He lived in Millings, a town in a certain Far-Western State, where flourished the most pretentious and respectable of his hotels.

" "It's ghastly," sighed the sick man, "but it will dofor Millings."

I hadn't heard he was sick even, much less"he cleared his throat"gone beyond," he ended, quoting from the "Millings Gazette" obituary column.

'Help' can't be had in Millings, and Girlie and Babe kick like steers when Momma leads 'em to the dish-pan.

But, sitting back alone in his taxicab on his way to the station to buy Sheila's ticket to Millings, Sylvester turned his emerald rapidly about on his finger and whistled to himself.

"Gee! Millings is God's country all right.

You'll make a hit in Millings."

"We ain't got anything like you in Millings.

" Sheila, looking out at the wide Nebraskan prairies that slipped endlessly past her window hour by hour that day, felt that she would not make a hit at Millings.

She asked him a few small questions as they drew near to Millings.

This was a few hours before they were to come to Millings.

They were running through a gorge, and below and ahead Sheila could see the brown plain with its patches of snow and, like a large group of red toy houses, the town of Millings, far away but astonishingly distinct in the clear air.

Say, Millings will do lots for you.

Below him Millings twinkled with a few sparse lights, and he could, even from here, distinguish the clatter of Babe's voice.

But when he came to the top, Millings dropped away from the reach of his senses.

" "You've always lived here in Millings?"

I mean, do you like Millings?

But, Millings, you know?I wouldn't have told you," she said half-angrily, "if I hadn't been so sure you hated it.

"Why, no," said Dickie, "I don't hate Millings.

It was red as a rose at sunset, still and high, remote from Millings, and it faced The Hill.

"It was dreadfultoto knock him down the steps!" "Say, if you'd had as much to put up with from Dickie as Poppa's had" "Oh," said Sheila in a tone that welled up as from under a weight, "if I had always lived in Millings, I'd drink myself!" Babe looked red and resentful, but Sheila's voice rushed on.

"Don't mention to me Mr. James Greely of the Millings National Bank!" Babe rose pompously.

Your saloon ismust bethe most fascinating place in Millings.

You're goin' to make Millings famous.

But, just the same, I've a mind to turn you out of Millings.