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when the Boss and me and the foreman was in the shanty they call
the office； after supper； we heard a most awful row。 'What's
that？' says the Boss。 'O； that's nothin'；' says the foreman； 'the
boys is havin' a little fun； I guess。' He didn't say anything； but
went on talkin'； but in a little while the row got worse； and we
heard poundin' and smashin'。 'Do you allow that sort of thing？'
says the Boss。 'Well；' he says； 'Guess the boys got some whiskey
last night。 I generally let 'em alone。' 'Well；' says the Boss；
quiet…like； 'I think you'd better go in and stop it。' 'Not if I
know myself；' says the foreman； 'I ain't ordered my funeral yet。'
'Well； we'll go in and see； anyway；' says the Boss。 I tell you I
was kind o' scared； but I thought I might as well go along。 When
we got into the sleepin' shanty there was a couple of fellers with
hand…spikes breakin' up the benches and knockin' things around most
terrible。 'Say； boys；' yelled the foreman； and then he began to
swear most awful。 They didn't seem to pay much attention； but kept
on knockin' around and swearin'。 'Come； now；' says the foreman；
kind o' coaxin' like； 'this ain't no way to act。 Get down and
behave yourselves。' But still they didn't pay no attention。 Then
the Boss walked up to the biggest one； and when he got quite close
to 'em they all got still lookin' on。 'I'll take that hand…spike；'
says the Boss。 'Help yourself；' says the man swingin' it up。 I
don't know what happened； it was done so quick； but before you
could count three that feller was on his knees bleedin' like a pig
and the hand…spike was out of the door； and the Boss walks up to
the other feller and says； 'Put that hand…spike outside。' He begun
to swear。 'Put it out；' says the Boss； quiet…like； and the feller
backs up and throws his hand…spike out。 And the Boss up and speaks
and says； 'Look here； men； I don't want to interfere with nobody；
and won't while he behaves himself； but there ain't goin' to be any
row like that in this camp。 Say； you ought to have seen 'em！ They
sat like the gang used to in the night school； and then he turned
and walked out and we all follered him。 I guess they ain't used to
that sort of thing in this camp。 I heard the men talkin' next day
pretty big of what they was goin' to do； but I don't think they'll
do much。 They don't look that kind。 Anyway； if there's goin' to
be a fight； I'd feel safer with the Boss than with the whole lot of
'em。〃
〃The letter after this；〃 went on Kate； 〃tells of what happened the
Sunday following。〃
〃We'd gone out in the afternoon； Boss and me； for a walk； and when
we got back the camp was just howlin' drunk； and the foreman was
worst of all。 They kind o' quieted down for a little when we come
in and let us get into the office； but pretty soon they began
actin' up funny again and swearin' most awful。 Then I see the Boss
shut up his lips hard； and I says to myself 'Look out for blood。'
Then he starts over for the bunk shanty。 I was mighty scared； and
follered him close。 Just as we shoved open the door a bottle come
singin' through the air and smashed to a thousand bits on the beam
above。 'Is that the kind of cowards you are？' says the Boss； quite
cool。 He didn't speak loud； but I tell you everybody heard him and
got dead still。 'No； Boss；' says one feller； 'not all。' 'The man
that threw that bottle；' says the boss； 'is a coward； and the
meanest kind。 He's afraid to step out here for five minutes。'
Nobody moved。 'Step up； ye baste；' says an Irishman； 'or it's
mesilf will kick ye out of the camp。' And out the feller comes。
It was the same duck that the Boss scared out of the door the first
night。 'Sthand up till 'im Billie；' says the Irishman； 'we'll see
fair play。 Sthand up to the gintleman。' 'Billie；' says the Boss；
and his eyes was blazin' like candles； 'yer goin' to leave this
camp to…morrow mornin'。 You can take your choice； will you get
onto your knees now or later？' With that Billie whipped out a
knife and rushes at him； but the Boss grabs his wrist and gives it
a twist； and the knife fell onto the floor。 The Boss holds him
like a baby； and picks up the knife and throws it into the fire。
'Now；' says he； 'get onto your knees。 Quick！' And the feller
drops on his knees； and bellered like a calf。
〃'Let's pray；' says some one； and the crowd howls。 'Give us yer
hand； Boss；' says the Irishman。 'Yer the top o' this gang。' The
Irishman shoves out his clipper； and the Boss takes it in an easy
kind of a way。 My you o't to seen that Irishman squirm。 'Howly
Mither！' he yells； and dances round； 'what do ye think yer got？'
and he goes off lookin' at his fingers； and the Boss stands lookin'
at 'em； and says； 'You'r a nice lot of fellers； you don't deserve
it； but I'm goin' to treat you fair。 I know you feel Sunday pretty
slow； and I'll try to make it better for you； but I want you to
know that I won't have any more row in this camp； and I won't have
any man here that can't behave himself。 To…morrow morning； YOU；'
pointin' at the foreman； 'and you； Billie；' and YOU； pointin' at
another chap； leave the camp； and they did too； though they begged
and prayed to let 'em stay； and by next Sunday we had a lot of
papers and books； with pictures in 'em； and a bang…up dinner； and
everything went nice。 I am likin' it fine。 I'm time…keeper； and
look after the store； but I drive the team too every chance I get；
and I'd ruther do that a long way。 But many a night I tell you
when the Boss and me is alone we talk about you and the Institute
fellers； and the Boss〃
〃Well； that's all；〃 said Kate； 〃but isn't it terrible？ Aren't they
dreadful？〃
〃Poor fellows；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； 〃it's a very hard life for them。〃
〃But isn't it awful； auntie？ They might kill him；〃 said Kate。
〃Yes； dear；〃 said Mrs。 Murray； in a soothing voice； 〃but it sounds
worse to us perhaps than it is。〃
Mrs。 Murray had not lived in the Indian Lands for nothing。
〃Oh； if anything should happen to him？〃 said Kate； with sudden
agitation。
〃We must just trust him to the great Keeper；〃 said Mrs。 Murray；
quietly； 〃in Whose keeping all are safe whether there or here。〃
Then going to her valise； she took out a letter and handed it to
Kate； saying： 〃That's his last to me。 You can look at it； Kate。〃
Kate took the letter and put it in her desk。 〃I think； perhaps； we
had better go down now；〃 she said； 〃I expect Colonel Thorp has
come。 I think you will like him。 He seems a little rough； but he
is a gentleman； and has a true heart；〃 and they went downstairs。
It is the mark of a gentleman to know his kind。 He has an instinct
for what is fine and offers ready homage to what is worthy。 Any
one observing Colonel Thorp's manner of receiving Mrs。 Murray would
have known him at once for a gentleman； for when that little lady
came into the drawing…room； dressed in her decent silk gown； with
soft white lace at her throat； bearing herself with sweet dignity；
and stepping with dainty grace on her toes； after the manner of the
fine ladies of the old school； and not after the flat…footed； heel…
first modern style； the colonel abandoned his usual care