Somelatebirdofareporterstoleoneofmyplacards，thenhuntedthetownoverandfoundtheotherone，andstolethat。Inthismannerheaccomplishedwhattheprofessioncalla"scoop"——thatis，hegotavaluableitem，andsawtoitthatnootherpapergotit。Andsohispaper——theprincipaloneinthetown——haditinglaringtypeontheeditorialpageinthemorning，followedbyaVesuvianopinionofourwretchacolumnlong，whichwoundupbyaddingathousanddollarstoourrewardonthepaper’saccount！Thejournalsouthereknowhowtodothenoblething——whenthere’sbusinessinit。
AtbreakfastIoccupiedmyusualseat——selectedbecauseitaffordedaviewofpapaFuller’sface，andwasnearenoughformetohearthetalkthatwentonathistable。Seventy—fiveorahundredpeoplewereintheroom，andalldiscussingthatitem，andsayingtheyhopedtheseekerwouldfindthatrascalandremovethepollutionofhispresencefromthetown——witharail，orabullet，orsomething。
WhenFullercameinhehadtheNoticetoLeave——foldedup——inonehand，andthenewspaperintheother;anditgavememorethanhalfapangtoseehim。Hischeerfulnesswasallgone，andhelookedoldandpinchedandashy。Andthen——onlythinkofthethingshehadtolistento！
Mamma，heheardhisownunsuspectingfriendsdescribehimwithepithetsandcharacterizationsdrawnfromtheverydictionariesandphrase—booksofSatan’sownauthorizededitionsdownbelow。Andmorethanthat，hehadtoagreewiththeverdictsandapplaudthem。Hisapplausetastedbitterinhismouth，though;hecouldnotdisguisethatfromme;anditwasobservablethathisappetitewasgone;heonlynibbled;hecouldn’teat。Finallyamansaid:
"Itisquitelikelythatthatrelativeisintheroomandhearingwhatthistownthinksofthatunspeakablescoundrel。Ihopeso。"
Ah，dear，itwaspitifulthewayFullerwinced，andglancedaroundscared！Hecouldn’tendureanymore，andgotupandleft。
DuringseveraldayshegaveoutthathehadboughtamineinMexico，andwantedtoselloutandgodownthereassoonashecould，andgivethepropertyhispersonalattention。Heplayedhiscardswell;saidhewouldtake$40，000——aquarterincash，therestinsafenotes;butthatashegreatlyneededmoneyonaccountofhisnewpurchase，hewoulddiminishhistermsforcashinfull，Hesoldoutfor$30，000。Andthen，whatdoyouthinkhedid？Heaskedforgreenbacks，andtookthem，sayingthemaninMexicowasaNew—Englander，withaheadfullofcrotchets，andpreferredgreenbackstogoldordrafts。Peoplethoughtitqueer，sinceadraftonNewYorkcouldproducegreenbacksquiteconveniently。Therewastalkofthisoddthing，butonlyforaday;thatisaslongasanytopiclastsinDenver。
Iwaswatching，allthetime。Assoonasthesalewascompletedandthemoneypaid——whichwasonthe11th——IbegantosticktoFuller’strackwithoutdroppingitforamoment。Thatnight——no，12th，foritwasalittlepastmidnight——Itrackedhimtohisroom，whichwasfourdoorsfrommineinthesamehall;thenIwentbackandputonmymuddyday—
laborerdisguise，darkenedmycomplexion，andsatdowninmyroominthegloom，withagripsackhandy，withachangeinit，andmydoorajar。ForIsuspectedthatthebirdwouldtakewingnow。Inhalfanhouranoldwomanpassedby，carryingagrip:Icaughtthefamiliarwhiff，andfollowedwithmygrip，foritwasFuller。Heleftthehotelbyasideentrance，andatthecornerheturnedupanunfrequentedstreetandwalkedthreeblocksinalightrainandaheavydarkness，andgotintoatwo—horsehack，whichofcoursewaswaitingforhimbyappointment。I
