face while he was proceeding to metaphorically nail up
each of these men's coffins, and the curious animal alertness of it
held her interest. His eyes were wide and restless, and a hardness
marked the corners of his rather loose mouth. She wondered if that
hardness were natural, or whether it had been acquired in the
precarious life that these people lived.

"It's just as well to know--everybody," she said gently.

"Oh, it sure is, in a country like this," the man went on confidently.
"That's why I come along. Fellers chasin' gold is a hell of a bad
outfit. Y' see, I ain't bin long chasin' gold, an' I don't figger to
keep at it long neither. Y' see, I got a good claim. Guess it's sure
the best. We drew lots for 'em last night. It was the Padre fixed that
up. He's a great feller, the Padre. An' I got the best one--wher' the
Padre found that nugget you got. Oh, I'm lucky--dead lucky! Guess
I'll git a pile out o' my claim, sure. A great big pile. Then I'm
goin' to live swell in a big city an' have a great big outfit of folks
workin' fer me. An' I'll git hooked up with a swell gal. It'll be a
bully proposition. Guess the gal'll be lucky, cos I'll have such a big
pile."

The youngster's enthusiasm and conceit were astounding. Nor could Joan
help the coldness they inspired in her voice.

"She will be lucky--marrying you," she agreed. "But--aren't you afraid
you'll miss something if the others get out to the hill before you? I
mean, they being such a bad lot."

The man became serious for a second before he answered. Then, in a
moment, his face brightened into a grin of confidence.

"Course you can't trust 'em," he said, quite missing Joan's desire to
be rid of him. "But I don't guess any of 'em's likely to try monkey
tricks. Guess if any feller robbed me I'd shoot him down in his
tracks. They know that, sure. Oh, no, they won't play no monkey
tricks. An' anyway, I ain't givin' 'em a chance."

He moved toward his horse and replaced the reins over its neck in
spite of his brave words. Joan understood. She saw the meanness
underlying his pretended solicitation for her well-being. All her sex
instincts were aroused, and she quite understood the purpose of the
somewhat brutal youth.

"You're quite right to give them no chances," she said coldly. "And
now, I s'pose, you're going right out to your claim?"

"I am that," exclaimed the other, with a gleam of cupidity in his
shifty eyes. "I'm goin' right away to dig lumps of