Bob Hampton of Placer

"I--eh--ain't no great shakes of an--eh--orator," he began,

apologetically, waving one hand toward his gasping rival, "like

Mr.--eh--Moffat. I can't sling words round--eh--reckless, like

the--eh--gent what just had the floor, ner--eh--spout poetry, but I

reckon--eh--I kin git out--eh--'bout what I got to say. Mr. Moffat

has--eh--told you what the--eh--Bachelor Miners' Club--eh--has been

a-doin'. He--eh--spread it on pretty blame thick, but--eh--I reckon

they ain't--eh--all of 'em miners round this yere--eh--camp. As

the--eh--president of the--eh--Cattlemen's Shakespearian--eh--Reading

Circle, I am asked to present to--eh--Miss Spencer a slight

token--eh--of our esteem, and--eh--to express our pleasure

at--eh--being permitted," he bowed to the choking Mr. Moffat, "eh--to

participate in this--eh--most glorious occasion."

He stepped forward, and dropped into Miss Spencer's lap a small

plush-covered box. Her fingers pressed the spring, and, as the lid

flew open, the brilliant flash of a diamond dazzled her eyes. She sat

staring at it, unable for the moment to find speech. Then the

assemblage burst into an unrestrained murmur of admiration, and the

sound served to arouse her.

"Oh, how beautiful it all is!" she exclaimed, rapturously. "I hardly

know what to say, or whom to thank. I never heard of anything so

perfectly splendid before. It makes me cry just to remember that it is

all done for me. Oh, Mr. Moffat, I want to thank, through you, the

gentlemen of the Bachelors' Club for this magnificent reception. I

know I do not deserve it, but it makes me so proud to realize the

interest you all take in my work. And, Mr. McNeil, I beg you to return

my gratitude to the gentlemen of the--the (oh, thank you)--the

Cattlemen's Shakespearian Reading Circle (how very nice of you to have

such an organization for the study of higher literature!) for this

superb gift. I shall never forget this night, or what it has brought

me, and I simply cannot express my real feelings at all; I--I don't

know what to say, or--or what to do."

She paused, burying her face in her hands, her body shaken with sobs.

Moffat, scarcely knowing whether to swear or smile, hastily signalled

for the waiting musicians to begin. As they swung merrily into waltz

measure he stepped forward, fully confident of his first claim for that

opening dance, and vaguely conscious that, once upon the floor with

her, he might thus regain his old leadership. Miss Spencer glanced up

at him through her tears.

"I--I really feel scarcely equal to the attempt," she murmured

nervously, yet rising to her feet. Then a new thought seemed suddenly

to occur to her. "Oh, Mr. Moffat, I have been so highly favored, and I

am so extremely anxious to do everything I can to show my gratitude. I

know it is requesting so much of you to ask your relinquishment of this

first dance with me to-night. As president of the Bachelors' Club it

is your right, of course, but don't you truly think I ought to give it

to Mr. McNeil? We were together all the way from the house, you know,

and we had such a delightful walk. You wouldn't truly mind yielding up

your claim for just this once, would you?"