure came forward into the full light of the huge fireplace.  One-half the face above the comely form was hideously repulsive.  It had been literally torn away and what remained was so scarred and seamed that it scarcely bore any resemblance to a human countenance.

His one remaining eye was large, dark and glowing with kindness as he bent over the victim of his partner’s latest joke.

“Ye-ah,” drawled old Doc Smithers, precipitating a large mouthful of brown liquid into the fireplace.  “Bob, he’ll pet ‘im, an’ that ol’ bulldog o’ his’n ‘ull lick im, an’ next thing we know Bob’ll be givin’ ‘im a claim, just like he took in Handsome Harry hisself goin’ on two years ago.  Look at the dandy, struttin’!  Bob buys ’im all them fancy togs an’ loves to see ‘im wearin’ ’em.  White hands, an’ red cheeks, an’ straight nose like a gal.  Swan, ef he wasn’t so ornery an’ long-limbed I’d a mind to call ’im one.  Ef ‘twant for his hidin’ behind Bob so, I’d — "

What he’d have done was never known, for the whole room-full of prankish, loud-voiced, roistering men was suddenly struck dumb by the unwonted sound of a lady’s voice out in the darkness.

Bull-doze reached her first, Bob next, and Handsome Harry third.  She was only a slip of a young thing and the fright she got from the kindly rush of the old bulldog was immeasurably increased by Bob’s frightful caricature of a face.  She turned, shuddering, to the handsome, richly-decked young Englishman.

“My father and mother, sir, are very ill.  I was going after a doctor, but I am tired out.  I can go no further.  Oh, could one of you go on to Angel’s, whilst I rest with some lady of your town?”

Harry was apparently speechless from the thrall of her fresh young beauty, because it was Bob who answered.

“You certainly can, Miss!  Grizzley Bob’s word on that.  Where’d you come from?”

“From Roundtree’s, sir,” timidly.  Bob had turned to call orders through the open door and the girl gasped as the strong, manly profile of the unscarred half of his face was turned toward her.  Bull-doze licked her white fingers, and she stooped to pat his ugly head so that the long curls at her temple might hide her face from the look in Hal’s bold eyes.