"The stage. I just arrived a few minutes ago, and hurried here at once. Aren't you glad to see me?"
"Glad? Yes, indeed! I can't tell you how glad. But it's a shock to me your coming so suddenly. You might have let me know."
"Yes, it was a sudden resolve; I should have wired you. However, I thought I would give you a surprise. How are you, old man?"
"Me—oh, I'm all right, thanks."
"Why, what's the matter with you, lad? You look ten years older. You look older than your big brother now."
"Yes, I daresay. It's the life, it's the land. A hard life and a hard land."
"Why don't you go out?"
"I don't know, I don't know. I keep on planning to go out and then something turns up, and I put it off a little longer. I suppose I ought to go, but I'm tied up with mining interests. My partner is away in the East, and I promised to stay in and look after things. I'm making money, you see."
"Not sacrificing your youth and health for that, are you?"
"I don't know, I don't know."