but just to live with Jack always.  He makes every one do what he likes because they love him and they are afraid of him too.  Old Mackenzie would let him walk over his body.  There is only one thing, and I don’t like to speak of it, and I would not to any one else, but it makes me sore in my heart.  When Jack and Old Mackenzie go to the Crossing, they bring back whiskey, and until it is done they have a terrible time.  You know, I don’t mind seeing the Galicians drink whiskey and beer.  I drink it myself now and then.  But Jack and old Mackenzie just sit down and drink and drink, and afterwards I know Jack feels very bad.  Once we went here to a Galician wedding, and you know what that means.  They all got drinking whiskey and beer, and then we had a terrible time.  The whole roomful got fighting.  They were all against Jack and Mackenzie.  The Galicians had clubs and knives, but Jack just had his hands.  It was fine to see him stand up and knock those Galicians back, and smiling all the time.  Mackenzie had a hand-spike.  Of course, I helped a little with a club.  I thought they were going to kill Jack.  We got away alive, but Jack was badly hurt, and for a week afterwards he did not look at me.  Mackenzie said he was ashamed, but I don’t know why.  He made a big fight.  Mackenzie says he did not like to fight with ‘them dogs.’  Brown heard all about it and came to see Jack, and he too looked ashamed and sorry.  But Brown never fights; no matter what they do to him, he won’t fight; and he is a strong man, too, and does not look afraid.

“Have you heard any word at all of father?  I sometimes get so lonely for him and you.  I used to dream I was back with you again, and then I would wake up and find myself alone and far away.  It will not be so long now till I’m a man, and then you will come and live with me.  Oh!  I cannot write fast enough to put down the words to say how glad I am to think of that.  But some day that will be.

“I send my love to Simon Ketzel and Lena and Margaret, and you tell Mrs. French I do not forget that I owe all I have here to her.  Tell her I wish I could do something for her.  Nothing would be too hard.

“I kiss this paper for you, my dear sister, my beloved Irma.

“Your loving and faithful brother,
“Kalman.”

Proud of her brother, Irma read parts of her letter to her friend, leaving out, with a quick sense of what was fitting, every unhappy reference to Jack French; but the little lady was keen of ear and quick of instinct where Jack French was concerned, and Irma’s pauses left a deepening shadow upon her face.  When the letter was done, she said:  “Is it not good to hear of Kalman doing so well?  Tell him he can do something for me.  He can grow up a good man, and he can help Jack to be—­” But here her loyal soul held her back.  “No, don’t say that,” she said; “just tell him I am glad to know he is going to be a good man.  There is nothing I want more for those I love than that.  Tell him too,” she added, “that I would like him and Jack to help Mr. Brown all they can,” and this message Irma wrote to Kalman with religious care, telling him too how sad the dear sweet face had grown in sending the message.