BILL M C CLAIN PROSPECTOR 201 



The man with the gray beard was Bill Mc- 

 Clain, an intelligent old prospector and miner 

 whom everyone in the district respected. "I 

 promised Regan . . . ' began McClain. In- 

 stantly there was a silence, every eye was on Mc- 

 Clain, and everyone listened. He appeared to 

 be speaking to every one, or to no one except him- 

 self and Joe. "I promised Regan that I would 

 take care of Joe. Joe, where have you been 

 since the day of the funeral ? I have tried every- 

 where to locate you." With this said, he started 

 for his cabin without -another word, while Joe, 

 with head up and at ease, followed. 



That evening George Williams, the owner of 

 the bulldog, called at the McClain cabin. "I 

 have called to apologize," he said. McClain, 

 holding in his hand an open copy of a popular 

 magazine, pointed to a chair. Joe, lying on 

 the floor with head resting on his fore- 

 paws, looked up at Williams without a move. 



"I thought there was good metal in you," re- 

 sponded McClain, "but I came near letting you 

 go over the dump to-day." 



"Well, I have disposed of the bulldog and done 

 some thinking since you stopped the fight," fol- 

 lowed Williams. McClain was silent for a time, 

 and then said : " I am going to work my claims up 

 Norton Gulch as soon as the snow is gone, and 

 Clark, who has the eastern extension of the lead 



