He was glad to see them, for, to tell the truth, the solitude of his life was telling on him.

The winter had been severe, and he had hardly caught a glimpse of a white face during the three midwinter months, and his provisions were scanty.
These parties brought great news.

One of them was the advance surveying party for a great Northern railroad, and they said a line of road was to be surveyed during the summer if their report was favorable.
"Well, what d'ye think of it ?" Wilson asked, with a smile.
"Think! It's immense!" said a small man in the party, whom the rest called Judge Balser.

"Why, they'll be a town of four thousand inhabitants in this valley before snow flies.

We'll send the surveyors right over the divide next month." They sent some papers to Wilson a few weeks later, which he devoured as a hungry dog might devour a plate of bacon.