The Puntacooset Colony, Chapters I-III [pp. 1-15]

The Puntacooset Colony.
not more than twenty feet from them, in retaining so well those kindly, honest,
partly hidden by the lower branches of the and reassuring expressions which, beneath
pines that grew behind, but now that at- the blight of corruption, will always fade
tention was especially directed to it, seem- away so much sooner than mere delicacy
ing to stand out so clear and distinct that and bloom of feature.
they wondered they had not observed it For the moment he stood at the door of
from the very first. A little tent, not more his tent, gazing in lazy attitude down the
than large enongh for one-a box or two be- valley, unconscious that he was being ob ing crowded outside, it would seem; and served. Then, recovering himself, he took
before the door a few feet one side, grazed from his pocket a little meerschaum pipe
a gray pony. and filled it carefully from a bag of cut to While the father and daughter looked, bacco, placed the stem between his lips, and
the flap of the tent was thrown outward and hunted in his bag for a match, making as
a single figure emerged. A young man, though he would sit down and have a quiet
slight and well built. Not altogether un- smoke. But the match did not seem to be
pleasing in appearance at the first sight; forthcoming, and while looking around for
having well-shaped features, set off with a some substitute, his eye fell upon a piece of
dark beard trimmed close to the face. At board, evidently a portion of the head of a
a casual glance, rather a prepossessing barrel. This seemed to suggest a new
figure. And yet, after a moment's scrutiny, idea; for, putting his filled pipe in his
it was somehow felt that those shapely pocket, he re-entered the tent, emerged
features were only a cover to some unworthy again with a hammer and a couple of nails,
trait of character. There was a subtle, and proceeded to fasten the board against
cool, crafty gleam in the eye, indicative of the front pole of his tent, above the line of
unruly thought, an expression that spoke of his head, in the place where residents of
license and depravity lurking under the the mines who had mercantile pursuits were
guise of something better. There was a wont to emblazon their business.
sullen impress in the sharply drawn orners What was it to be? The tent was too
of the mouth, mingled with a contemp ous small for a drinking saloon or grocery store,
sneer faintly traceable in the thin, alm st and there seemed to be no other commer imperceptible lines. And even as on" cial occupation adapted to the wants of the
looked at him, the lines appeared to grow Xdistrict. But the stranger speedily enlight broader, until they controlled the whole ex- eed the two spectators; for again disap pression, and from being mere inconsider- pea ing and reappearing, this time emerging
able indications of a transient emotion, gave with a bottle of ink and a small brush he
permanent impress to it; so that when once roughly traced out upon the board the
seen the crafty sneer seemed afterward never word "DOcTOR."
absent, and became the real prevailing tone It was a moment or two before anything
of the face. In fact, when, after the first was added to this; for evidently pleased
careless glances of possible admiration, the with his success at sign painting, he was
face was deliberately studied, it became obliged to retire a few paces and conten recognized rather as that of a man, who, plate his work in all its details from a bird's
naturally engaging and prepossessing, had eye distance of ten or twelve paces. Ap lived a life of indolence, heartlessness, and pearing more than ever satisfied with the
want of principle; preserving through all, as view, he returned, added the word " BART will sometimes happen, something of his LET," took another minute for distainCob original manly bearing, but not succeeding servation and gratifying self-laudation, and
1887.]
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