"I've gut ten
thousand right in the Wellsburg Bank, and I'll draw a check on it jest
as soon as I kin make it aout!"

"Oh, no," laughed Silence, "that won't do. I can't accept your check. I
want to see the money."

"Mebbe yeou think the check ain't no good? Didn't yeou come into the
bank and see me deposit the money?"

"Yes, I saw it. But you're aware, I presume, that the law would not
enforce the payment of that check in case you lost your wager and I
attempted to collect. You might stop payment at the bank, and I could
whistle for my money."

"Yeou don't think I'd do anything like that, do ye?"

"I don't propose to take any chances, Mr. Gallup," said the man, as he
glanced at his watch. "There are now exactly ten minutes before the bank
closes. If you're earnest we'll accompany you to the bank, and you can
draw your money."

"Mebbe they won't have ten thousand on hand to pay a check of that
bigness."

"Then you can exchange your own check for a bank check. If you do that,
you can't stop payment on the bank's check in case you lose. Let's have
all these little matters properly arranged in advance. Will you do
that, or are you going to squeal?"

"I never squealed in my life!" repeated Ephraim, with a snarl. "Come
on--come on to the bank! We'll fix it!"

CHAPTER XXXIV.

A TROUBLED MIND.

Ephraim found that Casper Silence was very much in earnest. There was no
bluff about the man's proposal to bet ten thousand dollars, and Gallup
was not the sort of chap to back down after making such talk.

Naturally the cashier at the bank looked surprised when Gallup asked for
a bank check in exchange for his own check, drawn for the full amount of
his deposit. Mr. Casin, however, did not ask questions, but made out the
bank check and passed it to Ephraim.

In the presence of witnesses this check was placed in the hands of Fred
Priley to cover the ten thousand dollars posted by Silence.

Casper Silence took pains to examine the bank check, over which he
nodded and smiled, returning it to Priley.

"That's all right, I fancy," he said. "It ought to be as good as gold
coin."

Then he turned to Ephraim with pretended admiration.

"Young man, you've got genuine sporting blood," he said. "You've got
nerve. I can't help admiring your nerve, although I fear your judgment
is rather poor. I hope you won't feel the loss of that little sum, in
case you do lose it, which you certainly will."

"Oh, I guess I could st