"Won't there ever be any more hands of poker dealt?" asked Pete. "If I
thought this was to be the last hand ever played, I'd sure plunge right
smart on this bunch of mine."

"Weakening, eh?" sneered Dewing.

"That's enough, Pete," said Boland, very much vexed. "We're playing table
stakes. This is no way to do. Show what you've got and let's get out of
this."

"You let me be!" snapped Pete. "No, Dewing; I'm not weakening. About how
much cash have you got in your roll?"

"About fourteen hundred in the house. More in the bank if you're really
on the peck. And I paid three thousand cash for this place."

"And I've got maybe fifty or sixty dollars with me. You see how it is,"
said Pete. "But I've got a good ranch and a bunch of cattle, if you
happen to know anything about them."

"Pete! Pete! That's enough," urged Boland.

Pete shook him off.

"Mind your own business, will you?" he snapped. "I'm going to show Mr.
Something Dewing how it feels."

The gambler smiled coldly. "Johnson, you're an old blowhard! If you
really want to make a man-size bet on that hand of yours, I'll make you
a proposition."

"Bet on it? Bet on this hand?" snarled Pete, clutching his cards tightly.
"I'd bet everything I've got on this hand."

"We'll see about that. I may be wrong, but I seem to have heard that you
and young Mitchell have found a copper claim that's pretty fair, and a
little over. I believe it, anyhow. And I'm willing to take the risk
that you'll keep your word. I'll shoot the works on this hand--cash, bank
roll, and the joint, against a quarter interest in your mine."

"Son," said Johnson, "I wouldn't sell you one per cent of my share of
that mine for all you've got. Come again!"

The gambler laughed contemptuously. "That's easy enough said," he
taunted. "If you want to wiggle out of it that way, all right!"

Pete raised a finger.

"Not so fast. I don't remember that I've wiggled any yet. I don't want
your money or your saloon. In mentioning my mine you have set an example
of plain speaking which I intend to follow. I do hereby believe that you
can clear Stanley Mitchell of the charge hanging over him. If you can,
I'll bet you a one-quarter interest in our mine against that evidence.
I'll take your word if you'll take mine, and I'll give you twelve hours'
start before I make your confession public.--Boland, you mind your own
business. I'm doing this.--Well, Dewing, how about it?"

"If you think I've got evidenc