by a free-handed dispensation of a
liberal supply of money. Furthermore, he became a prominent devotee at
the poker table in Minky's store, and, by reason of the fact that he
usually lost, as most men did who joined in a game in which Wild Bill
was taking a hand, his popularity increased rapidly, and the
simple-minded diggers dubbed him with the dazzling sobriquet of "Lord
James."

It was during this time that he made the acquaintance of Jessie and
her husband, and it was astonishing how swiftly his friendship for the
unsuspicious little man ripened.

This first visit lasted just three weeks. Then, without warning, and
in the same unobtrusive way as he had come, he vanished from the
scene. For the moment Suffering Creek wondered; then, as is the way of
such places, it ceased to wonder. It was too busy with its own affairs
to concern itself to any great extent with the flotsam that drifted
its way. Scipio wondered a little more than the rest, but his twins
and his labors occupied him so closely that he, too, dismissed the
matter from his mind. As for Jessie, she said not a word, and gave no
sign except that her discontent with her lot became more pronounced.

But Suffering Creek was not done with James yet. The next time he came
was nearly a month later, just as the monthly gold stage was preparing
for the road, carrying with it a shipment of gold-dust bound for Spawn
City, the nearest banking town, eighty miles distant.

He at once took up his old position in the place, stayed two weeks,
staked out a claim for himself, and pursued his intimacy with Scipio
and his wife with redoubled ardor.

Before those two weeks were over somehow his popularity began to wane.
This intimacy with Scipio began to carry an ill-flavor with the men of
the place. Somehow it did not ring pleasantly. Besides, he showed a
fresh side to his character. He drank heavily, and when under the
influence of spirits abandoned his well-polished manners, and
displayed a coarseness, a savage truculence, such as he had been
careful never to show before. Then, too, his claim remained unworked.

The change in public opinion was subtle, and no one spoke of it. But
there was no regret when, finally, he vanished again from their midst
in the same quiet manner in which he had gone before.

Then came the catastrophe. Two weeks later a gold stage set out on its
monthly journey. Sixty miles out it was held up and plundered. Its two
guards were shot dead, and