who had brought in the "drunk," gave it
to the matron, with his compliments. But
she, when no one noticed, went softly to
where the man was sleeping, and slipped
it back into his pocket, with a sigh. For
she knew somehow -- as women do know
things -- that he had not stolen that thimble.



THE equinoctial line itself is not more
imaginary than the line which divided
the estates of the three Johns. The herds
of the three Johns roamed at will, and
nibbled the short grass far and near without
let or hindrance; and the three Johns them-
selves were utterly indifferent as to boun-
dary lines. Each of them had filed his
application at the office of the government
land-agent; each was engaged in the tedious
task of "proving up;" and each owned
one-third of the L-shaped cabin which stood
at the point where the three ranches touched.
The hundred and sixty acres which would
have completed this quadrangle had not
yet been "taken up."

The three Johns were not anxious to have
a neighbor. Indeed, they had made up
their minds that if one appeared on that