“Well, sir,” said Kinney, with a certain reluctance, “I undertook to provision the camp on spec, last winter, and--well, you know, I always run a little on food for the brain,”--Bartley broke into a reminiscent cackle, and Kinney smiled forlornly,--“and thinks I, 'Dumn it, I'll give 'em the real thing, every time.' And I got hold of a health-food circular; and I sent on for a half a dozen barrels of their crackers and half a dozen of their flour, and a lot of cracked cocoa, and I put the camp on a health-food basis. I calculated to bring those fellows out in the spring physically vigorous and mentally enlightened. But my goodness! After the first bakin' o' that flour and the first round o' them crackers, it was all up! Fellows got so mad that I suppose if I hadn't gone back to doughnuts, and sody biscuits, and Japan tea, they'd 'a' burnt the camp down. Of course I yielded. But it ruined me, Bartley; it bu'st me.” Bartley dropped his arms upon the table, and, hiding his face upon them, laughed and laughed again. “Well, sir,” said Kinney, with sad satisfaction, “I'm glad to see that you don't need any money from me.” He had been taking another survey of the parlor and the dining-room beyond. “I don't know as I ever saw anybody much better fixed. I should say that you was a success; and you deserve it. You're a smart fellow, Bart, and you're a good fellow. You're a generous fellow.” Kinney's voice shook with emotion. Bartley, having lifted his wet and flushed face, managed to say: “Oh, there's nothing mean about _me_, Kinney,” as he felt blindly for the beer bottles, which he shook in succession with an evident surprise at finding them empty. “You've acted like a brother to me, Bartley Hubbard,” continued Kinney, “and I sha'n't forget it in a hurry. I guess it would about broke my heart, if you hadn't taken it just the way you did to-night. I should like to see the man that didn't use you well, or the woman, either!” said Kinney, with vague defiance. “Though _they_ don't seem to have done so bad by you,” he added, in recognition of Marcia's merit. “I should say _that_ was the biggest part of your luck She's a lady, sir, every inch of her. Mighty different stripe from that Montreal woman that cut up so that night.” “Oh, Mrs. Macallister wasn't such a scamp, after all,” said Bartley, with magnanimity. “Well, sir, _you_ can say so. I ain't going to be too strict with a _girl_; but I like to see a married woman _act_ like a married woman. Now, I don't think you'd catch Mrs. Hubbard flirting with a young fellow the way that woman went on with you that night?” Bartley grinned. “Well, sir, you're getting along and you're happy.” “Perfect clam,” said Bartley. “Such a position as you've got,--such a house, such a wife, _and_ such a baby! Well,” said Kinney, rising, “it's a little too much for _me_.” “Want to go to bed?” asked Bartley. “Yes, I guess I better turn in,” returned Kinney, despairingly. “Show you the way.”