hills came back, as in daylight, but little softened
in the dry, cold, dewless air of a California sum-
mer night. I was wondering how late it was, and
thinking that if the horses of the night travelled as
slowly as the team before us, Faustus might have
been spared his agonizing prayer, when a sudden
spasm of activity attacked my driver. A succes-
sion of whip-snappings, like a pack of Chinese
crackers, broke from the box before me. The stage
leaped forward, and when I could pick myself
from under the seat, a long white building had in
some mysterious way rolled before my window.
It must be Slumgullion! As I descended from the
stage I addressed the driver: --

"I thought you changed horses on the road?"

"So we did. Two hours ago."

"That's odd. I didn't notice it."

"Must have been asleep, sir. Hope you had a
pleasant nap. Bully place for a nice quiet snooze,
-- empty stage, sir!"

-130-