got tired of chasing me. I knew for a certainty that those
mugs would follow Hungry--they did the same thing over in Nevada. I sent
in an Indian to buy me a little grub and they trailed me clean across
Death Valley. Guess that ore must have looked pretty good."

"Where'd you get it?" she asked, and he rolled his eyes roguishly while
a crafty smile lit up his face.

"That's a question," he said. "If I'd tell you, you'd have the answer.
But I'm not going to show it to _nobody_!"

"Well, you don't need to think that _I_ care!" she spoke up
resentfully, "nobody asked you to show them your gold. And after what
happened with the Willie Meena I wouldn't take your old mine for a
gift."

"You won't have to," he replied. "I've quit taking in pardners--it's a
lone hand for me, after this. I'm sure slow in the head, but I reckon
I've learned my lesson--never go up against the other man's game. Old
Eells is a lawyer and I tried to beat him at law. We've switched the
deal now and he can play _my_ game a while--hide-and-seek, up in
them high peaks."

He waved his hand in the direction of the Panamints and winked at her
exultantly.

"Look at _that_!" he said, and drew a rock from his shirt pocket
which was caked and studded with gold. It was more like a chunk of gold
with a little quartz attached to it, and as she exclaimed he leaned back
and gloated. "I've got worlds of it!" he declared. "Let 'em get out and
rustle for it--that's the way I made my start. By the time they've rode
as far as I have they'll know she's a mountain sheep country. I located
two mines right smack beside the trail and these jaspers came along and
stole them both. All right! Fine! Fine! Let 'em look for the old
Sockdolager where I got this gold, and the first man that finds it can
have it! I'm a sport--I haven't even staked it!"

"And can _I_ have it?" asked Billy, her eyes beginning to glow,
"because, oh, we need money so bad!"

"What for, kid?" inquired Wunpost with a fatherly smile. "Ain't you got
a good home, and everything?"

"Yes, but the road--Father's road. If I just had the money we'd start
right in on it tomorrow."

"Hoo! I'll build you the road!" declared Wunpost munificently. "And it
won't cost either one of us a cent. Don't believe it, eh? You think this
is bunk? Then I'll tell you, kid, what I'll do. I'll make you a bet
we'll have a wagon-road up that canyon before three months are up. And
all by head-work, mind ye--not a dollar of our