Black Pearl and then shot by her dog! That's a nice
finish. I can shoot some myself, but I ain't in your class, Flick, and
you know it. I guess not. I prefer my own route." He looked toward the
cabin, where it seemed to him that Pearl or her shadow wavered a moment
in the doorway. "Here's dying to you, honey," and before either man
could stop him he lifted his pistol and shot himself through the heart.

* * * * *

In the meantime certain events of more importance than the passing of
Hanson, to those involved, were taking place in Mrs. Nitschkan's cabin.
As soon as Gallito had left the mine and taken his way up to Seagreave's
Jose also had departed from his cell by way of the ravine and had
hastened to the abode of Mrs. Nitschkan, where he and Mrs. Thomas were
soon absorbed in the composition of various appetizing dishes, for with
the connivance of the two women Jose hoped that evening again to
subjugate Gallito with the spell of his cookery, and win back the
indulgence he had been steadily losing.

The afternoon, then, was passing most pleasantly for both Mrs. Thomas
and himself when suddenly the door was flung open and Mrs. Nitschkan,
who had been fishing in a creek further down the hill, came dashing in.

"Jose," she cried, "the Sheriff and his boys is all out after you again.
There's nobody else they'd want up this way. They couldn't keep under
cover all the way, for they had to cross the bridge, and I happened to
see 'em then. Get out quick through the trees for Harry's cabin."

"But I don't know the secret trail."

"Gallito does. Anyway, cut for it an' maybe I can throw them off the
scent. Gosh a'mighty! Cut for it. They're here."

With one last, hasty kiss on Mrs. Thomas' cheek, Jose was out of the
door like a flash.

"Now quick, Marthy." Mrs. Nitschkan had seized a pair of scissors and
cut the pocket from her skirt, tucking the roll of bills which it
contained into her man's boot. "Cry, Marthy, cry like you never cried
before. Go on, I say. Yelpin's your strong suit. Now yelp."

With that she fell to swearing lustily herself and throwing the
furniture about, even turning the stove over and sending a great shower
of soot about the room.

At the height of all this noise and confusion, dominated, it must be
said, by Mrs. Thomas's loud and, to do her justice, sincere weeping,
there came a thunderous knocking on the door, and without waiting to
have it answered the sheriff th