IN DAKOTA. 43 
“What does this mean, Sam ? ~=Don’t trifle with 
my feelings, I beg of you. Tell me what it all 
means ?” 
MR. SAMUELS. 
“ Now, just keep cool a few minutes, old fellow, 
and I'll tell you all about it in as few words as pos- 
sible. In the first place Mr. Samuels is Samuel 
Bright. I heard of your troubles some time ago, and 
as I wanted to see Dakota anyhow, concluded that I 
would get ‘round here in time to see if there wasn't 
some way out for you. Mr. Hawley, of Ohio, whom 
I have known for a long time, stopped to make me 
a little visit on his way to Dakota, and we came to- 
gether. I went to see Bragdon and tried to buy his 
claim against you, but it was of no use. I might as 
well have talked to arock, Then I got Hawley to 
attend the sale and bid in the property for me, and 
you know the rest. I had a double pleasure in doing 
this: first, it enabled me to do a good turn to a 
friend, and next I had an old grudge against that 
contemptible skin-flint, Bragdon. Years ago he vio- 
lated every principle of honor to take a mean ad- 
vantage of my brother William. I said then I'd pay 
him for that sometime, and I would gladly have 
walked from Illinois to Dakota for the revenge I’ve 
had this week.” da | 
A CALL ON BRAQUON, 
“ He never suspected that Hawley was acting for 
me, so yesterday I just dropped in at his office and 