tookaseat（uninvited）onthetrunkplatformbehind，andwedrovebrisklyoff。Wedrovetenmiles，andthehackstoppedataway—stationandwasdischarged。Fullergotoutandtookaseatonabarrowundertheawning，asfarashecouldgetfromthelight;Iwentinside，andwatchedtheticket—office。Fullerboughtnoticket;Iboughtnone。Presentlythetraincamealong，andheboardedacar;Ienteredthesamecarattheotherend，andcamedowntheaisleandtooktheseatbehindhim。Whenhepaidtheconductorandnamedhisobjectivepoint，Idroppedbackseveralseats，whiletheconductorwaschangingabill，andwhenhecametomeI
paidtothesameplace——aboutahundredmileswestward。
Fromthattimeforaweekonendheledmeadance。Hetraveledhereandthereandyonder——alwaysonageneralwestwardtrend——buthewasnotawomanafterthefirstday。Hewasalaborer，likemyself，andworebushyfalsewhiskers。Hisoutfitwasperfect，andhecoulddothecharacterwithoutthinkingaboutit，forhehadservedthetradeforwages。Hisnearestfriendcouldnothaverecognizedhim。Atlasthelocatedhimselfhere，theobscurestlittlemountaincampinMontana;hehasashanty，andgoesoutprospectingdaily;isgoneallday，andavoidssociety。Iamlivingataminer’sboardinghouse，anditisanawfulplace:thebunks，thefood，thedirt——everything。
Wehavebeenherefourweeks，andinthattimeIhaveseenhimbutonce;
buteverynightIgooverhistrackandpostmyself。AssoonasheengagedashantyhereIwenttoatownfiftymilesawayandtelegraphedthatDenverhoteltokeepmybaggagetillIshouldsendforit。Ineednothingherebutachangeofarmyshirts，andIbroughtthatwithme。
SILVERGULCH，June12
TheDenverepisodehasneverfounditswayhere，Ithink。Iknowthemostofthemenincamp，andtheyhaveneverreferredtoit，atleastinmyhearing。Fullerdoubtlessfeelsquitesafeintheseconditions。Hehaslocatedaclaim，twomilesaway，inanout—of—the—wayplaceinthemountains;itpromisesverywell，andheisworkingitdiligently。Ah，butthechangeinhim！Heneversmiles，andhekeepsquitetohimself，consortingwithnoone——hewhowassofondofcompanyandsocheeryonlytwomonthsago。Ihaveseenhimpassingalongseveraltimesrecently——
drooping，forlorn，thespringgonefromhisstep，apatheticfigure。HecallshimselfDavidWilson。
Icantrusthimtoremainhereuntilwedisturbhim。Sinceyouinsist，I
willbanishhimagain，butIdonotseehowhecanbeunhappierthanhealreadyis。IwillgohacktoDenverandtreatmyselftoalittleseasonofcomfort，andediblefood，andendurablebeds，andbodilydecency;thenIwillfetchmythings，andnotifypoorpapaWilsontomoveon。
DENVER，June19
Theymisshimhere。TheyallhopeheisprosperinginMexico，andtheydonotsayitjustwiththeirmouths，butoutoftheirhearts。Youknowyoucanalwaystell。Iamloiteringhereoverlong，Iconfessit。Butifyouwereinmyplaceyouwouldhavecharityforme。Yes，Iknowwhatyouwillsay，andyouareright:ifIwereinyourplace，andcarriedyourscaldingmemoriesinmyheart——
Iwilltakethenighttrainbackto—morrow。
DENVER，June20
Godforgiveus，mother，mearehuntingthewrongman！Ihavenotsleptanyallnight。Iamnowawaiting，atdawn，forthemorningtrain——andhowtheminutesdrag，howtheydrag！
ThisJacobFullerisacousinoftheguiltyone。Howstupidwehavebeennottoreflectthattheguiltyonewouldneveragainwearhisownnameafterthatfiendishdeed！TheDenverFullerisfouryearsyoungerthantheotherone;hecamehereayoungwidowerin’79，agedtwenty—one——ayearbeforeyouweremarried;andthedocumentstoproveitareinnumerable。LastnightItalkedwithfamiliarfriendsofhiswhohaveknownhimfromthedayofhisarrival。Isaidnothing，butafewdaysfromnowIwilllandhiminthistownagain，withthelossuponhisminemadegood;andtherewillbeabanquet，andatorch—lightprocession，andtherewillnotbeanyexpenseonanybodybutme。Doyoucallthis"gush"？Iamonlyaboy，asyouwellknow;itismyprivilege。ByandbyIshallnotbeaboyanymore。
