f you're goin' to raise
them kids fer Zip while he's away, it'll need a committee o' us
fellers. It's more'n one feller's job--much more. It needs a wummin."

Bill listened patiently until his deputy had aired his final
grievance. His fierce eyes had in them a peculiar twinkle that was
quite lost on Sunny in his present mood. However, when the injured man
had finished his tale of woe the gambler stretched his long legs out,
and lolled back in his chair with a fresh chew of tobacco in his
mouth.

"You ain't done too bad," he said judicially. "That m'lasses racket
was a heap smart. Though--say, you'll get around ther' come sun-up
to-morrer, an' you'll fix 'em right all day. Maybe Zip'll be back
later. Anyways, you'll fix 'em."

"Not on your life--" began Sunny, in fierce rebellion. But Bill cut
him short.

"You'll do it, Sunny," he cried, "an' don't you make no mistake."

The man's manner was irresistibly threatening, and Sunny was beaten
back into moody silence. But if looks could have killed, Bill's
chances of life were small indeed.

"Guess you're off duty now," the gambler went on icily. "You're off
duty till--sun-up. You're free to get drunk, or--what in hell you
like."

Sunny rose from his seat. His rebellious eyes were fiercely alight as
he regarded his master.

"May your soul rot!" he cried venomously. And with this final impotent
explosion he slouched out of the hut.

"Dessay it will," Bill called after him amiably. "But it ain't started
yet."

But his jibe was quite lost on the angry Sunny, for he had left him
with the haste of a man driven to fear of whither his anger might
carry him.

Left alone, Wild Bill chuckled. He liked Sunny, but despised his mode
of life with all the arrogant superiority of a man of great force,
even if of indifferent morals. He had no patience with a weakened
manhood. With him it was only strength that counted. Morality was only
for those who had not the courage to face a mysterious future
unflinchingly. The future concerned him not at all. He had no fears of
anybody or anything, either human or superhuman. Death offered him no
more terrors than Life. And whichever was his portion he was ready to
accept it unquestioningly, unprotestingly.

He allowed the hoboe time to get well clear of his shack. Then he
stood up and began to pace the room thoughtfully. A desperate frown
depressed his brows until they met over the bridge of his large thin
nose. Something was working s