an like a criminal who hopes for a
reprieve. But there was no reprieve for Wunpost, for the paper he had
signed made provision against every possible contingency; and the man
who had drawn it stood there smiling triumphantly--the jack-in-the-box
was none other than Lapham. Wunpost watched till he saw his last hope
flicker out, then whirled on the gloating lawyer. Phillip F. Lapham was
tall and thin, with the bloodless pallor of a lunger, but as Wunpost
began to curse him a red spot mounted to each cheek-bone and he pointed
his lanky forefinger like a weapon.

"Don't you threaten me!" he cried out vindictively, "or I'll have you
put under bond. The fault is your own if you failed to read this
contract, or failed to understand its intent. But there it stands, a
paper of record and unbeatable in any court in the land. I challenge you
to break it--every provision is reciprocal--it is sound both in law and
equity! And under clause seven my client, Mr. Eells, is entitled to
one-half of this claim!"

"But I only own one-third of it!" protested Wunpost desperately. "I
located it for myself and Wilhelmina Campbell, and then we gave Dusty
Rhodes a third."

"That's beside the point," answered Lapham briefly. "If you were the
original and sole discoverer, Mr. Eells is entitled to one-half, and any
agreements which you have made with others will have to be modified
accordingly."

"What do you mean?" yelled a voice, and Dusty Rhodes, who had been
listening, now jumped into the center of the arena. "I'll have you to
understand," he cried in a fury, "that I'm entitled to a full half in
this claim. I was with this man Wunpost when he made the discovery, and
according to mining law I'm entitled to one-half of it--I don't give
_that_ for you and your contract!"

He snapped his fingers under the lawyer's nose and Lapham drew back,
startled.

"Then in that case," stated Wunpost, "I don't get _anything_--and
I'm the man that discovered it! But I'll tell you, my merry men, there's
another law yet, when a man is sure he's right!"

He tapped his six-shooter and even Lynch blenched, for the fighting
light had come into his eyes. "No," went on Wunpost, "you can't work
that on me. I found this mine and I'm going to have half of it or shoot
it out with the bunch of ye!"

"You can have my share," interposed Wilhelmina tremulously, and he
flinched as if struck by a whip.

"I don't want it!" he snarled. "It's these high-binders I'm after.