SILVERGULCH，July3
Mother，heisgone！Gone，andleftnotrace。ThescentwascoldwhenI
came。To—dayIamoutofbedforthefirsttimesince。IwishIwerenotaboy;thenIcouldstandshocksbetter。Theyallthinkhewentwest。Istartto—night，inawagon——twoorthreehoursofthat，thenI
getatrain。Idon’tknowwhereI’mgoing，butImustgo;totrytokeepstillwouldbetorture。
Ofcoursehehaseffacedhimselfwithanewnameandadisguise。ThismeansthatImayhavetosearchthewholeglobetofindhim。IndeeditiswhatIexpect。Doyousee，mother？ItisIthatamtheWanderingJew。Theironyofit！Wearrangedthatforanother。
Thinkofthedifficulties！AndtherewouldbenoneifIonlycouldadvertiseforhim。Butifthereisanywaytodoitthatwouldnotfrightenhim，Ihavenotbeenabletothinkitout，andIhavetriedtillmybrainsareaddled。"IfthegentlemanwholatelyboughtamineinMexicoandsoldoneinDenverwillsendhisaddressto"（towhom，mother！），"itwillbeexplainedtohimthatitwasallamistake;hisforgivenesswillbeasked，andfullreparationmadeforalosswhichhesustainedinacertainmatter。"Doyousee？Hewouldthinkitatrap。
Well，anyonewould。IfIshouldsay，"Itisnowknownthathewasnotthemanwanted，butanotherman——amanwhoonceborethesamename，butdiscardeditforgoodreasons"——wouldthatanswer？ButtheDenverpeoplewouldwakeupthenandsay"Oho！"andtheywouldrememberaboutthesuspiciousgreenbacks，andsay，"Whydidherunawayifhewasn’ttherightman？——itistoothin。"IfIfailedtofindhimhewouldberuinedthere——therewherethereisnotaintuponhimnow。Youhaveabetterheadthanmine。Helpme。
Ihaveoneclue，andonlyone。Iknowhishandwriting。Ifheputshisnewfalsenameuponahotelregisteranddoesnotdisguiseittoomuch，itwillbevaluabletomeifIeverrunacrossit。
SANFRANCISCO，June28，1898
YoualreadyknowhowwellIhavesearchedthestatesfromColoradotothePacific，andhownearlyIcametogettinghimonce。Well，Ihavehadanotherclosemiss。Itwashere，yesterday。Istruckhistrail，hot，onthestreet，andfolloweditonaruntoacheaphotel。Thatwasacostlymistake;adogwouldhavegonetheotherway。ButIamonlypartdog，andcangetveryhumanlystupidwhenexcited。Hehadbeenstoppinginthathousetendays;Ialmostknow，now，thathestopslongnowhere，thepastsixoreightmonths，butisrestlessandhastokeepmoving。I
understandthatfeeling！andIknowwhatitistofeelit。HestillusesthenamehehadregisteredwhenIcamesonearcatchinghimninemonthsago——"JamesWalker";doubtlessthesameheadoptedwhenhefledfromSilverGulch。Anunpretendingman，andhassmalltasteforfancynames。Irecognizedthehandeasily，throughitsslightdisguise。A
squareman，andnotgoodatshamsandpretenses。
Theysaidhewasjustgone，onajourney;leftnoaddress;didn’tsaywherehewasgoing;lookedfrightenedwhenaskedtoleavehisaddress;
hadnobaggagebutacheapvalise;carrieditoffonfoot——a"stingyoldperson，andnotmuchlosstothehouse。""Old！"Isupposeheis，nowI
hardlyheard;Iwastherebutamoment。Irushedalonghistrail，anditledmetoawharf。Mother，thesmokeofthesteamerhehadtakenwasjustfadingoutonthehorizon！IshouldhavesavedhalfonhourifI
hadgoneintherightdirectionatfirst。Icouldhavetakenafasttug，andshouldhavestoodachanceofcatchingthatvessel。SheisboundforMelbourne。
HOPECANYON，CALIFORNIA，October3，1900
