Very luckily for him, his bedfellow was a sound sleeper, and never once awakened when he left the room or returned. Had he done so, however, the detective had ready contrived an excuse which must have silenced suspicion, in any reasonable man, that the absentee was engaged in work not unnecessary for one in his physical condition. All in Lawler’s house slept deeply. This greatly favored the detective’s wanderings at night. But he was not long in discovering that he must find a place where, however small and inconvenient, he could occupy some sort of an apartment quite by himself. Otherwise his reports would be few and scattering, brief and unsatisfactory. He therefore began the search for another boarding-house, with a valid reason for cutting away from the Lawler residence. One day, not long after McKenna had reached this conclusion, Lawler came home from the colliery some hours earlier than usual, and meeting the stranger, inquired if he had any clothes suitable for use in the mines. “Faix, an’ I hev these same that ye see me afther standin’ in,” said McKenna, “wid my Sunday suit beside!” “Oh, botheration!” exclaimed Lawler, impatiently. “Those will never suit the work in the slope, with the smoke, an’ the dirt, an’ the wather!” “Well, then, I suppose wan can buy others that will do! Just tell me what’s wantin’, an’, sure, I’ll see about it! Now in the silver mines, in the West, a man can wear most anything—still, I must acknowledge that the chaper the cloth the least money thrown away, even there!” “True for ye!” said Lawler. “And if you can’t raise the funds—of the right sort, you know—I’ll go security for you till pay day for such things as you’ll need—my credit’s good at the store—for the boss has sent me to tell you that in a short time he can put you on a job loadin’ coal in the slope. I’ll inform you, beforehand, that it’ll be hard work, but I guess you can stand it a while!” McKenna made known his desire to try it, at all events. The heavy-soled boots, miner’s lamp for his hat-band, the tin dinner-pail and canteen, a pair of coarse denim overalls, a loose jacket tied with a strong string at the waist, or buckled in with his trusty strap, and an old, nearly worn-out hat, formerly worn by Lawler, completed McKenna’s shifting suit. The prospect of soon entering the mine to labor was pleasant. It would give him a better opportunity to see and know a greater number of Mollies, and at the same time gain more familiar footing with Lawler. But when the appointed day arrived, the boss received orders from his employers to discharge old, instead of hiring new men. Still Lawler did not despair. His time would come, he confidently declared. At about this date the whole country was covered with snow, which fell heavily during several succeeding days, and travel, with teams, or even on foot, was dangerous. For more than a week communication between places not connected by railway was almost entirely suspended.