Youhavearighttocomplain。"Aletterayear"isapaucity;Ifreelyacknowledgeit;buthowcanonewritewhenthereisnothingtowriteaboutbutfailures？Noonecankeepitup;itbreakstheheart，Itoldyou——itseemsagesago，now——howImissedhimatMelbourne，andthenchasedhimalloverAustralasiaformonthsonend。
Well，then，afterthatIfollowedhimtoIndia;almostsawhiminBombay;
tracedhimallaround——toBaroda，Rawal—Pindi，Lucknow，Lahore，Cawnpore，Allahabad，Calcutta，Madras——oh，everywhere;weekafterweek，monthaftermonth，throughthedustandswelter——alwaysapproximatelyonhistrack，sometimescloseuponhim，getnevercatchinghim。AnddowntoCeylon，andthento——Nevermind;byandbyIwillwriteitallout。
IchasedhimhometoCalifornia，anddowntoMexico，andbackagaintoCalifornia。SincethenIhavebeenhuntinghimaboutthestatefromthefirstoflastJanuarydowntoamonthago。IfeelalmostsureheisnotfarfromHopeCanyon;Itracedhimtoapointthirtymilesfromhere，butthereIlostthetrail;someonegavehimaliftinawagon，Isuppose。
Iamtakingarest，now——modifiedbysearchingsforthelosttrail。I
wastiredtodeath，mother，andlow—spirited，andsometimescominguncomfortablyneartolosinghope;buttheminersinthislittlecamparegoodfellows，andIamusedtotheirsortthislongtimeback;andtheirbreezywaysfreshenapersonupandmakehimforgethistroubles。Ihavebeenhereamonth。Iamcabiningwithayoungfellownamed"Sammy"
Hillyer，abouttwenty—five，theonlysonofhismother——likeme——andlovesherdearly，andwritestohereveryweek——partofwhichislikeme。
Heisatimidbody，andinthematterofintellect——well，hecannotbedependedupontosetariveronfire;butnomatter，heiswellliked;heisgoodandfine，anditismeatandbreadandrestandluxurytositandtalkwithhimandhaveacomradeshipagain。Iwish"JamesWalker"couldhaveit。Hehadfriends;helikedcompany。Thatbringsupthatpictureofhim，thetimethatIsawhimlast。Thepathosofit！Itcomesbeforemeoftenandoften。Atthatverytime，poorthing，Iwasgirdingupmyconsciencetomakehimmoveonagain！
Hillyer’sheartisbetterthanmine，betterthananybody’sinthecommunity，Isuppose，forheistheonefriendoftheblacksheepofthecamp——FlintBuckner——andtheonlymanFlintevertalkswithorallowstotalkwithhim。HesaysheknowsFlint’shistory，andthatitistroublethathasmadehimwhatheis，andsooneoughttobeascharitabletowardhimasonecan。NownonebutaprettylargeheartcouldfindspacetoaccommodatealodgerlikeFlintBuckner，fromallIhearabouthimoutside。IthinkthatthisonedetailwillgiveyouabetterideaofSammy’scharacterthananylabored—outdescriptionIcouldfurnishyouofhim。Inoneofourtalkshesaidsomethingaboutlikethis:"Flintisakinsmanofmine，andhepoursoutallhistroublestome——emptieshisbreastfromtimetotime，orIreckonitwouldburst。Therecouldn’tbeanyunhappierman，ArchyStillman;hislifehadbeenmadeupofmiseryofmind——heisn’tnearasoldashelooks。Hehaslostthefeelofreposefulnessandpeace——oh，yearsandyearsago！Hedoesn’tknowwhatgoodluckis——neverhashadany;oftensayshewisheshewasintheotherhell，heissotiredofthisone。"
IV
"Norealgentlemanwilltellthenakedtruthinthepresenceofladies。"
ItwasacrispandspicymorninginearlyOctober。Thelilacsandlaburnums，litwiththeglory—firesofautumn，hungburningandflashingintheupperair，afairybridgeprovidedbykindNatureforthewinglesswildthingsthathavetheirhomesinthetree—topsandwouldvisittogether;thelarchandthepomegranateflungtheirpurpleandyellowflamesinbrilliantbroadsplashesalongtheslantingsweepofthewoodland;thesensuousfragranceofinnumerabledeciduousflowersroseupontheswooningatmosphere;farinheemptyskyasolitaryoesophagussleptuponmotionlesswing;everywherebroodedstillness，serenity，andthepeaceofGod。
Octoberisthetime——1900;HopeCanyonistheplace，asilver—miningcampawaydownintheEsmeraldaregion。Itisasecludedspot，highandremote;recentastodiscovery;thoughtbyitsoccupantstoberichinmetal——ayearortwo’sprospectingwilldecidethatmatteronewayortheother。Forinhabitants，thecamphasabouttwohundredminers，onewhitewomanandchild，severalChinesewashermen，fivesquaws，andadozenvagrantbuckIndiansinrabbit—skinrobes，batteredplughats，andtin—
cannecklaces。Therearenomillsasyet;nochurch，nonewspaper。Thecamphasexistedbuttwoyears;ithasmadenobigstrike;theworldisignorantofitsnameandplace。
Onbothsidesofthecanyonthemountainsrisewall—like，threethousandfeet，andthelongspiralofstragglinghutsdowninitsnarrowbottomgetsakissfromthesunonlyonceaday，whenhesailsoveratnoon。
Thevillageisacoupleofmileslong;thecabinsstandwellapartfromeachother。Thetavernistheonly"frame"house——theonlyhouse，onemightsay。Itoccupiesacentralposition，andistheeveningresortofthepopulation。Theydrinkthere，andplayseven—upanddominoes;alsobilliards，forthereisatable，crossedalloverwithtornplacesrepairedwithcourt—plaster;therearesomecues，butnoleathers;somechippedballswhichclatterwhentheyrun，anddonotslowupgradually，butstopsuddenlyandsitdown;thereisapartofacubeofchalk，withaprojectingjagofflintinit;andthemanwhocanscoresixonasinglebreakcansetupthedrinksatthebar’sexpense。
FlintBuckner’scabinwasthelastoneofthevillage，goingsouth;hissilver—claimwasattheotherendofthevillage，northward，andalittlebeyondthelasthutinthatdirection。Hewasasourcreature，unsociable，andhadnocompanionships。Peoplewhohadtriedtogetacquaintedwithhimhadregretteditanddroppedhim。Hishistorywasnotknown。SomebelievedthatSammyHillyerknewit;otherssaidno。
Ifasked，Hillyersaidno，hewasnotacquaintedwithit。FlinthadameekEnglishyouthofsixteenorseventeenwithhim，whomhetreatedroughly，bothinpublicandinprivate;andofcoursethisladwasappliedtoforinformation，butwithnosuccess。FetlockJones——nameoftheyouth——saidthatFlintpickedhimuponaprospectingtramp，andashehadneitherhomenorfriendsinAmerica，hehadfounditwisetostayandtakeBuckner’shardusageforthesakeofthesalary，whichwasbaconandbeans。Furtherthanthishecouldoffernotestimony。
Fetlockhadbeeninthisslaveryforamonthnow，andunderhismeekexteriorhewasslowlyconsumingtoacinderwiththeinsultsandhumiliationswhichhismasterhadputuponhim。Forthemeeksufferbitterlyfromthesehurts;morebitterly，perhaps，thandothemanliersort，whocanburstoutandgetreliefwithwordsorblowswhenthelimitofendurancehasbeenreached。Good—heartedpeoplewantedtohelpFetlockoutofhistrouble，andtriedtogethimtoleaveBuckner;buttheboyshowedfrightatthethought，andsaidhe"dasn’t。"PatRileyurgedhim，andsaid:
"Youleavethedamnedhunksandcomewithme;don’tyoubeafraid。I’lltakecareofhim。"
Theboythankedhimwithtearsinhiseyes，butshudderedandsaidhe"dasn’triskit";hesaidFlintwouldcatchhimalone，sometime，inthenight，andthen——"Oh，itmakesmesick，Mr。Riley，tothinkofit。"
Otherssaid，"Runawayfromhim;we’llstakeyou;skipoutforthecoastsomenight。"Butallthesesuggestionsfailed;hesaidFlintwouldhunthimdownandfetchhimback，justformeanness。